Adipurush Review: An Ambitious Attempt with Missed Emotional Impact

Title Movie: Adipurush

Rating: 2.5/5

Banner: UV Creations, T Series

Cast: Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan, Kriti Sanon, Sunny Singh, Devdatta Nage, Vatsal Seth, Trupti Toradmal, Sonal Chauhan, and others

Music: Ajay-Atul

DOP: Karthik Palani

Editor: Apurva Motiwale Sahai, Ashish Mhatre

Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Om Raut, Prasad Sutar, Rajesh Nair

Direction: Om Raut

Release Date: June 16, 2023

“Adipurush,” the much-anticipated Ramayana adaptation, has sparked immense curiosity, particularly regarding Prabhas’ portrayal of Lord Ram. With a surge in hype surrounding the film, it’s time to dissect its strengths and weaknesses.

Story:

The tale revolves around Raghava (Prabhas), Janaki (Kriti Sanon), and Laxman (Sunny Singh) as exiles living in a forest. When Lakshman disfigures Soorpanaka, her brother Ravana (Saif Ali Khan) kidnaps Sita and takes her to Lanka. Raghava, aided by Hanuman (Devadatta), embarks on a war against Ravana to rescue Sita.

Artists’ Performances:

Prabhas shines as Raghava, effortlessly embodying the persona of Lord Ram with his commanding presence. Director Om Raut presents a more aggressive and warrior-like Lord Ram, making Prabhas an ideal choice for the role.

Kriti Sanon delivers a satisfactory performance as Janaki despite limited screen time.

Saif Ali Khan initially impresses as Raavana, but as the film progresses, the character’s portrayal veers toward that of a superhero rather than staying true to the traditional Raavana.

Devadatta Nage stands out with his stellar performance as Hanuman, perfectly fitting the character.

Sonal Chauhan’s cameo appearance as Ravan’s wife Mandodari, and Trupti Toradmal’s portrayal of Soorpanaka are decent.

Technical Excellence:

The film’s greatest strength lies in the outstanding songs composed by Ajay-Atul. The skillful implementation of the background score, especially the iconic “Jai Shri Ram,” adds to the drama in numerous scenes. However, the visual effects and 3D elements fall short, often appearing odd and failing to deliver the expected impact. Particularly during the war sequences in the second half, the visual effects disappoint.

Highlights:

Prabhas’ portrayal of Lord Ram
Impressive background music score
Engaging first half

Drawbacks:

Prolonged war scene in the second half
Dark tone of the film
Inconsistent characterization of Raavana
Subpar visual effects
Lack of devotional ambiance

Analysis:

The “Ramayana” epic holds deep cultural significance in Indian tradition, making it a challenging task for director Om Raut to contemporize it for a modern audience. While his intentions were commendable, the execution falls short of expectations.

Om Raut chooses to focus on a specific section of the Valmiki Ramayanam, starting in the middle of the narrative. The film begins with the Soorpanaka tale during Ram and Sita’s exile and culminates in the battle between Ram and Ravana, emphasizing the ‘Yuddhakanda