Srii Murali in ‘Bagheera’. | Photo Credit: Hombale Films/YouTube
Inspector Vedanth (Srii Murali), a gold medalist, is sent to Mangaluru. On her first day in her new town, she saw young girls being harassed by rogues on the street. At that point, the last thing he wanted was a macho fight sequence. I love it, the girls are rescued by the dashing female protagonist (Rukmini Vasanth).
Bagheera There are some surprises that subvert the template of commercial cinema. In superhero movies, predictability is not a problem if the makers come up with inventive ideas to justify the genre. Dr. Suri, co-writer of KGF movies and Salaar: Part 1—Ceasefire, manage to do that.
The film throws in another surprise when the upright Vedanth is shocked when his father (Achyuth Kumar) confesses to being a corrupt cop. “If you want to stay in the system, learn to solve problems that are moral,” he advised Vedanth, who was dejected by the betrayal of his role model. Can you survive as a social justice warrior when your family members do wrong? These events lead to the birth of superheroes, who are expected to get an origin story. Wearing a black panther mask, Bagheera is a character inspired by Batman. Like Gotham’s savior, the masked vigilante in this film sets out for an unending fight for justice.
Bagheera (Kannada)
Director: Doctor Suri
Cast: Sri Murali, Rukmini Vasanth, Rangayana Raghu, Garuda Ram, Achyuth Kumar, Prakash Raj
Run time: 158 minutes
Storyline: An honest police officer is forced to become a masked vigilante to fight evil forces
Bagheera faces the challenge of eliminating extortion, sand mafia, and other illegal activities at the port. His greatest enemy was the Rana. Garuda Ram, who is a fearsome villain, has a terrifying screen presence that scores his performance.
The writing of the film is smart enough to build a powerful aura around him instead of showing his demonic nature. Thugs would rather kill themselves than be caught by Rana. That explains the man’s fearsome reputation. Prakash Raj as the calculative CBI officer hunting Bagheera makes us curious about the proceedings.
READ ALSO:Watch | Actor Rukmini Vasanth: ‘Saptha Sagaradaache Ello’ is a film crafted with love
Indian superheroes come from mythology. So the powerless called Bagheera a God. The film, written by Prashanth Neel, has a scene that reminds us of KGF movies. The hero will be raised as a heavenly being. This big idea of ​​a “massy” hero is really fun because it fits into the movie world.
Srii Murali looks the part. With a good physique, he looks to rule the screen. Murali is specially made for films that celebrate the bravery of the protagonists. However, the actor is a good performer, as proven in his first two films (Chandra Chakori, Kanti). First, Bagheera should be a more vulnerable character for the actor to display his acting ability. A superhero journey, with a strong emotional core, would have made the film even better.
A still from ‘Bagheera’. | Photo Credit: Hombale Films/YouTube
It is difficult to root the love story of the protagonists as Rukmini’s character gets a raw deal. He plays a graceful, strong-minded doctor who likes the courage and intentions of people, but the two characters hardly ask for intense scenes that make their relationship seem organic. Vedanth’s difficult resemblance to his father was not overlooked. This is where Dr Suri fails to add more nuance to his story.
Despite the blips, Bagheera score is a stylish superhero drama. Chethan D Souza’s brilliant fight sequences are matched by Ajaneesh Loknath’s haunting score. Editor Pranav Sri Prasad ensures that we are hooked on the screen as many incidents are intercut well to create tension.
A little boy grows up to be a fan of Superman and then wears a mask to stand for truth and justice just like Batman. Like Black Panther, he is ready to sacrifice himself for his people. As part of the genre, Bagheera mirrors some well-known superhero movies. However, the film is a valiant effort that almost manages a seamless paper-to-screen transition. A superhero is born in Kannada cinema, and so is a promising filmmaker in Dr Suri.
Bagheera is currently running in cinemas
Published – 31 October 2024 18:19 IST