Quick Take | Adipurush Review: This Prabhas movie is a yawn-inducing disaster

Adipurush is a prime example of what happens when filmmakers explore the realms of mythology for the big screen experience before first developing a deep understanding of them. 

Adipurush is director Om Raut's cinematic adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana. The epic story has been told and retold in various versions throughout the country. But, Om has adapted the well-known and oldest version, Valmiki's Ramayana. And he focuses all his resources on telling the war that unfolds between Lord Rama (Prabhas) and demon king Ravana (Saif Ali Khan) following Sita's (Kriti Sanon) abduction. This part of Ramayana is very eventful as it's filled with action like Rama's adventures in jungles, Hanuman's journey to Lanka and Hanuman setting Lanka on fire and of course, the battle between Rama and Ravana. The setting offers so much potential to showcase epic fights, magical weapons, aerial combat, and displays of incredible strength and courage. And the director was right about focusing on this chapter of Ramayana for the movie. Unfortunately, that's the only thing he's right about in this movie. 

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His vision for the adaptation of Ramayana is incompetent. 

Om Raut has shot Adipurush entirely against a green screen, following the footsteps of other blockbusters like 300. However, the film lacks the originality and immersive quality that made such movies a visual extravaganza. The CGI in Adipurush fails to seamlessly blend into the narrative, making it challenging for viewers to suspend their disbelief. Many of the images feel derivative, with the ape army bearing striking resemblances to the Planet of the Apes film series. The castles of Ravana looks like direct import from the Lord of the Rings. And the army of Ravana looks like descendants of Orcs.

The Telugu film industry is no stranger to making mythological epics. The likes of NTR achieved the status of demi-god by delivering several memorable mythological movies. Earlier, a mythological movie was associated with grandeur and offered a great scope for actors to perform. In Adipurush, Om largely relies on the gimmicks of special effects, instead of the talents of its stars to hold the attention of the audience. And it backfires. The talents of Prabhas are grossly underused as he rarely gets a scene to shine with his performance. Despite being the star of the movie, his actions feel restricted. Devdatta Nage, who plays Hanuman, gets more heroic scenes than Prabhas. It's clear that Om needed a star like Prabhas to make this movie a commercial success but, he really didn't know how to put the talents of the star to good use. And when it comes to Saif Ali Khan's portrayal of the demon king, he takes a more traditional approach. With his boisterous, evil laughter and exaggerated walk, he brings an old-school charm to the character. But, it doesn't add much to our viewing experience. 

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The performances from the entire cast suffer from a lack of believability and commitment. It seems they struggled to deliver convincing performances against the green screen backdrop, resulting in artificial and forced acting.  

Now Rama defeating Ravana is not a spoiler. But, the film fails to address the most crucial question: how does Rama defeat Ravana, who is supposedly invincible against all weapons? After investing three hours into the movie, you'd expect a satisfying explanation, but alas, it falls short. No amount of computer-generated imagery or fervour-inducing background music can mask this glaring storytelling failure.

Again, What's the point of making a movie on mythology without highlighting its moral and philosophical ideas?