Bairagee movie review: Shiva Rajkumar, Daali Dhananjaya, and Co. put on a credible show that’s also a tad misguided

3/5

Story:

Shiva (Shiva Rajkumar) is a highly-skilled Tiger Masque artist who is also incredibly hot-headed. A stint in prison changes things when the police inspector in charge spots the kind-hearted nature of Shiva and takes him under his wing, also urging him to rest the angry “tiger” inside. Shiva moves to a new town to start things fresh, and finds both friendship and romance, but also soon clashes with the local chieftain over ideals and certain sensitive matters. Despite his sincere attempts to keep his head down and go about life, Shiva is compelled to unleash his intensity to fight for the right – but how far can he go when the forces opposing him are mighty and powerful?

Review:

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to any viewer that Bairagee is a mass entertainer that eulogizes its hero. This couldn't be the first instance of the same and one can expect this cultural trait of Indian cinema to remain so for many years to come. And yet, the makers of Bairagee approach the age-old formula with sincerity, never trying to be holier, and instead imbue the story with a sense of freshness and intent, which have become rare in Kannada mass entertainment of late. Vijay Milton, whose extensive work in the Tamil Film Industry seems to have guided his sensibilities, carries the same to make his Kannada debut an engaging watch despite all the commercial cliches.

Ensemble films often tend to be tricky for filmmakers, especially if the film were to boast of not one but two stars in their own rights. Bairagee may have Shiva Rajkumar written all over it but one of the other main draws of the film is the presence of Daali Dhananjaya who, owing to some interesting movie choices, has risen in stature as a bankable actor in recent times. Alongside, the shadow of the duo’s maiden outing Tagaru looms large here and one can sense the audience grow excited in anticipation of a similar face-off, if not better. And to its credit, Bairagee delivers on this unsaid promise and even lends a new edge to the cult of the Shivanna-Daali dynamic. The scenes involving the two never seem forced or to be playing senselessly for the gallery but pack the right punch because of some sensible writing. The two actors in the frame too are incredibly well-versed with the grammar of massy cinema and never overplay their respective parts.

Indeed, a lot of Bairagee’s credibility stems from the performances, along with the fact that director Vijay Milton finds the right pitch to mount his film. The same film, if not in the right hands, could have been a drab, melodramatic fest and although there are traces of the same here too, Milton seems in control of things for a majority of the narrative. The director shared in a recent interview that he consulted with fellow filmmaker Duniya Suri before taking the film on floors, and that the discussion proved mighty useful with respect to the Dos and Donts of Kannada cinema – his attempts to charm the audience and the vast fanbase of Shiva Rajkumar show up in those barren moments of the script that he fills up with a strong dose of reverence for the real-life actor and his demigod status.

Shivanna leads the cast with gusto

And in the same vein, Shiva Rajkumar lives up to the stature of being a bonafide leading man and carries the film with his quintessential charm. The 60-year-old actor doesn’t seem too bogged down by the fact that he is surrounded by potential superstars of the future and portrays his character as the innocent-yet-passionate and idealistic tiger masque artist with a lot of gusto. Be it the camaraderie with Pruthvi Ambaar which comprises goofiness, humor, and emotional substance in equal measure, or his tender romance with Telugu/Tamil actress Anjali’s character of a school teacher, the veteran actor looks in really good form. Ambaar is delightful in his portion as the happy-go-lucky man-Friday and looks completely comfortable in the assigned role even though it isn’t the most “heroic” in nature. Daali Dhananjaya is bankable as ever as the morally-compromised town hierarch and it is he who infuses a sense of realness into the story – his scenes with Shivanna, as pointed out already, are likely to be the film’s highlight. Anjali makes a return to Kannada cinema after a seven-year gap but fits perfectly well into the scheme of things and manages her slightly lacking role with an endearing performance.

The script falters over the course

At its heart, Bairagee is about the highly sensitive and relevant topic of women's safety. The film strives hard, no doubt, to make a strong case against the inferior treatment of women, their terrible plight and being subjected to consistent societal shaming, and the ghastly sexual violence against them. While writer-director Vijay Milton comes across as well-intended in his pursuits, his film lacks the right nuance and attention to detail to make this a more poignant and laudable take. The scenes about the same social issues seem plagued with overbearingness and are also misplaced in the screenplay which is essentially dedicated to a hero’s journey to conquer evil. To its credit, Bairagee has a few heart-wrenching moments in the second half but one would walk out of the theatre feeling discontented about the film’s wishy-washy approach to things.

Verdict:

Bairagee may not be the freshest attempt in the genre of mass-action entertainers but the film is well balanced by good acting performances, measured filmmaking, and J. Anoop Seelin's superb background score. Sure, the film has a few unnecessary portions but one is never likely to enter the cinema hall expecting super high-brow entertainment. For all the Shivanna fans, this is the perfect excuse to soak up his insatiable energy and charm and director Vijay Milton utilizes these traits to maximum yield. Ably supported by Dhananjaya, Pruthvi Ambaar, Anjali, and others, Bairagee is pure, good-old masala fun that also strives sincerely to be engaging and worthwhile.