Bheemla Nayak review: The massy makeover to Ayyappanum Koshiyum makes for an impressive watch

3/5

Story:

Daniel Shekar a.k.a Danny, the spoilt son of an influential politician, is arrested on the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border for illegal possession of liquor. When Danny resists the arrest, the local SI Bheemla Nayak takes charge of the situation and puts him in place. A humiliated, bitter Danny, who's put behind bars, is desperate to settle scores and uses wicked tactics to get Nayak suspended. Owing to situations beyond their control, Nayak and Danny's personal battle gets uglier, messier with time. 

Review:

Bheemla Nayak has Pawan Kalyan as a cop, a swashbuckling antagonist in Rana Daggubati as Danny, a solid conflict that pits them against one another and still it isn't your average redemption fare. Both characters have bloated egos. Nayak's aggression stems from the fact that he has nothing to lose, while Danny's arrogance could be traced back to his privilege. Both have their shades of grey and the engrossing contest is driven by several factors they have no hold over. No wonder a source material like this, inspired by Ayyappanum Koshiyum, merited a Telugu version too.

The film is worthy of being labelled an adaptation of Ayyappanum Koshiyum, remade with significant changes and it's certainly not catered to an audience that would've appreciated the realism of the original. Yet, you can't dismiss Bheemla Nayak as a mainstream film without nuance. The screenplay, dialogue writer in Trivikram is in prime form, terrific in giving the material a massy makeover, a new flavour, and he gets the essence of the characterisation right.

Going by the standards of previous Pawan Kalyan films, not much time is wasted in giving him a lavish introduction sequence and Bheemla Nayak dives into the conflict right away without fuss. Bheemla Nayak's character is referred to as a tiger though he's more of a tamed bull here. There are several flashes of his aggression but he keeps his temper in check when necessary. When Danny gets him suspended, Nayak is relieved to not be in his uniform and go all guns blazing. 

Never did a suspended cop in a film elicit as many whistles as Bheemla Nayak. He signals a warning to sparring local bar owner by blasting his building using a homegrown bomb. The narrative takes its own sweet pace to build this world, the many characters in it and isn't as explosive as one expects it to be. Yet, the major takeaway in the first hour is the quirky equation that Bheemla shares with his wife Suguna, who is no less a match to him in his vigour. In a scene, she even asks him, "Why didn't you finish him off?"

While the mass elements are balanced with quite a bit of restraint initially, the depth of the material comes through in the latter half of the film. Akin to the original, there's a superb backstory to Bheemla's reference as a local lord, Kokkili Devara, and like most Trivikram outings, he preserves a well-timed twist in the flashback for the climax. The gravity-defying action sequences are slick, stylish and enjoyable. The casual aura of a major star, wearing an unironed shirt paired with a lungi in a rural setting, taking on his nemesis, was always going to be interesting.

Saagar K Chandra creates the masala moments leading to the songs with great flair. The news announcement of Nayak, set to receive a medal for his work, wonderfully leads to the catchy title song. The suspension sequences where Nayak goes rogue, pave way to Lala Bheemla that brims with the rebellious spirit of the character. The pointlessness of redemption is highlighted smartly in the 'Adavi Thalli Maata number just before the final faceoff between Nayak and Danny. 

The climactic fight, where the milk from a pot tied to an auspicious tree wakes up an unconscious Nayak, truly shows why Telugu filmmakers have a hold over mainstream cinema like no other industry. The ending with a special appearance by Brahmanandam certainly puts a smile on your face. A significant improvement in Bheemla Nayak in comparison to Ayyappanum Koshiyum is its treatment of female characters. Both the better halves of Nayak and Danny have a say in the story.

Pawan Kalyan's portrayal of Bheemla Nayak lets him channelise his inner Gabbar Singh with an element of poise. The star's major asset is that he enjoys whatever he does and his comic touches, sarcasm add to the character's appeal here. Rana Daggubati is efficient though he mistakes shouting for good villainy at places. Nithya Menen is brilliant and shows her authority in the brief screenspace she gets. Samyuktha Menon's vulnerable woman-act is passable. 

Samuthirakani shines in an impactful character while Teja Kakumanu, Raghu Babu, Rao Ramesh, Pammi Sai, Murali Sharma are as dependable as ever in brief yet well-etched roles. Thaman is only getting better with his background scores with each passing film. Ravi K Chandran's cinematographic expertise shows during the flashback sequence and the climax. Saagar K Chandra and Trivikram make for an interesting writer-director duo. 

Verdict:

If you expect Bheemla Nayak to be an authentic remake of Ayyappanum Koshiyum, you'll come out disappointed. Look at it like a new film with a distinct regional flavour and better-crafted masala moments, you'll give yourself a better chance to like Bheemla Nayak. It's not a perfect film by any means, in fact far from it. Trivikram, after a while, shows his expertise in catering a potent source material to the sensibilities of a new audience. It's an out-and-out Pawan Kalyan show. The director wasn't exaggerating when he said that 'Bheemla Nayak is entertainment with a purpose'.