PremiumGandeevadhari Arjuna review: Praveen Sattaru’s thriller is well-intentioned but yawn inducing
Despite credible performances by Varun Tej, Sakshi Vaidya and Nasser, the thriller misses the bus
Last Updated: 12.18 PM, Aug 25, 2023
Story:
The life of a Gandhian politician Aditya Raj Bahadur (Nasser), who plans to attend a UN summit on climate change, is in danger. While his security officer Vijay suffers injuries in an unexpected attack, he ropes in a capable junior Arjun Varma (Varun Tej) who has a past with Aira (Sakshi Vaidya), the PA of the politician. Arjun, beyond dealing with his ex, is traumatised by his mother’s declining health. Will Arjun succeed in safeguarding the politician’s life?
Review:
Director Praveen Sattaru, an action thriller specialist, enjoys a decent record with the genre - PSV Garuda Vega, The Ghost (not considering its commercials at the box office) in the recent years. With Gandeevadhari Arjuna, he integrates a personal, emotional story with a burning social issue in the backdrop of a UN summit. The mix is underwhelming and feels like a directionless hotchpotch.
The premise is absorbing - you invest in Arjun’s trauma and his motive behind coming on board for the mission. There’s a personal reason and a larger purpose. With time, the screenplay loses its fizz. The director is caught between exploring Arjun’s angst, Aditya’s familial conflicts and driving the story forward. There’s no bite in the drama though Mickey J Meyer is successful in creating some urgency with the background score.
Like you expect in a story dealing with climate change and environment - capitalism is the villain, the corporate barons are evil-minded and are out to destroy the world. What makes the setup even duller is Aditya’s characterisation as the Gandhian politician - he can’t put a foot wrong at work. Despite the good action choreography, the emotional foundation is weak and the narration, tiring.
The intentions are clear -Gandeevadhari Arjuna wants to be an action film with a purpose but the director loses control of the narrative beyond a point. The conflicts are simplistic - the segment dealing with waste management and climate change feels like a never-ending sermon and the resolution appears conveniently cinematic.
At most points, Gandeevadhari Arjuna is not unbearable but disappointing - it’s more a lost opportunity to make a meaningful actioner. While there’s some promise in the storytelling initially, the post-intermission portions are a big, giant mess. The performances are solid - Varun Tej is an apt choice to play the traumatised security officer, Nasser some depth to a uni-dimensional role.
Sakshi Vaidya has significant screenspace, makes progress as a performer but there could’ve been a better effort at integrating her character with the core conflict. Manish Chaudhari shines in a brief, impactful part. Worthy performers like Vimala Raman, Ravi Varma and Vinay Rai are given caricaturish roles. Narain is passable in a brief role and Roshni Prakash has good screen presence.
If there’s someone who benefits the most from Gandeevadhari Arjuna, it is composer Mickey J Meyer, who gets ample scope to prove his versatility as a musician. He understands the mood and the ambience of the film and gives his heart and soul to the background score. The slick cinematography is an asset to the film, which is made on a lavish canvas.
Verdict:
Gandeevadhari Arjun is easily Praveen Sattaru’s most ambitious work but his weakest as a stroyteller too. The lead actors Varun Tej, Sakshi Vaidya, Nassser chip in with credible performances. On the technical front, it boasts appealing cinematography and an impactful background score.