Saindhav review - Sailesh Kolanu’s film has a solid idea, a new-age Venkatesh but falters in execution

2.5/5

Story

Saindhav Koneru (Venkatesh) is confronted with a dire circumstance requiring him to secure a life-saving injection for his daughter, priced at a staggering Rs 17 crore. As he starts his journey to secure the funds, he gets entangled in a massive gun cartel which has a link with his tragic past. The rest of the story is about how Saindhav saves his daughter and also faces the mafia don played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Review

Saindhav is directed by Sailesh Kolanu who last made Hit and Hit 2, which were cop thrillers. This time, he has teamed up with star hero Venkatesh for an action thriller on the lines of Basha and Jailer. The hero has a tragic past, leaves his crazy life behind, and lives a normal life with his family. This aspect has been showcased in so many films and the same happens in Siandhav as well.

Here Venkatesh's tragic past is brought out, thanks to the gun cartel and the mafia behind it. The only difference here is the story happens in a fictional city. One of the biggest drawbacks of Saindhav is that it takes forever to get into the basic storyline. The family setup and the introduction of the characters take time and one gets a bit restless to know when the actual action will begin.

Also Read: Director Sailesh Kolanu on Saindhav - Venkatesh’s inputs proved crucial with the emotional sequences | Exclusive 

But when the story kick starts and Nawazuddin Siddiqui enters the scene, things get interesting. Nawazuddin Siddiqui's body language and dialogue delivery are superb but sadly, his role is not etched properly and he gets sidelined in the narrative.

But Sailesh Kolanu does a good job of setting up the conflict point. The back-story of Venkatesh is handled decently and it evokes interest for the audience. Also, the tiny conflicts showcased between the gun cartels are executed in a very interesting manner.

Saindhav performances by actors

Sailesh has done a great job in showcasing Venkatesh in an action avatar after a long time. He plays his age and is terrific in all the emotional scenes. The action part is also designed as per his age and looks stylish. The way Venkatesh does action even at this age is so good to see. His fans will love him in Saindhav.

Minus Points in Saindhav

Yet another major drawback of Saindhav is the lack of proper characterization. Even after having so many seasoned actors like Arya, Jisshu Sen Gupta, Mukesh Rishi, Shraddha Srinath, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the director fails to utilize them properly. Arya shines in his role but his character does not create much of an impact. Shraddha Srinath as the female lead was decent and Rushani Sharma was quite good in her brief role.

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Saindhav Technical Aspects

Santhosh Narayanan, the man in form, has surprisingly missed the bus with his score. The background score does not elevate the proceedings and this creates issues in the narrative. The camera work is great and the mafia setup is showcased in a great manner.

Having said that, Sailesh saves the best for the latter part and brings in decent drama and action. There are a few thrills that hold your attention and the way Venkatesh holds the screen despite the story being predictable is the best part of the film.

In a way, Saindhav's idea is good on paper but the execution falters in multiple areas. The casting is good but none of the characters make an impact and due to this Saindhav goes down time and again.

But it is Venkatesh in a new avatar that holds your attention till the end. It has been quite some time since we have seen him in such an action-packed avatar and this is the sole factor for the audience to give this film a shot.

Verdict

On the whole, Saindhav has a routine story, dull execution, and decent action. The narrative is slow and takes forever to get into the groove. But Venkatesh is superb and Saindhav is his one-man show as his new action-packed avatar is one of the reasons to give the film a shot. But keep your expectations in check.

Also Read: Saindhav Twitter Review: Netizens praise Venkatesh Daggubati’s fierce look and power-packed action sequences