VINTAGE RAJINIKANTH… OR MAYBE NOT

Darbar

STARRING: Rajinikanth, Nayanthara, Suniel Shetty and Nivetha Thomas

DIRECTOR: AR Murugadoss

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This is the kind of film that screams out loud that Rajinikanth, who recently turned 70, is in no mood to slow down, and this fact is established even more strongly via a couple of scenes. In one scene, when Rajinikanth is given an ultimatum to prove he is mentally and physically fit in a span of four days, we see him hit the gym and lift heavy. As funny as it is to see him strain to flex muscles, it's equally exciting to see him do what it takes to still stay relevant.

Darbar is a Rajinikanth show all the way, and it could've been wholesomely entertaining if not for insipid writing.

The film, directed by AR Murugadoss, sees Rajinikanth play a cop named Aaditya Arunasalam, who has no rules or mercy. Like most of the heroes in Murugadoss's films, Aaditya Arunasalam has to break the law to ensure justice is served. When he is sent to Mumbai on a special operation to handle the city's drug menace, he goes on a murderous rampage. He gets labelled 'a murderer' and 'a cop with no ethics' by the papers. As part of the operation, Aaditya crosses paths with dreaded gangster Hari Chopra (an underwhelming Suniel Shetty) and the ensuing face-off between them forms the crux of the story.

Darbar has its moments and they are owned by Rajinikanth, who is in his element. The first half is a celebration of vintage Rajinikanth, and we see the 70-year-old doing everything he can to entertain fans. From singlehandedly

The stage is left wide open for Deepika to shine in the most demanding role of her career yet. She does meet the demands of being Malti. She is subtle in scenes that require her to merely express Malti's emotions with her eyes or a smile, just as she judiciously avoids hamming even when she has to scream out loud staring at her distorted face before the mirror.

As a commentator, Meghna Gulzar drives home a solid message about a few societal ills the harsh way. As a storyteller, however, she has done better with Talvar and Raazi. Her new film is disturbing and yet relevant, while jolting you out of your senses. But somewhere down you get the feeling that the filmmaker is too overwhelmed with her subject matter.

Vinayak Chakravorty

taking on an army of henchmen to matching steps to a romantic number with Nayanthara, he makes the generic scenes work with his charisma and energy.

In terms of story, there’s nothing new. It's a straightforward revenge story of a father who goes after the killers of his daughter. If not for Rajinikanth's arresting screen presence, Darbar would have been even more under whelming - it isn't as fun as his last release Petta.

Desperately attempting to take Rajinikanth fandom up a notch, it results in an output that is barely engaging. The film manages to entertain in the first half, with a few solid mass-appeal moments for Rajinikanth. However, it derails post interval and almost gets unbearable towards the climax. At various junctures, it sends out major Petta vibes but it doesn't do a good job of adapting.

Haricharan Pudipeddi