‘Rang De’ adds some colour to life

Nithiin and Keerthy Suresh give their best to make Rang De a watchable movie

Thematically retrograde for most part of the film. Telugu cinema still thrives on treating women like doormats and heroes like they are heroes, and this is to be established by sexist stances and behaviour. One would have expected the industry to change with times. The need to package politically right factors is, perhaps, not the task of our filmmakers. Remember the manner in which Shammi Kapoor wooed the heroine? Obviously, the success of the mantra notwithstanding, it cannot be replicated today in mainstream cinema.

Wonder if it is the popularity of the lead pair Nithiin – Keerthy Suresh or the fear that the newfound freedom is temporary and the bad days may return, a huge turn out would surely bring a broad smile on the face of the filmmaker.

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However, for a good part of the film the narrative is made up largely of the usual predictable catchings with very minor changes for variety. Arjun (Nithiin) begins his narrative as a kid and being the pampered child of his parents (Naresh – Kaushalya). He, however, yearns for a friend who arrives in the form of his new neighbour Anu and her single mother (Rohini). His happiness is short-lived when his entire family starts doting on Anu and ignores him.

His education soon takes a backstep. He soon sits on the chair of the filmi prototype: a no gooder, failing in examinations, takes to liquor and is always with equally useless friends – Abhinav Gomatam and Suhas in this case.

Anu (Keerthy Suresh), on the other hand, is an extremely serious student and is topping the charts out of sheer habit but goofing up his life at home. She loves him. He loves her not. He detests her. His life ambition is to ensure that the usual domestic compare is to his advantage. He tries every trick in the book to get admission at a college in Dubai to avoid her and even abets a plan to have Anu married off to a guy. This backfires at exactly half time.

The narrative shifts to Dubai where Arjun and Anu as man and wife go to acquire a degree from the same college. Arjun has knocked off his competitor to the seat, Sastry (Vennela Kishore), and, to his surprise, finds himself in Dubai as a hotel worker. How Anu wins the heart of Arjun and, more importantly, gets him to being a proper human being is what the story is about.

The support cast is adequate. Special mention must be made of Naresh who in recent times is consolidating his position as the dad. He is in his element. As the mother of the heroine, Rohini is also elegant as is Gayathri Raghuram. Brahmaji and Vennela Kishore fill the predictable slots. Ronit Kamra as the little kid is good. Abhinav Gomatam displays a fine sense of timing to his comic scenes.

Nithiin and Keerthy Suresh share fine screen chemistry. It is nice to see Nithiin in his space. With a good sense of timing in the comic scenes and the capacity to fight, dance and emote like a mainstream hero, he does it all with confidence.

Keerthy Suresh gets the main role in the film. Initially, she plays the doormat stereotype heroine. Soon, the script changes to her advantage and she delivers with a punch. There are moments she reminds you of Alia Bhatt. A poor, slow, predictable script notwithstanding, the lead pair do their best to keep things going.

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