Pantham
Direction: K Chakravarthy
Cast: Gopichand, Mehreen, Sampath Raj
Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Reeling under back-to-back duds, Gopichand returns delightfully with his 25th film, Pantham, an action entertainer laced with a social message. He plays Vikranth Surana, a likeable NRI millionaire committed to the cause of giving back to the people. In the process, he turns a modern-day Robin Hood of sorts and robs from immoral politicians to fulfil his dream of having a corruption-free society.
Incorporating a strong social message in an intrinsic way to inculcate awareness among people and create a better society is a tested formula for success. But to echo such things, one needs to adopt a gripping narrative. Even though there is much to appreciate about the overarching theme, the narration demands some patience on your part.
The film drills into some genuine issues in which director Chakravarthy exposes the extent of corruption and graft involved in our political system. He somehow misses the pulse, couldn’t exploit its full potential as it leaves a stage-play feel. Much of the first hour involves chases and fights as Vikranth tries to literally outrun his fate, but the cat-and-mouse pursuit after a while as the goons resort to mundane ways of crossing the paths. The flashback looks insipid and rushed.
Besides these gaping holes in the script, Pantham has mild twists to keep the audience entertained. What keeps the film afloat is Gopichand’s riveting performance and the second hour which has been meticulously planned without simplifying the facts. Towards the climax, the film slips into preachy dialogue and delivers laboured messages about the common man becoming an integral part of corruption.
Mehreen played a role that is typically designed to sing, dance and does some basic things of a heroine in a commercial potboiler. She fails to strike up any romantic chemistry with Gopi and performs so monotonously that you may feel disconnected with her character. Srinivas Reddy and Prudhvi provide some wisecracks. The cinematography is good though the music is just about average. The film is enjoyable in parts, but it could have been much better. Overall, the intentions are loud and clear as the film is deliberately made to appease the masses and yes, they will lap it up.
muralikrishna.db@newindianexpress @onlymurali