418. Krishnarjuna Yudham; movie review
KRISHNARJUNA YUDHAM
Cert 15
154
BBFC advice: Contains strong violence
When is stalking not stalking? When it is perpetrated by the lead actor in an Indian movie.
Or so it seems. The two elements which make me squirm when watching films from the sub-continent is the relentless pursuit of women until they yield and the casual racism.
In the case of Krishnarjuna Yudham, one of Nani's two characters is a womanising rock star who won't take no for an answer.
His target (Anupama Parameswaran) even reports him to the police for harassment and yet still he portrayed as a hero.
Meanwhile, his other persona, a hard-as-nails but morally sound country boy has a best friend whose dark skin is consistently a point of mockery.
Stalking and jokes about skin tone are regular fare in regional Indian cinema. It seems 21st-century thinking hasn't caught up with them.
Actually, it seems as if a few things haven't caught up with the makers of Krishnarjuna Yudham - including how to create either convincing love stories or believable action.
The first three-quarters of the film centres on the country boy's nervous love for a beautiful doctor (Rukshar Dhillon) who also happens to be the grand-daughter of his village's president and the playboy's pursuit of a traditional Indian girl.
The former story is quite engaging - he is smitten although he knows her family would never accept him and she is beguiled by him.
Meanwhile, he has built up a lethal enemy in the village because of his no-nonsense approach to arguments.
The second Nani character is less appealing because he is so full of himself, scarcely believing that any woman could turn him down.
Nevertheless, he can hold a good tune and the song and dance routines fit seamlessly into the film.
The final quarter of the movie takes it into an altogether more aggressive direction in which the country boy becomes a one-man killing machine against bad guys.
It is then that he coincidentally find himself in contact with his playboy lookalike.
Merlapaka Gandhi's movie is akin to two pictures in one - the first a gentle rom-com with a bit of stalking - while the second is an action film with blood and dead bodies aplenty.
Instead of being a masala movie it feels like a train which has just had its emergency chord pulled and is starting again on a completely different track.
Thus, in my opinion, it doesn't work. However, fans of Nani will still lap it up.
Or so it seems. The two elements which make me squirm when watching films from the sub-continent is the relentless pursuit of women until they yield and the casual racism.
In the case of Krishnarjuna Yudham, one of Nani's two characters is a womanising rock star who won't take no for an answer.
His target (Anupama Parameswaran) even reports him to the police for harassment and yet still he portrayed as a hero.
Meanwhile, his other persona, a hard-as-nails but morally sound country boy has a best friend whose dark skin is consistently a point of mockery.
Stalking and jokes about skin tone are regular fare in regional Indian cinema. It seems 21st-century thinking hasn't caught up with them.
Actually, it seems as if a few things haven't caught up with the makers of Krishnarjuna Yudham - including how to create either convincing love stories or believable action.
The first three-quarters of the film centres on the country boy's nervous love for a beautiful doctor (Rukshar Dhillon) who also happens to be the grand-daughter of his village's president and the playboy's pursuit of a traditional Indian girl.
The former story is quite engaging - he is smitten although he knows her family would never accept him and she is beguiled by him.
Meanwhile, he has built up a lethal enemy in the village because of his no-nonsense approach to arguments.
The second Nani character is less appealing because he is so full of himself, scarcely believing that any woman could turn him down.
Nevertheless, he can hold a good tune and the song and dance routines fit seamlessly into the film.
The final quarter of the movie takes it into an altogether more aggressive direction in which the country boy becomes a one-man killing machine against bad guys.
It is then that he coincidentally find himself in contact with his playboy lookalike.
Merlapaka Gandhi's movie is akin to two pictures in one - the first a gentle rom-com with a bit of stalking - while the second is an action film with blood and dead bodies aplenty.
Instead of being a masala movie it feels like a train which has just had its emergency chord pulled and is starting again on a completely different track.
Thus, in my opinion, it doesn't work. However, fans of Nani will still lap it up.
Reasons to watch: Fans of Nani will lap it up
Reasons to avoid: Another film which appears to promote stalking
Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6/10
The big question (again): "Why is stalking tacitly encouraged by Indian cinema?
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