'Ram Setu' movie review: Great subject, marred by execution

Ram SetuDir Abhishek SharmaCast Akshay Kumar Jacqueline Fernandez NasserRating 255At the onset the idea of diving deep to unearth the reality of Ram Setu mdash the bridge that Lord Ram built with the help of his vaanar sena to fight Raavan the demonking of Lanka and bring back his abducted wife Sita mdash is an engrossing story to tell on the big screen With the right mix of adventure expanding business interests politics and a sprinkle of religion it could be our version of Indiana Jones and National TreasureAlso Read Kanika Kapoor Discussed giving exposure to BritishIndian artistesThe film opens in Bamyan Afghanistan where the Taliban is bombing the sixth century monumental statues of Buddha Indian archaeologist Dr Aryan Kulshrestha Akshay Kumar along with his Pakistani and Japanese counterparts is brought in to help restore the statues The story is set into motion when protests against business magnate Indrakantrsquos Nasser company Pushpak Shippingrsquos Sethu Samudram erupt The shipping channel in the Indian Ocean is aimed at saving fuel and reducing travel time between India and Sri Lanka Though he has the support of the government a PIL Public Interest Litigation posted in the Supreme Court threatens to thwart his plans The Archaeological Society of India ASI is approached to help confirm a report that states Ram Setu is natural and not manmadeAryan an atheist is entrusted with the job However his questioning of the Ramayana triggers a controversy Despite being suspended by the ASI Indrakant insists that Aryan go to Rameshwaram to prove that Ram Setu is not manmade At Indrakantrsquos facility Aryan meets project manager Bali Praveshh Rana environmentalist Dr Sandra Rebello Jacqueline Fernandez and Dr Gabriel Jennifer Piccinato who have been tirelessly studying the truth about Ram Setu As his research progresses Aryan slowly begins to question his beliefs as an atheist He starts believing that Ram Setu could have been built by Lord Ram and his monkey army about 7000 years agoKumar appears comfortable playing his age He puts in a sincere performance as an atheist who turns advocate for Ram Despite being an ace martial artist Kumar restrains his action movements when pushed into a corner Fernandez and Nushrratt Bharuccha as Aryanrsquos professor wife Gayatri lend due support Known for his acting chops in south films Nasser doesnrsquot get much scope to perform in this one In fact Rana his henchman has more screen time and easily passes the muster Telugu actor Satyadev Kancharana of Jyothi Lakshmi and Bluffmaster fame is the best part of the film His portrayal of AP a guide who helps Aryan and Sandra on their mission is effortless and enjoyable He gives the narrative some light moments without indulging in buffoonery Shweta Kawatra plays her part well as Indrakantrsquos legal counselThough interesting locations are featured in the course of their expedition Aseem Mishrarsquos cinematography doesnrsquot exactly do justice to the film Thankfully there are no songs and the theme track plays only during the end credits Daniel B Georgersquos background score surely heightens the drama but had the action been on par it would have been more thrilling A crisper edit and better VFX effects would have better aided the filmIt is known that the Sethu Samudram ship channel project initiated by UPA1 Government was stalled in 2007 by the Supreme Court following petitions by various individuals and groups Earlier this month the apex court directed the central government to file a counter affidavit to the petition by Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy hoping for the National Heritage status for Ram Setu While the subject has blockbuster potential it is marred by a lagging screenplay in the first half And it tries to pack in too much in the second half Considerable footage is wasted in the Afghanistan section in trying to establish the protagonist as an archaeologist of reputeAlso Read Watch video Janhvi Kapoor I tell Khushi to learn from my mistakesThe underwater sequences are a little underwhelming and donrsquot exactly take your breath away Considering all the equipment at their disposal even if Indrakantrsquos team had managed to source one loose rock from Ram Setu earlier Aryanrsquos character would be irrelevant in the whole scheme of things The scene in which Aryan emerges from the Indian Ocean carrying the rock from the ancient bridge does make an impact However consistency is not the filmrsquos strong suit Director Abhishek Sharma who has previously made Parmanu The Story of Pokhran 2018 seems to be overwhelmed by the subject and has failed to offer an engaging filmYUCK WHATEVER GOOD SUPER AWESOME

'Ram Setu' movie review: Great subject, marred by execution

Ram Setu
Dir: Abhishek Sharma
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nasser
Rating: 2.5/5

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Home / Entertainment / Bollywood News / Article / 'Ram Setu' movie review: Great subject, marred by execution

'Ram Setu' movie review: Great subject, marred by execution

Ram SetuDir: Abhishek Sharma Cast: Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez, NasserRating: 2.5/5

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Ram Setu
Dir: Abhishek Sharma
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nasser
Rating: 2.5/5