Review of Tevar (2015) by Mirza Mohd S — 10 Jan 2015

Over the past few years, I have discussed a lot about "masala" kind of films, mainly about how they have been causing a hindrance to the quality of films coming out of Bollywood. Thankfully except for Salman Khan starrers, which strictly stick to that format for obvious reasons, other films doing the similar routine have been failing at the BO & are being shown a thumbs down.

This year also begins with another entry into the genre starring the dashing Arjun Kapoor, who had quite a successful 2014 with Gunday, Two States & Finding Fanny striking gold. So its this remake any good? God No! The film tells a story (for the what time now? After Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, fifth?) about a self imposed superman / kabbadi champion Pintu (Arjun Kapoor) who doesn't bear any superpowers yet makes his life-purpose to help a damsel in distress Radhika (actually a derogatory word for Miss Sonakshi), out of the clutches of a politician's younger brother Vijender Singh (Manoj Bajpayee) by making her stay in his own house without the knowledge of his family members including his father who is a cop.

As stupid as the story sounds, one will jump out of the hall in exasperation. Instead of updating the concept, the makers have managed to make the film feel like at least a decade or two old, uncomfortably reminding us of the terrible '80s phase of Bollywood.

While one gets excited with Arjun Kapoor's stylistic stunts, the dialogs come and wreak havoc with the whole play. They are both obscene and substandard to even relish. The first half has at least three forgettable songs including one to introduce the greatness of Pintu (the perks of being in a film produced by your own family?) and then a song to display the greatness of Radha among others.

Action sequences seemed to have been added just for the sake of violence. Neither the approach is new nor the visuals. The festival Holy has been inserted just for the sake of visual enhancement. Don't even get me started on the lengthy & boring climax or the terrible music! Arjun Kapoor is awesome, but unfortunately he is still not an actor enough to pull off what Salman Khan does.

Actress Sonakshi Sinha does her familiar routine of looking feisty, forlorn and furious. It seems she has no other work then playing Damsel in distress Or meaningless roles so this time also it's not different.

Manoj Bajpayee is good enough as the villain, but a film about heroism will definitely take the plunge if its villain is smarter than the hero. Just what happens with the 150 minute long drama that shows no hint of stopping.

On the whole "Tevar" SUCKS! This remake of a 2003 Telugu film, 'Okkudu', has a jaded, well-worn story that's been repeated several times over. This song-dance-action formula that dominates Tevar has been regurgitated at least a few dozen times in Bollywood films, and therefore it's difficult to savor here.

It is true when people say that the first major Bollywood release of any year is part of a jinx and will bomb at the box office. Arjun Kapoor's opening film of the year, thus qualifies, and once again confirms that the jinx is, after all, for real.

Watch it if you miss those old '80s masala no-brainers, or if you are an Arjun Kapoor fan.