Pailwaan Movie Review: Rich In Emotions, Sudeep Starrer Offers More Than Just Insight Into Wrestling

Pailwaan set high expectations among the audience by acquiring the tag of a sports-centric film. However, only upon watching Krishna's directorial, you will realise that the movie consists of all the elements of entertainment, a viewer seeks. Although Sudeep has already represented his filmy nickname in Kiccha in several of his previous projects, Pailwaan has added yet another shade to it. If you're planning on watching this Kannada film, read our complete review below.

Plot

Krishna, a young orphan is spotted by Sarkar (played by Suniel Shetty), a professional wrestling trainer. He trains the young boy to master the skills of wrestling while considering him to be his own son. Fast forward a few years, a young Krishna grows up to be a wrestling champion, which is essayed by Sudeep. Besides showcasing the protagonist's sports skills, the film in the first half mainly focuses on the father-son relationship. However, the duo faces a relationship turmoil, when Krishna aka Kiccha falls head over heels in love with Rukmini, played by Aakanksha Singh. When Kiccha chooses love over his father's desire to see him emerge as a national champion, their relationship falls apart. The rest of the movie focuses on the hero working his way towards fixing various issues he encounters in life.

Screenplay & Direction

A compelling storyline paired with catchy dialogues form the highlights of Pailwaan. Although it comes across as a film based on sports ruled by action, director Krishna has successfully managed to fit in all factors that make it highly entertaining. We wouldn't be wrong if we called the climax a cliché, which shows the triumph of the hero over the villains, but the rest of the plot isn't as predictable.

Unlike other commercial films, which hardly throw light on the role of the female lead, Aakanksha Singh's character in Pailwaan is pivotal. Her chemistry with Sudeep is appreciable and their love story will leave you awestruck.

The scenes consisting of traditional wrestling and professional boxing are gripping, but the makers could have polished it further by paying more attention to the technicalities. Somewhere, the representation of sports, seems to lack logic. But, the humour, quirky dialogues and the fight sequences serve the interest of the mass audience entirely.

Performances

Frankly, showcasing Suniel Shetty as Sudeep's father has compromised on realism, as both the actors are of a similar age group and it is evident in the odd appearance on screen. But, both actors have done justice to their roles, striking the right chord with the audiences.

For a debutante, Aakanksha comes across as cheerful, adding more prominence to her screen presence. The antagonists Sushanth Singh and Kabir Singh, have acted well enough to make the viewers despise their characters. The actors also add decent value to the story.

Music & Background Score

The makers could have been more innovative with respect to the background score, which included some of the most commonly-heard sounds. But, we ought to give credit to Arjun Janya for composing some of the finest tracks, which sets the right mood. The track Kanmaniye, sung by Sanjith Hegde, drives the audiences into a frenzy of excitement.

Pros

Sudeep's screen presence

Gripping storyline

Emotionally rich, yet entertaining

Cons

Predictable climax

Loophole in techniques

Verdict

As promised, Pailwaan offers more than just a fight and Sudeep's sculpted body. A typical commercial film that serves the interest of the mass audience. Showcasing Kiccha in yet another shade, Pailwaan is one of Sudeep's finest works in Sandalwood.