Rating:
3.0/5
Star
Cast:
Director:
Darbar,
the
Rajinikanth
action
thriller
has
finally
hit
the
screens
all
over
the
globe
on
January
9.
The
movie
marks
the
superstar's
first
collaboration
with
AR
Murugadoss,
the
renowned
filmmaker.
Darbar
has
been
released
in
about
7000
screens
worldwide,
thus
emerging
as
one
of
the
biggest
ever
releases
of
Tamil
cinema.
Did
the
Rajinikanth
starrer
meet
the
expectations?
Read
Darbar
movie
review
here
to
know...
Plot
Hari
Chopra
(Suniel
Shetty),
a
drug
dealer
murders
a
bunch
of
cops
and
escapes
from
the
country.
Meanwhile,
Adithya
Arunachalam
(Rajinikanth),
a
highly
efficient
police
officer
has
been
deputed
to
Mumbai
to
wipe
off
the
drug
mafia
from
the
city.
Adithya
shifts
to
the
city
with
his
only
daughter
Valli
(Niveda
Thomas),
with
whom
he
shares
a
very
strong
bond.
He
first
eliminates
Ajay
Malhotra
(Prateik
Babbar),
one
of
the
top
drug
dealers
of
Mumbai,
which
paves
the
way
for
Hari
Chopra's
come
back
to
Mumbai.
What
happens
next
forms
the
crux
of
the
story.
Script
&
Direction
AR
Murugadoss'Darbar
is
a
treat
for
the
diehard
fans
of
the
superstar.
The
movie
is
the
ultimate
celebration
of
Rajini's
impeccable
superstardom
and
mass
appeal.
The
director
has
also
succeeded
in
narrating
a
heartwarming
story
of
the
father-daughter
relationship
along
with
the
commercial
potboiler
narrative.
The
combination
scenes
of
Rajinikanth
and
Niveda
Thomas,
who
plays
his
daughter,
are
wonderfully
written
and
a
treat
to
watch.
However,
the
screenplay
falls
flat
when
it
comes
to
the
character
development
of
the
rest
of
the
actors,
especially
the
roles
played
by
Suneil
Shetty
and
Nayanthara.
However,
the
romantic
track
featuring
Rajinikanth
and
Nayanthara
is
enjoyable.
The
way
the
narrative
mentions
the
age
gap
between
the
characters
deserves
a
special
mention.
However,
Darbar
disappoints
a
bit
when
it
comes
to
the
antagonist.
Despite
the
exceptional
built
up
given
to
the
character,
Suniel
Shetty
ends
up
as
a
weak,
cliche
villain.
The
lukewarm
confrontation
sequence
between
Adithya
Arunachalam
and
Hari
Chopra
makes
the
climax
less
impactful
and
look
rushed.
Performances
Rajinikanth,
the
superstar
who
plays
Adithya
Arunachalam
is
the
heart
and
soul
of
the
movie.
His
exuberant
performance
and
charming
screen
presence
make
Darbar
thoroughly
entertaining.
Nayanthara,
who
appears
as
Adithya's
lady
love
Lilly
looks
simply
gorgeous
on-screen
and
her
crackling
chemistry
with
the
superstar
is
a
delight
to
watch.
However,
her
talent
is
totally
wasted
in
an
underwritten
role.
Suniel
Shetty,
who
appears
as
the
lead
antagonist
makes
a
mark
with
his
strong
screen
presence
but
has
nothing
much
to
do
in
the
impactless
role.
Niveda
Thomas,
who
plays
Adithya's
daughter
Valli
deserves
a
big
applause
for
her
matured
performance.
The
young
actress
has
truly
shined
in
the
emotional
sequences.
The
rest
of
the
star
cast
including
Prateik
Babbar,
Thambi
Ramaiya,
Yogi
Babu,
Sriman,
etc.,
are
good
in
their
respective
roles.
Technical
Aspects
Santhosh
Sivan's
extraordinary
cinematography
makes
Darbar
a
complete
visual
treat.
A
Sreekar
Prasad's
editing
goes
well
with
the
narrative.
Anirudh
Ravichander,
the
music
director
scores
once
again
with
a
decent
soundtrack.
The
exceptional
background
score,
especially
the
remix
of
the
iconic
BGM
by
Deva,
totally
elevates
the
mood
of
the
movie.
Pros
-
Rajinikanth's
performance
and
screen
presence
-
The
beautiful
portrayal
of
the
father-daughter
relationship
-
Enjoyable
romantic
track.
Cons
-
Impactless
antagonist
-
Rushed
climax
sequence.
Verdict
Darbar
is
specially
made
for
the
die-hard
fans
of
the
superstar.
However,
it
might
not
be
a
totally
satisfying
watch
for
the
cine-goers.