In the past, a few hit Hindi movies have been remade in Telugu and most of them were either slavishly reverent to the original material or misguiding by taking off into weird wild and wacky tangents. But Apoorva Lakhia seems to set everything right in his latest directorial venture Thoofan, which is the remake of Amitabh Bachchan's 1973 Bollywood film Zanjeer. Ram Charan rocks again as angry young man.
Thoofan is an action thriller and Ram Charan Teja's electrifying performance is the main highlight in it.
Lakhia's interesting script and dynamic narration, Priyanka Chopra's glamour and humour, rocking music and background, brilliant picturisation, art direction and costumes are other highlights of the film. But the movie lacks a few masala elements to woo Cherry's fans and it has a predictable plot.
Sticking to the core of the revenge saga, Apoorva Lakhia has made some changes in the new version to suit the taste of present generation. The plot has a series of cleverly conceived conflicts and the director paces the proceedings as a rush-hour traffic of bustling events. The film has fast paced-narration right from the beginning to end and it does not let you stop for moment and think. There is special bond between Amitabh Bachchan and Pran in the original film, but this bonding is missing in the new version.
ACP Vijay Khanna (Ram Charan Teja) is an honest and upright police officer. While investigating a deputy collector's murder case in Mumbai, he faces off an oil mafia don Rudra Pratap Teja (Prakash Raj), who gets him suspended using his money and influence. With the help of Sher Khan (Srihari), crime reporter Jay Dev (Tanikella Bharani) and NRI girl Maya (Priyanka Chopra), how Vijay takes revenge against Teja will form the crux of the story.
Continue to read Thoofan (Zanjeer) Movie Review in the slideshow.
Apoorva Lakhia's Direction
Throughout the film, we sense the director's immense affection for the original Zanjeer, a reverence that never clouds his judgement. This is one remake that stands tall and lithe.
Ram Charan's Performance In Thoofan
No one can do to the sullen cop's role what Bachchan did, but Ram Charan has done it. Like Big B, Ram also seethes, simmers and boils over with an indignant rage in his new avatar. As angry cop, Ram Charan Teja has tried to bring Amitabh's compelling candidness in his performance. He is just a big stroke of luck for the remake.
Priyanka Chopra In Thoofan
As NRI girl Mala, Priyanka Chopra, who is debuting in Tollywood with Thoofan, seems to have a whole lot of infectious fun. She spells joie de vivre and looks gorgeous. She is the comic relief in this fast-paced actioner. Her chemistry with Ram Charan is good, but their romantic episodes could have been a lot better.
Srihari Does Justice To Pran's Role
Srihari steps splendidly into Pran's part. His sequences show the sensitive side to his aggressive personality. The bonding between Ram Charan and him does not seem to be so effective as was there between in Amitabh and Pran in the original. As a reporter, Tanikella Bharani has done justice to his role.
Prakash Raj, Mahie Gill In Thoofan
The whole villain-vamp equation between Teja (Prakash Raj) and Mona Darling (Mahie Gill) is here subverted to a kind of comic coitus interruptus where Prakash Raj repeatedly keeps talking about sex without getting down to it while 'Mona' Mahie Gill purrs and moans and pouts - not out of passion, but for just the opposite reasons. The new Teja-Mona pair is a homage to actor Ajit and Bindu in the original Zanjeer. It reminds us of the renewed cycle of art and individual talent.
Dare-Devil Stunts In Thoofan
Javed-Ejaz have choreographed action for the film, which look raw and real. The attention paid to getting the action sequences right is highly commendable. There is an elaborately staged multiple-explosion sequence in a huge Dharavi-like slum which belongs to a Vin Diesel-starrer. Ram Charan has done some of the dare-devil stunts without using a body-double.
Picturisation Of Thoofan
Thoofan has rich production values and Gururaj Jois' cinematography is the main highlight in the technical front. His camera moves dexterously, but never to divert our attention from the central conflict.
Thoofan Music, Background Score
Meet Bros Anjjan, Chirantan Bhatt, Anand Raj Anand's music and background scores are other big highlights of the film Thoofan. But the music lacks the punch that a usual Cherry movie will have. A good musician would have really done much better than the one it has now.
Other Production Values
Other technical departments have also done fare job. Art direction is brilliant. Chintan's dialogues use one-liners judiciously, never over-doing the smart-alec retorts. Chintu Singh's editing is also commendable.
Thoofan - Verdict
Thoofan is a break-neck-paced, adrenaline-pumping, pulse-pounding paisa-vasool entertainer. The movie boasts of brilliant performances and rich technical values. It is good treat for Mega fans this weekend.
Thoofan Production Team
Producer: Reliance Entertainments
Director: Apoorva Lakhia
Cast: Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra, Srihari, Prakash Teja
Music: Meet Bros Anjjan, Chirantan Bhatt, Anand Raj Anand
Cinematography: Gururaj R Jois
Release date: September 6, 2013
