“Adipurush,” directed by Om Raut, attempts to bring the epic tale of Ramayana to the contemporary screen. With a blend of CGI, VFX, and an ensemble cast led by Saif Ali Khan and Prabhas, the film offers a visual spectacle.However, it fails to deliver on all fronts, lacking depth in character development and featuring unironically funny dialogues that feel out of place in a sensitive mythological story. Despite its grand scale and ambition, “Adipurush” struggles to capture the essence of the original tale. This review explores the film’s strengths and weaknesses, ultimately questioning the need for a mediocre adaptation when the original remains timeless.
Adipurush Review
” Adipurush ” begins with minimal character development, quickly jumping into the abduction of Sita by Raavan, played by Saif Ali Khan. The film touches on key moments from the Ramayana, such as Shurpanakha’s encounter with Ram and the meeting between Hanuman and Ram. However, these significant events come and go without leaving a lasting impact. The first half of the film feels slow and lacks investment in the characters, while the screenplay remains lackluster with average dialogues.
The second half of the film picks up pace as Ram and his army head to Lanka, leading to visually impressive action sequences between CGI armies. These moments become the film’s highlight, but they may evoke polarized reactions among viewers. Unfortunately, the execution falls short of expectations, considering the film’s staggering budget of ₹600 crore. While the grand scale is achieved, the characters lack depth, and their representation borders on the cartoonish, diminishing the overall impact.
Performance Evaluation
According to Hindus Times, Prabhas portrays Lord Ram with conviction, but his expressions often appear wooden, lacking the charm and variation seen in previous portrayals of the character. Kriti Sanon delivers a decent performance as Sita, showcasing a charming screen presence. Her confrontation scene with Saif Ali Khan’s Raavan is one of the film’s well-written and well-executed moments. Sunny Singh impresses in his limited role as Lakshman, particularly in the action scenes opposite Vatsal Seth as Meghnath.
Devadatta shines as Hanuman, bringing the CGI character to life on screen and adding gravitas to the film. Saif Ali Khan stands out among the cast, delivering better expressions and evoking emotions in his portrayal of Raavan. However, the scenes featuring his nine other heads are challenging to comprehend and leave a perplexing impact.
Musical Score and Visuals
The music composed by Ajay-Atul and Sachet–Parampara is the heart of “Adipurush.” The background score, especially the rendition of “Jai Shri Ram,” successfully evokes a sense of grandeur and captures the essence of the story. Tracks like “Ram Siya Ram” are equally enchanting. The visual spectacle is brought to life in the song “Shivoham,” featuring Saif Ali Khan’s Lankesh playing a musical instrument in his den.
