Rakta Charitra

Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Actors: Vivek Oberoi, Shatrughan Sinha, Abhimanyu Shekhar Singh

Sushant Singh, Zarina Wahab, Aashish Vidyarthi, Suriya

A silly, croaky, overexcited old voice narrates this film like Betaal to Vikram from the popular Doordarshan show. The purpose, I guess, is to sound corny. It goes well with the movie. The intent is a giveaway. The voice introduces the film’s main villain to suggest, “Yeh rajneeti nahin, rakta neeti ka rakshas hai. Isne vaishiyat ke mayane badal ke rakh di (He’s not a demon of politics, but the devil of blood. He’s redefined cruelty).” As could this movie.

This half naked, hairy-chested Bukka Reddy (Abhimanyu Singh) finds every few minutes an ingenious way to kill. He uses saws, metallic juicers, throws rats to nibble over his victim’s belly. He’s also the “vaasna ka shikari (hunter of lust)”. Rape is his other favourite sport. There is just blood all over as you watch his goons assault minions with axes, sickles, hammers, break legs, twist necks. The mind is numbed by the tragicomedy of gore.

The hero Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi, not a false note) is but no better. He’s the young son of a martyred politician who had fallen out with his mentor. His family's pretty much finished. Everyone’s after this boy now. He hides in the hills, when he’s not slashing heads or pulling triggers himself. This is pure chin-drop violence, as opposed to pin-drop silence that you’ll never find a moment of. A loud siren or a wind instrument fills the gap between thuds of humans being thrashed around. We’re in a fictional town called Anandpur in Andhra Pradesh. Politics is pointless when deaths come this easy. Cops can be swatted like mosquitoes. Redemption is a waste of intent.

The filmmakers suggest this is based on a true story. I guess, in some ways, so is Tom And Jerry. This one’s just for adults interested in a punching bag for a picture, to vent out their frustrations or play out their violent fantasies. Ghajini was a hit. So are many similar regional and B films. It's been a long time since we saw Ram Gopal Varma making film worthy to bear his name on it, considering his remarkable history as a director. Rather he has been at the butt of many jokes and criticism for constantly coming up with unworthy products. During his recent interviews the director admitted that Raktra Charitra is one film that he is extremely anxious about as he considers it among his best. The expectations rise right away. And does he deliver on these? An honest answer would be 'yes he does to a large extent'!

Rakta Charitra is one film with action and attitude right from the first scene till the last. The story is based on true life incidents related to slain Telugu MLA Paritala Ravi. Though the characters are fictionalized to a reasonable extent the director has managed to keep enough authenticity. The protagonist in this film is Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi). Pratap's father Veerbhadra is killed after he gains way too much power in his own party and that does not go too well with some others. That war that starts is clash of castes. Veerbhandra's elder son Surya gets into revenge more but is killed too. And that's when Pratap steps in and goes on to finish of all who were behind his father's murder. The story takes a turn as Pratap steps into politics.

The story moves at a relentless pace. By the intermission time it leaves you wondering what more can be set into the story in a tale of revenge. The second half does not disappoint either. The screenplay is in its place. And as usual Ramu sets the mood with the help of his innovative camera-work and energetic background music. Also he uses a news channel type narration to lend the story urgency and also to keep the story time shorter. The director however fails to end the film well. The story does not have a proper ending. However it is innovative too as Ramu opts to reveal the promo of his second part at the end. Stylish and confident!

Performances too are worth watching, Vivek Oberoi does his best as he carries the film. But it is Abhimanyu Singh, who we have earlier seen in a power-packed Gulaal, who steals the show completely with his demonic presence. And of course Shatrughan Sinha minus his moustache and trademark 'Khamosh' is extremely likable. He rather has another phrase 'topic is over' to mark end of all his conversations and you have to watch the film to believe in the elegance the veteran actor delivers it!

Overall, Rakta Charitra is tale of blood and gore and may not be digestible to many. For them there will be other options. But if you are sucker for the gore and revenge dramas Rakta Charitra is your film. RGV nails it right on the head this time. 'Topic is over'!