Game Changer review: Ram Charan and SJ Suryah make this political tug of war worth watching

Over the years Shankar has created a niche for himself as a director tackling issues of corruption and presenting social crusaders of different natures. Some of his protagonists take extreme measures like the extremely popular Gentleman (1993) and Anniyan (Aparichitudu) (2005).

On the other hand, you have Mudhalvan (1999), in which a television presenter becomes a chief minister. He ends up repairing the rotten system while staying within his powers.

Despite repeatedly tackling corruption themes in different forms, Shankar has enjoyed a huge fan base in not just Tamil but also Telugu. His Tamil dubbed movies have many admirers, in the recent past though the celebrated director has lost his mojo due to certain datedness, Bharateeyudu 2 (2024) being the best example.

The recent release Game Changer comes with a lot of pressure for Shankar, as there are doubts about his abilities to adapt to the present audience.

Synopsis

With Game Changer, Shankar proves that he has still got it, particularly the way in which he has designed the different shades of Ram Charan’s character and some solid moments between the protagonist and the antagonist.

He also discusses vote bank politics, in which poor people are given money to vote for a candidate belonging to a specific political party.

The storyline of Game Changer focuses on the battle between Ram Nandan and his father Appanna. It is about a generational fight between a father and son against societal injustices. SJ Suryah plays the chief antagonist Bobbli Mopidevi.

Bobbli has major aspirations of being a chief minister. To fulfil those dreams, Bobbli can go to any extent. Senior actor Srikanth also plays the grey-shaded character of Bobbli Satyamurthy. In the flashback portions, Bobbli is initially shown to be an admirer of Appanna, but things take a very drastic turn.

Strong aspects

Game Changer is a political drama
‘Game Changer’ is a political drama. (X)

As already mentioned a strong aspect of Game Changer is how Shankar has designed the dual roles of Ramcharan. The character of Ram Nandan on the one hand is high on swagger and Ram Charan pulls it off in a charismatic manner.

He brings in the required authority to command the screen, particularly in the confrontation scenes with SJ Suryah. As Appanna he brings in an emotional depth. Appana is a man who suffers from a serious stutter.

In spite of his inability to deliver powerful speeches, Appanna is driven by a single-minded goal of changing the corrupt political system. Ram Charan does a very good job of bringing out the various nuances.

SJ Suryah has emerged as a wonderful character artiste in the last few years and in this one too, the actor makes for an extremely formidable antagonist. SJ Suryah does a terrific job of portraying the obsession of Bobbli Mopidevi.

His trademark dialogue delivery coupled with the mannerisms is a delight to watch. Srikant in a grey-shaded role also deserves appreciation for his effective portrayal of a guilt-ridden man. The way he showcases the transition of Bobbli Satyamurthy from an admirer to a backstabber has been wonderfully written and enacted.

Among the two female leads Anjali as Appanna’s wife leaves a significant impact. Her role as Parvathy is an important emotional anchor and this has come out very well despite having less screen time. The mother and son scenes in the second half are another major asset.

Weak aspects

Ram Charan in Game Changer
Ram Charan in ‘Game Changer’. (X)

A major drawback of Game Changer is the insipid love story between Ram Charan and Kiara. All the sequences featuring the two have been weakly written.

Kiara doesn’t bring much to the table, other than looking beautiful and dancing energetically. Also, the portions featuring the likes of Priyadarshini and Satya among others are a major misfire. Despite their proven abilities, the comedic situations lack the required punch.

The climax is also too elongated with repetitive action sequences. The movie needed a much crisper edit in the closing portions. The cat-and-mouse game between Ram Charan and SJ Suryah though well-written gets repetitive.

Technical aspects

Thaman’s songs also enhance the narrative. On one hand, there is the upbeat “Jaragandi” and “Raa Macha Macha”. On the other hand, there is also the soulful “Arugu Meedha” picturised on Ram Charan and Anjali. Thaman has also delivered a thumping background score, particularly the portions elevating Ram Nandan.

Like most of Shankar’s movies, this too is visually grand. Cinematographer Tiru does a very fine in capturing the grand visuals through his lens. Sai Madhav Burra’s dialogues are also quite effective particularly the ones featuring Ram Charan and SJ Suryah.

The portions where Ram Nandan talks about the dangers of accepting money from a political party and subsequently voting for a particular person deserve a special mention.

Final take

Overall Game Changer is a passable political drama majorly enhanced by Ram Charan’s double role and S J Suryah’s antics. Don’t expect vintage Shankar and chances are you won’t be disappointed. For die-hard Ram Charan fans though the movie would be an absolute treat.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

From Urban Love Stories To Village Conflicts, Sukumar’s Protégés Follow His Lead

Buchi Babu Sana, Srikanth Odela, and Karthik Varma Dandu chose rustic tales for their debut films.

Director Sukumar is popular for his films which are usually set in urban scenarios. But he seems to have developed a fantasy for rustic tales now.

Right from his debut film, Allu Arjun’s Arya (2004) to Naga Chaitanya’s 100% Love (2011), Mahesh Babu’s 1: Nenokkadine (I Am the Only One, 2014), and NTR Jr’s Nannaku Prematho (To Father, With Love, 2016), the filmmaker delivered back-to-back hits that had an urban background.

Little did we know then that he would also successfully helm two rustic dramas — Rangasthalam (2018) and Pushpa (2021) — that would make the audience sit up and take notic

Rangasthalam and Pushpa have two mainstream heroes who are not particularly known for their rustiness; more so, Ram Charan. But the director’s gamble paid off in both cases.

Protégés follow in his path

Over the years, Sukumar has also nurtured some young filmmakers. Interestingly, three of them — Buchi Babu Sana (Uppena, 2021), Srikanth Odela (Dasara, 2023), and Karthik Varma Dandu (Virupaksha, 2023) — made their debut films in rustic scenarios with village issues.

Caste might not have been mentioned explicitly in their films, but it is obvious that the heroes in these movies are from lower castes. Only in Uppena (Tiday Surge), the protagonist’s caste is specifically mentioned. Viasshnav Tej plays a Dalit Christian belonging to the fishermen’s community.

In Virupaksha, Sai Dharam Tej plays an outsider who visits his ancestral village and tries to address the local issues.

But first, let us look into Sukumar’s Rangasthalam and Pushpa.

Rangasthalam

The story of Rangasthalam is set in a village of the same name. The theme is exploitation and feudalism.

A ruthless president runs the village like a tyrant. The concept of a landlord/village president treating villagers as slaves is of course not new.  There are many films with that theme.

One of Chiranjeevi’s (Ram Charan‘s father) earlier films, Ma Voori Pandavulu (1978), also dealt with the struggles against the feudal system.

However, Sukumar’s treatment made Rangasthalam much more engaging, particularly for the new generation audience.

Ramcharan as Chitti Babu

Ram Charan’s character (Chitti Babu) in Rangasthalam not only comes from a lower caste but is also partially deaf.

Sukumar dealt with this disability in a sensitive manner. He never used it to generate crude comedy.

Ram Charan Tej as Chitti Babu was adorable right from the first frame.

Rough and rustic is not something that the viewers associate with the actor. But under the guidance of Sukumar, the actor delivered his career-best performance.

The actor also got the nuances of Chitti Babu spot on, both in his body language and accent.

Pushpa

Following the success of Rangasthalam, Sukumar once again teamed with his Allu Arjun. But this time, in a very different zone.

Just like RangasthalamPushpa also featured a protagonist who is not only rustic but also an underdog.

In Pushpa, Sukumar majorly looked at the entire syndicate of the red Sandalwood business and the politics involved. It also briefly touched upon the dangers faced by the coolies from the police.

Allu Arjun as Pushpa

Chief among them is Pushpa’s characterisation and how Allu Arjun performed it.

Pushpa is one of the many coolies in the Seshachalam area, hired to chop down red sandalwood trees illegally. He is also an illegitimate son.

Despite being a coolie, there is an inherent swag in Pushpa which comes from his determination to climb up the social ladder to get over that stigma.

Beneath all the roughness, there is vulnerability whenever he is reminded of his birth status, which is brought up at various points in the film. Allu Arjun particularly shined in these moments.

He previously played a non-urban character in Gunasekhar’s Rudramdevi (2015), but that was a warrior role.

Pathbreaking films

These two films are significant in many ways.

After a long time, the viewer is taken back to the villages not to see the natural beauty or innocence of the people, the love or conflict among joint families, and the faction-based stories of Rayalaseema. But, the audience got to see some real conflict themes and exploitation in different forms.

The story of Rangasthalam might look a little outdated in comparison to Pushpa because the subject in the latter is an ongoing problem.

But as a hero, Ram Charan’s Chitti Babu is more relatable than Allu Arjun’s Pushpa because his macho image keeps growing every minute.

Now let’s look at some of the films made by Sukumar’s protégés who have also directed hinterland stories.

Uppena by Buchi Babu Sana 

A protégé of Sukumar, Buchi Babu Sana took the route of his master.

In Uppena, Vaisshnav Tej’s character (Aasi) belongs to the fishermen’s community. Here, the caste of Aasi is directly mentioned as Dalit Christian.

Buchi Babu needs to be credited for making a film like Uppena with a debutant; Vaisshnav Tej comes from the Mega (actor Chiranjeevi’s family) family though.

The first-time director did a wonderful job of exploring the bond that a fisherman shares with the sea.

Vaisshnav Tej’s Aasi also suffers from a stuttering problem. He cannot pronounce the heroine’s name properly however much he tries. Instead of Sangeetha, he calls her Santha.

However, this disability is also dealt with with a certain amount of sensitivity by Buchi Babu Sana, just like Ram Charan’s partial deafness in Rangasthalam.

Vaisshnav Tej also deserves appreciation for how he portrayed the rusticness and vulnerability of Aasi.

Dasara by Srikanth Odela 

Dasara is set against the backdrop of Singareni Coal Mines.

Nani’s Dharani is a ruffian who steals coal for a living. The influence of Sukumar is pretty visible in terms of how Srikanth Odela builds up the village’s atmospherics.

The caste politics are quite reminiscent of Rangasthalam. However, there is no denying that Srikanth has his voice, too. This can be seen in how the director built up the character of Nani.

Nani’s Dharani is timid when he doesn’t consume alcohol. But when on a high, he is altogether a different person. This trait was well used by Srikanth Odela, particularly in the later portions when Dharani decides to get over his alcoholism.

There is a local bar called Silk Bar which has a looming presence throughout the film. The director used this bar to highlight the caste dynamics, as the liquor here is reserved for upper-class men.

Virupaksha by Karthik Varma Dandu 

Much like Dasara and UppenaVirupaksha is also directed by a first-time filmmaker, Karthik Varma Dandu who assisted Sukumar.

Sukumar himself wrote the screenplay for this film.

Virupaksha is a paranormal thriller set in the fictional village of Rudravaram. The director, along with writer Sukumar, made some valid arguments against prejudices and superstitious beliefs that stem from ignorance.

Unlike the heroes in the above-mentioned films, Sai Dharam Tej’s Surya is an outsider to Rudravaram. However, the issues addressed in the film are much rooted.

Nevertheless, if we compare the above-mentioned movies to the Tamil ones, there is a significant difference in how the issue of caste is portrayed.

There it is not just about the protagonist being rustic in overall demeanour; in Tamil movies, filmmakers like Vetri Maraan and Pa Ranjith are not afraid to take the name of the caste. Asuran (2019) and Kaala (2018) are the best examples.

Having said that, for Telugu audiences, the likes of Rangasthalam and others are a definite step forward in the genre of caste-based films.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/urban-love-stories-to-village-class-conflicts-sukumars-proteges-follow-his-lead/

Acharya: This Time Koratala Siva Misses The Bus

Koratala Siva is a director who is known for taking social backdrops and giving them a commercial garnishing. It is a formula that paid rich diligence in films like Mirchi and Janata Garage. Here too you have the trademark Koratala Siva elements. There is naxalism and uranium mining among other aspects. The fights and the dances are also there but the missing link here is a solid base that binds the story together. The first half in particular is a big drag where nothing much happens. The second half is definitely far better but that is not enough to salvage the film.

The plot of Acharya revolves around a town with a mythical past. You have two settlements Dharmasthali and Paadaghattam. Both of them are surrounded by dense forests and a sparkling river. Mahesh Babu’s voice over at the start gives the audience an understanding of the town’s past. Now Dharmasthali has become Adharmasthali after Ramcharan’s Siddha disappeared from there.

ACHARYA HAS THE ELEMENTS BUT THE MIXING HAS GONE TERRIBLY WRONG. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT FILMMAKERS RETHINK ON WHAT THEY ARE MAKING IN THE NAME OF TWO HERO CINEMA.

Sonu Sood is once again the dreaded antagonist. But it is hard to imagine him as a villain particularly after the humanitarian work that he did during the first wave of COVID.

Jisshu Sengupta plays another forgettable part after last year’s Shyam Singha Roy.

Coming back to the story the people of Dharmasthali are waiting for a savior who will restore dharma. It is at this juncture that Chiranjeevi’s Acharya enters the town. The rest of the plot is about what the connection between Acharya and Siddha is, and how dharma is restored.

THE SCENES FEATURING THESE TWO ARE GOOD TO WATCH. THEY ARE IN PERFECT SYNC WITH EACH OTHER.

The lifeline of Acharya is without a doubt the back-story of Ramcharan and his connection with Acharya. The scenes featuring these two are good to watch. They are in perfect sync with each other, whether it is the stunt sequences or the dance number Bhale bhale Banjara. The song is no Natu Natu but still it is fun to watch them shaking a leg.
There are certain moments in the film where you can see Chiranjeevi’s eyes swell with pride. This happens particularly in the scenes where Ramcharan’s Siddha holds forth on what is right and wrong, and goes to any length to save someone of his ilk. Putrotsaaham.

As Siddha Ramcharan once again delivers a formidable performance, his growth from a boy in Gurukul to the eventual transformation is well etched. There is a scene towards the end of the flashback regarding Ramcharan’s character. It is a moment that will make you feel emotional.

As Acharya Chiranjeevi shows that he has still got it in him to play a leading man. The intensity and the screen presence are still very much there. His dance moves are also fluid.
The sets of Dharmastali are visually grand. The art work and the cinematography are a feast to the eyes.

THE BIGGEST MINUS OF ACHARYA IS THE LACKLUSTER FIRST HALF.

The biggest minus of Acharya is the lackluster first half. Nothing much happens after setting up the plot. Acharya’s interactions with the people are nothing great.

The characters of the town people on either side has been hardly explored by the director, they are used as props to elevate Chiranjeevi.

As a result it is difficult to feel any emotion for the suffering that they are undergoing. This is sad because you have a bunch of talented actors like Tanikella Bharani and Ajay but they are wasted.

POOJA HEDGE PLAYS AN EXTENDED VERSION OF WHAT ALIA BHATT DID IN RRR.

The love story between Ramcharan and Pooja Hegde is also done in a haphazard manner. The chemistry is good but you don’t root for the couple.

Pooja Hedge plays an extended version of what Alia Bhatt did in RRR. She is beautiful to look at but you will forget her character as soon as the movie is finished.

The villains are poorly etched; they are no match for the mega duo.

In a nutshell Acharya has the elements but the mixing has gone terribly wrong. It is high time that filmmakers rethink on what they are making in the name of two hero cinema.

RRR: An Important R Is Missing, That Is The Story

The influence of Amar Chitra Katha stories has always been apparent in Rajamouli’s films. In the two Bahubali films the director had combined Amar Chitra Katha elements with an engaging story. There were several aspects that the audiences connected with in spite of a stale storyline. With RRR the director once again takes a larger-than-life canvas but misses the Connect.

With RRR the director tries to make an epic mythological film with superhero bromance. But here the ingredients feel undercooked.  The focus is more on its lead actors and the visuals than a solid storyline. As a result RRR lost the magic that Bahubali had. It is not unwatchable but at the same time it doesn’t have the repeat value.

RRR is set in British India of 1920’s. The film begins off with a tribal girl being taken away by a British officer’s wife. Bheem (Junior NTR) belongs to the same tribe and takes the responsibility of bringing the girl back. Standing in his path is Ramaraju (Ram Charan). Ramaraju is part of the British set up but he has his own goal to achieve against the Britishers. The rest of the story is about Ram’s personal goal, will Bheem and Ram patch up for a common cause etc.

Actors like Ajay Devgan, Alia Bhatt, Rahul Ramakrishna and Shriya Saran appear in bits and pieces.

From the beginning it is clear that Rajamouli has heavily relied on Junior NTR and Ramcharan to make things work. A lot has been said about their off-screen camaraderie, which is very apparent on screen. Their bromance and the different stages of their relationship have come across well.

The scenes where Ramcharan’s character tries to help Bheem in his courtship with Jenny (Olivia Morris) are quite cute.

The interval bang where the two heroes go at each other is emotionally moving. The scene is too prolonged but it still works. The grey shades of Ramcharan’s character and how it is connected to his past is smartly integrated by the director.

Performances wise it is out and out a Ramcharan and Junior NTR show. Both the actors embrace their parts wholeheartedly. The other actors do what is required but none of them stands out. This is sad because you have the likes of Ajay Devgan and Alia Bhatt. Alia as Sita gets only one solid scene which of course she does her best.

The romantic angle between Ramcharan and Alia is pretty much non-existent. Infact, Alia’s soloscene with Junior NTR has far bigger impact.

Visually RRR is stunning just like the Bahubali films. Cinematography by Senthil Kumar is appropriate to the atmospherics of the film. The production design by Sabu Cyril also makes the film a visual treat.

The biggest issue with RRR is the lack of focus on building an engaging storyline. Suspension of disbelief is fine but even that requires a certain finesse.

You know that both the heroes will emerge victorious in the end irrespective of what weapons the Britishers use. As a result you don’t feel the high which you ideally should.

The British characters are not just evil but they are also annoyingly foolish. You don’t at all understand why a British woman would kidnap a small tribal girl. The most annoying British character is of the General’s wife.

There is also too much violence and bloodshed happening in every second reel. The action scenes are way too long, and on top of it the BGM is deafeningly loud.

In a nutshell RRR may make money but it is high time the director reflects on the stories that he is directing.