BOTTOM LINE
Blood, Bullets & Banger BGM
RATING
3/5
Story, Screenplay, Director: Arun Matheswaran
Cast: Lokesh Kanagaraj, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sanjana Krishnamoorthy
Music Director: Anirudh Ravichander
DOP: Mukesh G
Editor: G K Prasanna
Producer: Kalanithi Maran
Presented By: Sun Pictures
Production Company: Sun Pictures
Related Links: Trailer
What Is the Film About?
Devadasu aka Dasu (Lokesh Kanagaraj) works as a gangster in a gang headed by Sarkar. A job they take on lands them in big trouble with the police department, so they flee to a new place.
Dasu meets Parvati in the new place; soon, it blossoms into an unexpected relationship. Meanwhile, Bhojaraju, a top cop, is assigned all the powers to find the gang and eliminate them.
What happens to Parvati? How does Chandra come into Dasu’s life? Did the cops finish their duty? The answer to all these questions is DC’s overall story.
Performances
Lokesh Kanagaraj, popular director, makes his acting debut with DC. He plays a good-hearted ruffian, and a lot of his acting is taken care of by his get-up and close-up shots.
Lokesh Kanagaraj conveys the necessary emotion through his presence and appearance more than through his acting. It is convincing, and that’s the job done as far as this role is concerned. It’s a good debut, showcasing the actor’s strengths. We have to see whether he takes up further acting assignments and whether there will be any difference.
Wamiq Gabbi, as Chandra, gets a good role, coming into her own in the movie’s second half. The character is neatly sketched, and she delivers the required performance, which leaves an impact.
And finally, Sanjana Krishnamoorthy is the third major character considering the key roles taken from the classic novel, Devdas. She plays Parvati. It’s a much smaller part than the other two, but she has enough time in it to register.
Analysis
Arun Matheswaran writes and directs DC. It is a reimagination of the classic Bengali novel Devdas, which has been adapted into numerous films.
The movie is set in the early 2010s, and locations play a key role in the narrative. The story shifts to many places. It’s why a part of the connection with the story might be missed in the dubbing.
If one leaves aside those nativity issues, the movie, right from the get-go, operates on a grounded, realistic terrain involving cops, gangsters, and poor people.
The director takes a clear-cut route here, portraying most of the cops in a negative light even though they are shown doing their duty. The gangsters, on the other hand, are like Robin Hoods, especially the hero, who is shown to have a strong moral compass and supports the poor and needy.
Within this setup, inspired by the characters of Devdas, the director weaves an exciting story that hooks one after taking time to set up the world.
The slow pace and different characters take time to register initially. The non-linear narrative and jumping from place to place don’t help the cause either. But as soon as we see the characters for who they are, everything else falls into place.
It happens after the key incident involving the attack on the main lead. The narrative gets into real motion from then onwards, and it keeps one gripped for the rest of the duration despite issues.
The interval block featuring the chartbuster Rage of Raaga track takes the whole thing to the next level. It makes one look forward to the second half with more curiosity.
And the expectations are not disappointed, as the events offer more intense moments, mild dark humour, and strong emotions.
The evolution of dynamics among gang members is done well. When the movie started, one wasn’t aware of Sebastian, Narasimha, Kitty, etc., but by the time we reach the middle of the second half, they grow and feel familiar. It’s one reason, and the other is Dasu and Chandra’s dynamic. Together they make the narrative intense and dramatic.
However, the real punch lies in the final half an hour, when the various characters and their characterisations come together for a thrilling and emotional ride to the end. When the movie ends, we feel satisfied.
Overall, DC is a fresh and different take on Devadas’ iconic characters. It’s slow and repetitive in parts, but the rooted setting, raw execution, and emotions elevated with scintillating background score make for an immersive and engaging watch.
Performances by Other Actors
The movie is filled with actors, and everyone does their best in the given runtime. The gang members are all good, and so is the police antagonist. The latter feels threatening, and that’s why the whole narrative works. There is always a sense of danger when he is around. The adaptation of the Chunni Lal character from the novel is also well done.
Music and Other Departments?
The biggest asset and highlight of the movie is undoubtedly the music director, Anirudh Ravichandran. He does an extraordinary job right from the title cards, and that’s just the start as it builds to the end. Technically, the movie is strong with excellent visuals and sharp editing. The narrative is slow, but never becomes boring. The writing definitely misses the mark in translation.
Highlights?
BGM
Casting
Intensity
Emotions
Interval
Climax
Drawbacks?
Slow Pace
Nativity Issue
Strong Tamil Flavour
Gets a Little Repetitive
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, the music, casting and emotion deliver a satisfying outing given one is in the zone.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, if one doesn’t mind the nativity issues and heavy violence.
DC Telugu Movie Reviewed by Kalyan
