Bhagavanth Kesari Movie Review: Nandamuri Balakrishna Mansplains 'Women Empowerment' In This Middling Action-Entertainer (LatestLY Exclusive)

Bhagavanth Kesari Movie Review: For a change, Balayya does something different in Anil Ravipudi's Bhagavanth Kesari. He breaks from the norm, going with the flow of the contemporary world and preaches women-empowerment. In Bhagavanth Kesari, we are spared the sleazy angles of women's curves, and double-meaning jokes are notably reduced. Does this make Bhagavanth Kesari a more accessible film for an outsider like me? Not significantly, but it's refreshing to see Nandamuri Balakrishna sharing the spotlight with someone other than himself in an action scene, and it's a woman, no less. However, it's worth noting that it's his character that decides when this empowerment begins and when it should end. Even after giving the heroine her due space, he still has to rescue her from the villain. That's Bhagavanth Kesari in a nutshell! Bhagavanth Kesari Review: Nandamuri Balakrishna's Film Co-Starring Arjun Rampal Is 'Decent Watch' As Per Netizens.

Nandamuri Balakrishna's "nari shakti" agenda doesn't stop there. There's a scene where he intrudes into a school and educates the kids on recognising inappropriate touches. In any other situation, teachers and parents would question this elderly man barging into a school event and discussing private parts with young children, calling for the security to throw him out. But this is Balayya, an actor whose real-life persona seamlessly blends with his reel persona, so he is revered and celebrated in the film.

However, it would have been interesting to see the superstar adapt to change, even if it meant explaining things in a somewhat paternalistic manner. Unfortunately, there's a lack of consistency when it comes to the women empowerment theme in Bhagavanth Kesari. For instance, there's still a leading lady, Kajal Aggarwal's Kathyayani, who is smitten with the 50-year-old hero (the film says it, not me), and her profession as a psychologist is more ornamental to the plot, just like the actress herself. It's jarring when Nandamuri's character initially refers to her as 'aunty' in their first interaction simply because she is in her 30s. Yes, she does respond unkindly to it, but for someone like Kesari who rebukes misogyny, this doesn't reflect well. Kajal's role is so disconnected from the plot that it's puzzling why the villain would even bother to kidnap her right before the climax. Fortunately, there are no songs or love scenes between Kesari and Kathyayani to emphasise their lack of chemistry and significant age difference, so that's a win!

Watch the Trailer of Bhagavanth Kesari:

Now, let's delve into the plot. Srikanth (Sarathkumar) is a police officer assigned as the new superintendent in a prison where Bhagavanth Kesari (Balakrishna) is an inmate. Naturally, there's a reason for his imprisonment, and you know what that means - an extended flashback in the second half that reveals a different side of the hero and the origins of his feud with the villain. When Kesari saves an inmate from being killed, Srikanth is impressed, and they become close friends.

When Srikanth dies in a car accident, Kesari, who is released from prison thanks to his new friend's recommendation, becomes the guardian of Srikanth's orphaned daughter. That daughter, Vijaylaxmi aka Vijji (Sreeleela), grows up, and Kesari is determined to compel her to join the army, even against her wishes, to fulfill her late father's desires. So according to the film, women's empowerment means men imposing upon the girl their career choices rather than guiding her and allowing her to make her own choices. But who am I to mansplain? Balayya is there, na...

Later, we're introduced to the villain, Arjun Rampal's one-legged Rahul Sanghavi. He's a wealthy businessman whose sole agenda is to be wicked, without any sort of depth and nuance. For instance, there's a scene where he permits his son to be killed. Why? Simple. He's evil. He's also fixated on something called Project V, which supposedly allows him to control the nation. Don't ask me what it is; it's essentially a plot device with no real significance. Rahul Sanghavi is mostly a run-of-the-mill disposable villain who doesn't pose much of a challenge to our hero. Rampal's talent is underutilised in this role, despite his attempt to inject some dynamism. It's not helped by his character's weak and unconvincing dialogues, where he repeatedly seeks validation from others about who is stronger, sharper, and smarter, only to receive unsatisfactory responses. The answer is quite clear to those questions - see the title.

I'll be candid in saying that Bhagavanth Kesari is relatively more bearable compared to Balayya's typical masala entertainers of late. The superstar appears comfortable in his role, and for a change, his on-screen antics don't veer into cringe territory. His mannerisms and dialogue delivery feel smoother, and there's an enjoyable aspect to it, especially when he speaks in Hindi. Director Anil Ravipudi, known for F2, offers a plot with a semblance of an emotional depth. The interactions between Balakrishna and Sreeleela have some heartwarming moments, thanks to the genuine camaraderie between the two actors. Sreeleela has a significant role, and she excels when the film allows her room for monologues and action. Veera Simha Reddy Movie Review: Nandamuri Balakrishna's Action Potboiler Aims to Bleed Your Ears and Senses Dry!

However, if we strip away this part of the plot and the clichéd women empowerment message, Bhagavanth Kesari is reduced to just another standard template, hero-centric mishmash that doesn't bring anything new to the table. The action scenes lack any tension because the hero is already established as unbeatable. Even when he's beaten down, it's shown at his own discretion. In the second half, the movie becomes increasingly verbose, allowing Balayya to indulge in his favourite activity - delivering loud monologues. Almost every significant character in the film repeatedly exclaims why Kesari is the ultimate hero. Whenever Bhagavanth Kesari shifts focus away from Kesari and Vijji, the movie significantly suffers. Yes, Bhagavanth Kesari allows Balayya to drive a bus and crash into a glass building, attack goons in that very building with the confidence of John Wick and then take digs at Kaithi and KGF in a scene where he is asked to choose between a gatling gun and a machine gun, claiming fans expect him to make more noise. And yet, beyond these occasional fun touches, Bhagavanth Kesari couldn't elevate itself to go beyond the tried-n-trite formula.

Final Thoughts

Bhagavanth Kesari offers a slightly refreshing departure from the typical Balakrishna masala entertainers, with moments of heartfelt camaraderie between Balayya and Sreeleela. However, it also stumbles in maintaining consistency with its women empowerment theme and delivers a standard hero-centric plot in the end. Nandamuri Balakrishna is in fine nick but Bhagavanth Kesari doesn't break the mould, just merely cracking the surface.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 19, 2023 10:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).