Film Review - Puli

Stale Tale

Film: Puli (Tamil dubbed in Hindi)

Cast: Vijay, Shruthi Hassan, Sri Devi, Sudeep

Directed by: Chimbhu Deven

Duration: 2 hrs 34 mins

Rating: *

Much on the lines of Bahubali, Puli is also a fantasy, adventure drama except that this one is an ordeal to sit through. Pedestrian to the core in almost every department of film making, the good old Chandamama stories were a zillion times better than watching this story unfold. 

Once upon a time there was an evil queen (Sri Devi, making an appearance only after interval) who could teleport herself much faster than the Star trek guys but her skills seem to be restricted to one room. The hero (Vijay, as expressive as a doorknob) hails from a humble background but he can take on the army of vetals. These vetals (literally translated as spirits) have blue eyes and two of their canines grow when they get angry. Meanwhile in the audience you are struck by boredom with all this childish mumbo jumbo.

Romance is mandatory in such films and the hero proposes to his girl with this cheesy line – “Ab agla bachcha hamara hi hoga” This is taking fantasy to a different level altogether.  

For reasons not obvious here, the lead actor Vijay has a huge fan following in the South. In this film he has the same expression while facing a menacing black panther, romancing his girlfriend or fighting an army. 

Bahubali at least had the character of Katappa to keep the interest going, no such luck here. This is just a crashing bore.

Published in The Navhind Times on 4th Oct. 2015
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