Darbar Movie Review: The Ultimate Rajinikanth Show For The Die-Hard Fans!

Star Cast: Rajinikanth, Suniel Shetty, Nayanthara, Niveda Thomas, Prateik Babbar

Direction: AR Murugadoss

Darbar, the Rajinikanth starring action thriller has finally hit the screens all over the globe today. The movie marks the superstar’s first collaboration with AR Murugadoss, the renowned filmmaker. Darbar has been released in about 7000 screens worldwide, thus emerging as one of the biggest ever releases of Tamil cinema.

Did the Rajinikanth starrer meet the expectations? Read Darbar movie review here to know…

Plot

Hari Chopra (Suniel Shetty), a drug dealer murders a bunch of cops and escapes from the country. He later emerges as one of the most notorious drug dealers in the world. Meanwhile, Adithya Arunachalam (Rajinikanth), a highly efficient police officer has been deputed to wipe off the drug mafia from the Mumbai city.

Adithya shifts to the city with his only daughter Valli (Niveda Thomas), with whom he shares a very strong bond. He first eliminates Ajay Malhotra (Prateik Babbar), one of the top drug dealers of Mumbai, which paves the way for Hari Chopra’s come back to the city. What happens next forms the crux of the story.

Script & Direction

AR Murugadoss, the writer-director has successfully turned Darbar, as a complete treat for the diehard fans of the superstar. The movie is the ultimate celebration of Rajini’s impeccable superstardom and mass appeal. The director has also succeeded in narrating a heartwarming story of the father-daughter relationship along with the commercial potboiler narrative.

The combination scenes of Rajinikanth and Niveda Thomas, who plays his daughter, are wonderfully written and a treat to watch. However, the screenplay falls flat when it comes to the character development of the rest of the actors, especially the roles played by Suneil Shetty and Nayanthara. However, the romantic track featuring Rajinikanth and Nayanthara is enjoyable. The way the narrative mentions the age gap between the characters deserves a special mention.

However, Darbar disappoints a bit when it comes to the antagonist. Despite the exceptional built up given to the character, Suniel Shetty ends up as a weak, cliche villain. The lukewarm confrontation sequence between Adithya Arunachalam and Hari Chopra makes the climax less impactful and look rushed.

Performances

Rajinikanth, the superstar who plays Adithya Arunachalam is the heart and soul of the movie. His exuberant performance and charming screen presence make Darbar thoroughly entertaining. Nayanthara, who appears as Adithya’s lady love Lilly looks simply gorgeous on-screen and her crackling chemistry with the superstar is a delight to watch. However, her talent is totally wasted in the underwritten role.

Suniel Shetty, who appears as the lead antagonist makes a mark with his strong screen presence but has nothing much to do in the impactless role. Niveda Thomas, who plays Adithya’s daughter Valli deserves a big applause for her matured performance. The young actress has truly shined in the emotional sequences. The rest of the star cast including Prateik Babbar, Thambi Ramaiya, Yogi Babu, Sriman, etc., are good in their respective roles.

Technical Aspects

Santhosh Sivan’s extraordinary cinematography makes Darbar a complete visual treat. The highly effective editing by A Sreekar Prasad has majorly helped the pace of the movie.

Anirudh Ravichander, the music director scores once again with a decent soundtrack. The exceptional background score, especially the remix of the iconic BGM by Deva, totally elevates the mood of the movie.

Pros

• Rajinikanth’s performance and screen presence
• The beautiful portrayal of the father-daughter relationship
• Enjoyable romantic track

Cons

• Impactless antagonist
• Rushed climax sequence

Verdict

Darbar is the ultimate Rajinikanth show which is specially made for the die-hard fans of the superstar. However, it might not be a totally satisfying watch for the cine-goers.