Darbar Review

After the Blockbuster Petta, Superstar Rajnikanth has joined hands with AR Murugadoss, and is back as a cop after decades in Darbar. While the promos presenting a refreshing, energetic Superstar in his elements, let's see what Darbar has in store.

Aaditya Arunachalam, the commissioner of police, Mumbai is on a gangster killing spree as he's on a hunt for someone. Cut to the flashback and we get to know Aaditya's face off with the deadly Hari Chopra whose son he had killed, and this also leading to the loss of his daughter. Was Aaditya able to trace Hari Chopra and eliminate him is what Darbar is all about.

Rajnikanth is energetic and has a magnetic screen presence. Be it his bonding with Nivetha Thomas or the massy moments, he excels with his energy levels visible in every frame and the man charms making one wonder if he's 70. Nivetha Thomas gets a good role and she emotes well, in the limited scope she gets. Yogi Babu entertains and guarantees laughs with his one-liner counters and trolls Superstar in a fun way. Nayanthara doesn't have much to do in the screenplay and her parts actually appear as speed breakers. Suniel Shetty is the biggest disappointment of Darbar as he neither gets the scope to emote nor does he appear menacing with very silly moves, and his character is weakly etched that you never really feel like watching a deadly villain on screen. The rest of the cast including Prateik Babbar, Dalip Tahil, Nawab Shah are adequate.

The first half establishes the bad cop Aaditya Arunachalam, and presents the sequences that lead to his conflict with Hari Chopra, the main antagonist. Superstar's stylish, energetic looks and screen presence holds the movie together, and though the romance track appears as a diversion, Yogi Babu's one-liners generate laughs.

The second half starts with Hari Chopra drawing his first revenge over Aaditya and from then, the screenplay doesn't pack any punch, as Aaditya proceeds further to trace Hari but the latter doesn't pose any serious threat to Aaditya. With the villain not being powerful, the movie ends in a rushed manner.

Background score by Anirudh is good with the perfect usage of Superstar theme, while of his songs Chumma kizhi and Tharam maara are appealing. Cinematography by Santosh Sivan is top-notch, capturing the action mass sequences and the stylish Superstar in all glory. Editing by Sreekar Prasad could have been better, as the proceedings are dull in the second half. 

Director AR Murugadoss is back after his political entertainer Sarkar, with Darbar, a cop flick with Superstar Rajnikanth. The movie gets going right from the opening sequence, as Superstar arrives as the mad cop on a killing spree, and though the romance sequences with Nayanthara looks out of place, Yogi Babu brightens the sequences with his trolls. After the engaging and entertaining first half, the stage is set for the second half for the clash of Aaditya and Hari Chopra but as you expect fireworks, it is this part that falls flat. The war between Aaditya and Hari Chopra never really engages, as Hari Chopra's ways to counter Aaditya doesn't really trouble him, and the finale is a damp squib with Aaditya finishing off Hari with extreme ease. It's a Superstar Rajnikanth show throughout as the man never looks like he's 70, and charms, generates fun, exudes energy and is vibrant and powerful on-screen making a strong presence, and carrying the movie on his shoulders. It is his presence that makes you ignore the weak antagonist and the flaws in the screenplay. Anirudh's superstar theme reworked background score is a highlight, and the technical aspects of Darbar are good. Only if Murugadoss had concentrated on the screenplay in the second half and given a proper competition for Aaditya Arunachalam with a strong villain, Darbar could have been a completely satisfying mass entertainer. With Suniel Shetty's poor characterization, Darbar settles as a routine entertainer that works in parts.

Verdict: An Entertainer Rajinikanth fans will cherish