Sikinder Review

Why on earth does a hero being a mafia crook make him a "good person" when an anti-hero being one makes him (the anti-hero) a rascal?  Are such twisted themes to be lapped up thoughtlessly because the hero happens to be someone who is ready to give his life for the one he loves most?  Even blood-thirsty terrorists die for the ones they love.  What is so great about it?  Oh wait, Sikandar a.k.a Raju bhai is special.  He is a dreaded Mumbai 'bhai', loyal to dost Chandu bhai, but his major distinction is that he is loved by the Commissioner's daughter for no understandable reason.  As for the Commissioner, who has no place whatsoever in the story, he is mostly seen wringing his hands even as his seductively dressed daughter (dear Samantha) continues to bump into Raju bhai at every other Mumbai road.

At one point of time, you start wondering if Samantha thinks mafia men are doing a great service to the nation, given her tattoo which reads, take a breath, Raju Bhai!  There is another remarkable aspect about this N Linguswamy film.  All crooks around Raju bhai are very caring and affectionate - that is, towards each other.  They smile very beautifully like some blue cross volunteer.  As for Samanta, who has just fallen for the bhai knowing full well that he is a bhai, she can't resist herself from going on a 7-day holiday after mocking her upright commissioner-father.  Bang, bang, bang!

See, there is this Raju bhai whose identity is that he is the most beloved bhai-friend (and vice-versa) of Chandu, who is also a bhai.  Chandu, played by Vidyut Jamwal, one day takes severe umbrage at Imram bhai's (Manoj Bajpai) offensive warning.  Raju bhai is the reason why Chandu bhai is feared by the entire city of Mumbai.  So, Raju now takes an earth-shaking decision in response to Imran bhai's warning that changes the fate of Chandu forever.

Linguswamy's narration is sans any creative flashes.  Ridiculous aspects like a mafia man who has served a 7-year jail term being loved by an ordinary girl for no rhyme or reason apart, there is this scene where the mafia man appears daringly and dashingly before the Commissioner (whose agenda is to free the city of the mafia) and lectures him about how to spend time with his daughter!  And the two terrorists, together with the very nice girl, go to attend a musical rendition by a classical exponent, played by Brahmi! This one he is able to recall because some villains, who too are mafia men, had vainly attacked him with exactly one gun!

In the age of variety it's amusing to see the kind of henchmen clad in suits, kidnapping the heroine to a  broken brickland, repetitive dialogues, monotonous threats, stereotypical villains, abrupt song placements.  And finally the length. Looking back at the film, Lingusamy has a lot in store to take back as his homework, for the movie fails to impress you as a whole.

A movie that predominantly lingers on revenge needs kick, pain and reasoning.  Sikandar has none of  these elements.

The dialogues totally lack zing in them.  With no wit or spark in them, they simply fall flat.

The costume selection deserves special mention, starting from Suriya, Samantha, Vidyut to Manoj they all look cool and apt. The stereotyped mafia/don is someone who we see in Armani toned attire, a puff of cigar and is surrounded by a henchman. However, he breaks free as a casual dude, thanks to the work behind the lens.

Stunt choreography by Stunt Silva is all gravity-defying and nothing worth remembering.

Suriya delivers an ok performance, he was much energetic in Singham.  Others are there sleepwalking through their roles.

Verdict: A mediocre revenge story with no twists, forget thrills.

Rating: 2/5