'The Legend' hit the screens this Friday. In this section, we are going to review the latest box-office release.

Story:

Dr Saravanan (Legend Saravanan) is a reputed scientist who arrives at his native place somewhere in the Telugu States to spend time with his joint family. During his stay, he learns that diabetes has become a major health crisis in India. When his friend (played by Robo Shankar) succumbs to diabetes, the scientist resolves to make a pathbreaking discovery to find a cure for the disease. In this, he faces nearly insurmountable challenges from the medical mafia. Can he finally do what he has set out to accomplish?

Analysis:

For the unversed, the film marks the big-screen debut of the Saravana Stores entrepreneur Saravanan. He is from Tamil Nadu and his intention behind making 'The Legend' seems to be to cater to the Tamil movie audience who are in awe of Rajinikanth and Rajinikanth's 'Sivaji: The Boss'. The trailer of the film had so much walking and walking by the hero, in Rajini's style, that many developed leg pains after watching it. In the film, too, Saravanan walks and walks, but he also fights, smiles, romances, serenades, and pontificates.

In a scene that looks completely out of place, the hero laughs at comedian Vivek for falling prey to a cyber-criminal. "Don't be so naive as to share your OTP. Follow the Public Service Announcements issued by the Cyber Crime Department in public interest," he says with the attitude of your neighbourhood uncle. The amateurish scene has no link to the story.

Villains thrashing a labourer is a scene that is there to portray Saravanan as a mass leader. In a scene, he says that the teacher is greater than god. In another scene, he preaches the virtue of forgival. There is a gangster named Munna who has no access to a gun despite the fact that he is working for a pharma tycoon whose net worth runs into millions and millions of dollars.

There is a village fair scene that becomes an excuse for the film's third unwarranted song. Raai Laxmi chips in to dance without caring to maintain chemistry with Saravanan.

Urvashi Rautela has got a predictable arc. Suman does well but his character is so routine. Yogi Babu has nothing much in terms of effective laughs. Vivekh, Nasser, Prabhu, Vijayakumar, and Yogi Babu have stock scenes. Geethika looks good as the hero's wife.

Harris Jayaraj's music and R Velraj's cinematography reach the expectations of the scale of the film. The stunts by Anl Arasu don't fit the larger than life vibe of the film.

Verdict:

The Legend is too much of a reiteration of familiar tropes.