FilmyReviews

Agneepath is an uncomplicated story of revenge, is hard-hitting yet entertaining, dwells on strong emotions and aggressive and forceful action, yet is dissimilar from the original. Debutant director Karan Malhotra sponges from the original, but bestows the new version with a fresh texture. Agneepath is a fitting tribute to the masterwork. The movie has all the potential to scale dizzy heights of victory and catapult Hrithik Roshan as the newest member of the 100 cr Club, besides providing the Hindi film industry with the first giant Blockbuster of 2012. A definite winner!

It is Rishi Kapoor's wily turn as Rauf Lala, representing the collective villainy of Terelin, Usman and Shetty, that is the greatest revelation of this piece. He has done some awe-inspiring work in the last couple of years (Luck By Chance, Chintuji, Do Dooni Chaar) but nothing tears down his sweater-clad lover boy reflection like Agneepath. To me, that's exactly how Agneepath works, less of a remake, more of a tribute. They should have just called it Dharmapath.

What puts Agneepath a notch above the recent mindless actioners is that it has a basic human connect which it reasonably balances with the extreme action and never blatantly exploits any emotion. Karan Malhotra succeeds in extracting inspiring performances from the impressive cast. With Bollywood being obsessed with remakes in recent times, Agneepath is an important lesson on how to pay proper tribute to the original. Agneepath has the fire for a lustrous entertainer!

Devoid of fluff, the hyperbole toned down, and shorter, Agneepath would have been a far superior film. In its present form, it packs in enough punch to warrant a viewing. How much you enjoy it, though, will be directly proportionate to how much melodrama you can withstand. Old school Hindi film lovers, however, are in for a treat.

The movie's arresting screenplay; the performances of the cast; the Chikni Chameli song; the raw action; the canvas, the making and the shot takings; the direction are what works in movie's favor. Agneepath is a surefire hit. Watch it for so many reasons but be prepared for gore and violence… plenty of it!

Assistant to Karan Johar, Karan Malhotra gets to hold the reins for the first time. He knocks off a few elements from the original, and adds new layers to the new. Hrithik conforms himself to the mould set by Amitabh. He sticks to the plot working with vengeance as his crutch. If you blank out Amitabh's performance in the original, Hrithik stands out. He is cool, calculative and not afraid of death. Remember he has Maut ke saath apintment! The entire production is first rate. The songs, especially the Ganapati immersion and the wedding of Rauf Lala's son, are picturised beautifully with well-choreographed dances. Although it will not have a recall value like the old AGNEEPATH, this surely is a 'must one-time-watch'.

The pace falters in both the first and second half despite the action. It doesn’t escape the usual Hindi film fail – it’s too long. A pointless song, a few extra flashbacks spoil a hardcore Bollywood masala flick. But watch this film because this one is unadulterated Bollywood entertainment.