Rustom Movie Review : A monumental dud that even Akshay's sincerity couldn't save

We went in to watch Rustom in the hope that here is a taut drama - well dished, crisp, tight. The trailer had piqued curiosity and raised expectations. Only if the film was only half of these things and a little less lifeless. The biggest problem with the movie is that it looks gimmicky - the skies (bad CGI), the furniture out of an ancient furniture shop, the acting even more, the couple who go from being blissful to estranged without showing that on their faces. The background score is blaring, perpetuating jingoism lest the script misses it in a scene or two. Neeraj Pandey's brand name evokes a different kind of respect and credibility, his films are subtle with mind games interspersed with the narrative. For a widely covered case like Nanavati's,  there is no detail not out in the public arena. It was the most sensational one of its times. And hence,  the recreation of this drama could've been done with more caution and precision. It must be noted that the needless twist in the end, is just proving a tested Bollywood formula - an infidel woman cannot be justified in Hindi cinema but a murderer can get way with it because what he did was for honor. Does this dilemma ever appear in the film? Not really. Only if director Tinu Desai had the maturity to make it more gritty and less comedic.  Yes,  you read it right.  Rustom is jingoistic, loud,  outlandish, screechy, crying for attention.

In Rustom's case, we all can concede there is an enticing story backing it. But the film has too many miscasts.  Esha Gupta  may we ask,  at which point did you get the impression that a snooty glare and chain smoking is the mark of a good vamp? In her tryst to thrust her bosoms at the camera to put across her conniving vein, she looks silly. Kumud Mishra as the former editor of Blitz reduces the man to a clown. Hush hush whispers in the CCI bar says he was the finest in his time. Sachin Khedekar looks right out of the Rohit Roy show Adalat. He is hamming to perfection and Oh, was he ever so intolerable? Parmeet Sethi who is in a movie after long is neither charming nor menacing, as his character calls for. Arjan Bajwa, who makes his most memorable appearance in a fluorescent bathing robe,  covering his modesty till knees and showing his hairy lovely legs,  is dismal. Good thing he got killed or the fashion nazis would've wanted his blood for that appearance. And mostly, Ileana as Cynthia, the woman who triggers the chain of action is never living up to her character. There is guilt in her eyes, tears, love for the man she wronged but the gravity of it never comes through her performance. She is painfully flat and dreadfully plain. Probably the only one holding the film steady is Akshay Kumar. He is sincere, making Rustom as impactful as he can. You wish there was any support from other quarters.

A pointed screenplay could've salvaged the film but then there is a gross tone problem with the movie.  It is intriguing sometimes but never compelling enough. It has far too many claptraps. It won't be wrong that the director's intention was merely to be a crowd-pleasing masala entertainer but in times when every mainstream film is written with depth, this movie is trivial, treating an interesting case with shameless frivolousness.

In the second hour,  it becomes a half-baked courtroom drama. We were bored enough to ask why is Rustom dressed in his uniform all through (reiteration of his patriotism?),  why is judge hitting the hammer to say 'Order Order' every two minutes and mostly why does the jury look so visibly shocked at everything. There are more laughs than takeaways from this film.  Akshay makes you want to forgive a lot of things and every scene he has with Pawan Mishra is wonderfully done. Too bad, we can't shred the discrepancies of the climax to pieces but it was far from convincing.

Rustom is an strange mix of funny and dull but it is never as gluing one would've hoped.

We rate the film 55% on the Pinkvilla Movie Meter.