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Bhavesh Joshi Movie Review: This superhero should have his cape ripped off to tatters
Bhavesh Joshi Superhero is an amalgamation of several comic book characters but Motwane gives it that novel touch. He is a different superhero, wearing his realism with pride. He isn’t replica which is his biggest forte.
I actually buy into the intention of a city vigilante; he is a noble guy who decides to do something about the system we are infuriatingly apathetic towards. But then here’s a film which was probably a riot on paper but the makers lose plot mid-way. So much of a movie like this is made and destroyed on the edit table and I suspect that’s where Motwane went wrong with this film. It is an absolute snooze fest instead of being the hyped origin stories it aspires to be. So in this film, the college goers care a lot more than the taste of their vada pavs. The motley bunch are socially aware and politically take the plunge and take matters into their own hands, in turn getting in the way of a local goon/politico who decrees for one of them to be killed. The superhero then surfaces to make all wrongs right. By nature, it’s the kind of story you’d be attracted to. Its tapestry is homegrown and the problems the film projects are the ones you deal with on a day-to-day basis. There is enough drama and suspense, even action but none of it makes a complete picture on screen. Rather Motwane whips up a blah slog of a movie, which doesn’t know which direction is it headed. There is constant sense of uncertainty in the story. In the film’s first half, the story moves briskly making a few interesting points impactfully in no time. But just when you begin to see hope, the tempo dips. Joshi is a masked crusader and his invisible cape flies irreverently. He is an amalgamation of several comic book characters but Motwane gives it that novel touch. He is a different superhero, wearing his realism with pride. He isn’t a replica which is his biggest forte. But more than harping on his superhero qualities, this become a vigilante film which feels like a tirade. Especially that it never offers many solutions, or probably solutions that are unrealistic or far from convincing. You see the influences of Marvel universe but each backstory is told with conviction.
At least for the first hour, the film is better than bearable. But the second hour is frustrating. It evokes an array of emotions, including anger but doesn’t channelise it right allowing it to dissipate soon enough. Motwane and his writers Anurag Kashyap and Abhay Koranne put together a faulty screenplay, compelling Motwane to focus entirely on action.
Stuntmen Cyril Raffaelli and Sebastian Seveau give us a few fantastic chase sequences. They are gutsy and hair-raising done well by Harshvardhan Kapoor. It’s so heartbreaking that the Kapoor kid is bubbling with potential. You see it in his choices. You see it in his dedication towards the performances. And so far, he has chosen movies where he bites off more than he can chew. That’s brave or incredibly stupid, depending on how you see it. I say it’s not fair to not give him enough chances. He is something to watch to for and a marked improvement since his last film, raising hopes for his next. Matching him is his friend Priyanshu Painyuli who is thorough with his act.
Motwane mounts a film he believes in, but let’s go halfway through. I wish someone saw Bhavesh through till the end. It deserved more passion, more brewing and more expertise. I blame Motwane alone for what’s gone wrong here and if this were a series, he could have made it right! A part 2 please, because Joshi and Kapoor deserve better. But judging just by this, someone rip off the cape from this superhero. Earn it bro!
We rate it a 40% on the Pinkvilla Movie Meter.
