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A1 Express Movie Review: A tolerable semi sports film that has its highs
When the underdogs challenged musclemen in SS Rajamouli's Sye (2004), it was precisely to save a playground. A1 Express has a similar premise, but it lacks the Rajamouli-ean craft.
Movie Name: A1 Express
Cast: Sundeep Kishan, Lavanya Tripathi, Rao Ramesh, Murli Sharma and others
Director: Dennis Jeevan
Rating: 2.5
Right off the bat in A1 Express, we are introduced to a politician who commits a gaffe while delivering a speech and claims that he did it solely with the intention of grabbing media attention. When the film starts narrating a typical boy-stalks-girl 'romantic' track, this is precisely what we ask: Does the self-described sports film have such elements with the sole intention of grabbing the average audience's attention?
Back in the 1950s, there lived a hockey legend by the name of Chitti Babu, who is a god for his fans. At the Chitti Babu Hockey Academy, a retired military man (played by a formidable Murli Sharma) is grappling with the prospect of the playground being snatched away by the Sports Minister (Rao Ramesh), who has an underhand deal with an industrialist. All that the underdogs know is hockey. And they soon discover that the boyfriend of one of their players can be the Messiah they badly need.
The boyfriend is played by Sundeep Kishan (as Sanju), who in his 25th film doesn't mind reducing the "heroine" (Lavanya Tripathi as a hockey player-turned-bystander) to the status of a second fiddle. For all we know, the "hero" can handle everything from the tantrums of an arrogant player whose fragile male ego hurts the chances of Lavanya to the burden of a nation's expectations.
Before the motifs of friendship and sports politics start driving the plot, A1 Express toys with outdated elements. "I am a flirt but not a jerk," says Sanju to Lavanya. He can stalk her but since he is admittedly not a jerk, she should find him likable. Just wow!
The film is an official remake of Natpe Thunai, the 2019 Tamil-language film. There is a particular scene where the Sports Minister brings up the 'Hindi imposition' narrative. This looks out of place in a Telugu film, given that Telugu politics doesn't have much to do with the narrative. The way the wily politician creates divisions in the ranks of protestors by playing the caste, communal and sub-regional card is too wafer-thin. There is no place for subtlety in A1 Express.
This is not to say that the film is all low-brow. Some moments give a high. The class bias in the world of sports pushes Priyadarshi's character to the wall and the narration tugs at your heartstrings. When Murli Sharma confronts the contemptuous Minister, it feels terrific. The scene also stands out because it has in the frame not one but two brilliant actors - Sharma and Rao Ramesh. Casting is perhaps the biggest strength of the film, followed by Kollywood composer Hiphop Tamizha's energetic background music.
The hockey match, which has a run-time of something like 20 minutes, has its issues. But, overall, this is where cinematographer Kavin Raj's talent, Tamizha's craft, and emotional heft come together to engage the audience. That said, the match falls short of making us root for hockey, the sport. When the underdogs challenged musclemen in SS Rajamouli's Sye (2004), it was precisely to save a playground. A1 Express has a similar premise, but it lacks the Rajamouli-ean craft. Probably, that's why the director had to deploy the celebrity anchor Suma to remind us of that film in the form of commentary. When you can't show, just verbalize it blandly...
