REVIEW: ANTIM THE FINAL TRUTH

Though it is packed with several characters and masala entertainment, in comparison with Satyameva Jayate 2, Antim does stand out with ease on its own merit.

Producer- Salma Khan

Director- Mahesh Manjrekar

Star Cast-Salman Khan, Aayush Sharma, Mahesh Manjrejkar, Sachin Khedekar, Mahima Makwana, Upendra Limaye, Sayaji Shinde, Jisshu Sengupta, Chhaya Kadam Nikiten Dheer and Sachin Khedekar

Genre- Action

Platform of Release- Theatrical

Rating- **1/2

A Watered Down Adaptation

Jyothi Venkatesh

Antim: The Final Truth is the official adaptation of the hit Marathi film ‘Mulshi Pattern’.

It follows the story of Rahulya (Aayush Sharma), a youngster from a small-town, who ends up becoming one of the most dreaded land mafias in Pune.

But in his journey to the top, he ends up making many new enemies and breaking the law. Who will catch up with him first – his crimes, his past or the law of the land?

The very opening scene sets the pace and the space of the film with Inspector Rajveer Singh’s (Salman Khan) voiceover throwing light on how many farmers were forced to sell their land at cheap prices to people with influence and power.

Farmer Sakharam Patil (Sachin Khedekar) loses his job at his own farm which he had sold to a rich businessman.

This enrages the sense of revenge in Sakharam’s son Rahul (Aayush Sharma) and he joins Pune’s criminal gang led by Nanya Bhai (Upendra Limaye).

Very cleverly, Mahesh Manjrekar has set his film predominantly in a Marathi domain, thus enabling him to deftly capture the flavor of the rural and urban Maharashtra with Karan Rawat’s compelling cinematography, which abounds with sweeping wide-angle shots showing the city’s unabated growth.

Mahesh further solidifies his film by casting many Marathi actors in important character roles, whether it is Sachin Khedekar, Chhaya Kadam, Sayaji Kadam or Upendra Limaye in key roles.

Though the first half of the film creates quite an engaging build-up and keeps you thoroughly engrossed by setting the right tone for the various characters, sadly the story gets predictable and starts to lose grip.

In no time, everyone is seen killing each other, not adding anything much to the plot but taking the raw action a notch higher.

To add to your woes, right when the film is awe-inspiring, a lavani item song by Waluscha D'Souza and a Ganpati song featuring Varun Dhawan are quite forcefully wedged in, thus spoiling the show and diluting the impact on the audiences.

If Mulshi Pattern ends by mentioning how the film is a tight slap to all the farmers who sold their land dirt cheap, this one focuses more on the mundane requirements and fringes of formula that hardly matter such as the love track between Rahula, Manda & hence fails to do the most important thing which the original did i.e. evoke empathy against the helpless farmers, but if you like Salman Khan , this one is designed for you.

While Salman plays the role of the restrained cop as usual, ripping his shirt off and displaying his biceps and beating up the bad guys to pulp, in a bid to elicit ceetees, Ayush Sharma is a revelation when compared to his first outing Love Yatri and it is to his entire credit that he stands up to Salman without any nervousness, getting into the skin of his character of Rahulya with perfect finesse and aplomb, proving that if he gets a role he is good as an actor too.

Debutante Mahima Makwana is pretty and good but the pair of Ayush and Mahima lacks the desired chemistry which is necessary to trigger their romance.

Sachin Khedekar is brilliant as the farmer- father of Rahulya while mention must also be made of Upendra limaye who plays the gang lord who gives his cover of umbrella to Rahulya though he had played the role of the upright cop in the original

Though it is packed with several characters and masala entertainment, I’d say that in comparison with Satyameva Jayate 2, Antim does stand out with ease. Go if you are an ardent fan of Salman Khan.