Brahmastra movie latest review : part one Shiva Ali bhlat and Ranbir kapoor
At a time when Hollywood titles like Lord of the Rings and House of the Dragon are dominating the visual effects space, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt's Brahmastra is a gentle reminder that India is not far behind. Read our review.
Click!’ Alia Bhatt's Isha loves capturing memories. Every time Isha wants to record a memory in her mind, she says 'click'! Ayan Mukerji's indigenous effort to create India's very first multiverse franchise has many such click-worthy moments. Visually, Brahmastra Part One: Shiva is one of the best offerings from Bollywood in a very long time. I can't remember the last time a car chase scene or a VFX segment in a movie made me drop my phone and invest in what was happening on the big screen. In an age where our attention span is directly proportional to what's new the graphics team has to offer, Brahmastra scores BIG.
Starting a superhero universe isn't easy. First you need to lay the groundwork and create a belief system for your protagonist. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) works because you believe in your superheroes. When Thor swings his hammer or when the words 'Avengers Assemble' are heard, you suspend all logical belief and become invested in what you're witnessing on the big screen. In Brahmastra, Ayan invested the entire first half in establishing the premise for our leads, Shiva (Ranbir Kapoor) and Isha (Alia Bhatt). Ayan’s Astraverse is made in India. References from our history are beautifully woven in to give the story an emotional appeal.
Brahmastra's selling point may be its lead pair, Ranbir and Alia's chemistry, but where it really shines the most is its Astraverse chops. The story begins with Shiva meeting Isha and falling in love with her. Along the way, he confesses that he has an affinity for fire. It doesn't hurt him, but it scares him. His superpower is also his biggest disadvantage. Before the film breaks for intermission, we are introduced to the Astraverse and its key players. Shiva's nemesis Junoon (Mouni Roy) sets out to retrieve the pieces of the broken Brahmastra to finally awaken and please Lord Brahma Dev. Along the way we also learn about Shiva's story and his mother Amrita who was in command of Jal Astra. Information overload? Don't worry, all of this information is explained and presented in a way that won't bore you or surprise you.
the flavors are definitely borrowed from western cuisine. Directed by Amitabh Bachchan, Astra Gurukul gives you the Professor X X-Men feel. Every time Shiva twitches and has visions, you can't help but remember that Frodo suffered a similar fate on his journey with the Ring to Mount Doom. While Amitabh Bachchan may not have a long gray beard, his mentorship of Shiva has shades of Dumbledore's guardianship of Harry Potter. Comparisons abound, but they don't feel duplicative or cheap knockoffs. The action scenes, especially those involving the car chase and another big moment in the climax, are perhaps the first in any Indian film. Amazing work not only for excitement but also for pushing the boundaries and trying something new.
Performances are mixed. Coming off a tired Shamshera, Ranbir Kapoor is nimble on his feet in most of the scenes and brings much needed zest to the film. “It gives me a Bunny feel,” said a friend next to me (an ode to Ayan's Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani) in the first half. Alia's Isha has courage, her eyes love Shiva unconditionally. However, their love story is perhaps the weakest link in this otherwise solid offering. He calls her the "button" that will ignite his superpower, but he finds the premise strange.
Nagarjuna's character makes a solid impact despite his limited screen time. Mouni Roy as the villain is brilliant and breaks the naagin stigma with this career changing performance. Amitabh Bachchan as Guruji commands the screen presence required for the role. But the real seeti-maar moment of the film comes in the first 10 minutes with Shah Rukh Khan's star cameo.
Where the film falters is its rushed narrative. Ayan has a lot to establish, share and make us understand in this first chapter, so the first half is super rushed. The love story, flashbacks of Shiva's childhood and some of the action scenes feel long and overwhelming. Some of the dialogue sticks out like a sore, especially the “Kaun ho tum (Who are you)?” bit where Shiva asks Ish several times.
Brahmastra Part One: Shiva is a solid effort as the first chapter of this trilogy. Ayan ends the film on a cliffhanger teasing what's to come.
At a time when Hollywood titles like Lord of the Rings and House of the Dragon are dominating the visual effects space, Brahmastra is a subtle reminder that India is not far behind in the VFX game and has some of the best work in the genre. Ayana's message of love defeating darkness and despair couldn't have come at a better time! Brahmastra Part One: Shiva is a visual feast worth your time. Don't skip this.
