Film: Badmaash
Director: Akash Srivatsa
Cast: Dhananjay, Sanchita Shetty, Achyuth Kumar
With his directorial debut, Badmaash, Sri Vatsa proves that he is a youngster who has arrived in Sandalwood with a sense of purpose. Having an intellectual eye to filmmaking that seems to power persistence, he has displayed that his purpose is larger than himself. Taking a political theme and weaving it around a game which has ounces of suspense as threads, Sri Vatsa’s game plan works, and in the process it gets the viewers’ engrossed.
The film also explores the commercial side of actor Dhananjay, even though the script has been made simple and understandable despite revolving around a complex but well crafted plan. The political satire runs around a diamond and picks up with the entry of a common man, Vijay (Dhananjay), who plays a game and makes sustained effort to destroy the chronic problems that keep arising in the political system. In these moments, he meets RJ Priya (Sanchita Shetty), who happens to be his childhood friend. Love blossoms but something prevents them from getting close. In the process, Vijay learns from Priya about her troubled past and the person behind it. He vows to get her justice. How he explores the sinful side of a politician using his own people, who become the actual driving force in taking his plan forward and whether it works to his advantage is what Badmaash is all about.
Working to the director’s advantage is the well conceived political game. But it is not that Badmaash is devoid of flaws. The momentum that could have been sustained gets diluted with romance and the songs. The timing and positioning of these aspects disrupts the flow, but being his first attempt, Sri Vatsa could be excused for the lapse. He should in fact get a thumbs up for his original thinking by coming out with a new concept in his first outing.
Badmaash gives Dhananjay all the opportunities to prove himself as a commercial hero. The actor, who has already proved his acting abilities in Director’s Special and Boxer, gets to explore in all departments, be it action, dance or romance.
Sanchita Shetty not only makes a pretty picture, but fits perfectly in the whole game plan. Achyuth Kumar as a politician enacts the mannerisms of a villain in a flawless manner; a role that has been a cake walk for him for many years now. The film gets good support from the supporting cast including Ramesh Bhat, MS Jahangeer, Suchendra Prasad, B Suresh, Prakash Belawadi , among others.
Some fresh music by Judah Sandy adds to the overall experience; his jarring background score seems necessary for a film like Badmaash. Good picturisation by Srisha Kooduvalli makes the whole product look rich.
Overall, this romance and action movies is a film made well especially considering that it is coming from a first time director.