Akira reviewed: Sonakshi slays
Sinha is the one breaking bones, but Anurag Kashyap forms the spine of this Bollywood thriller
Film: Akira
Director: A R Murugadoss
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap and Konkona Sen Sharma
Stars: 3.5 out of 5
Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha has found an apt way to silence all those who thought that she was prone to acting in varying shades of damsel-in-distress roles. She slays it as Akira, the fierce college student from a dysfunctional modern family, who reluctantly takes on a gang of corrupt police officers in Mumbai.
Akira, directed by A R Murugadoss, is a violent showcase of police brutality and the depths to which dishonest men in uniform will plummet to in order to fill their coffers.
Director-actor Anurag Kashyap, who plays a high-ranking police officer, is pure evil genius. The coke-snorting rogue officer almost yanks the glory from Sinha's adventurous foray into a role of substance.
The scene in which he ruthlessly snuffs out the life of his shady girlfriend is pure gold.
He's unapologetic about his misdeeds and that makes him riveting to watch. Perhaps, producer-director Karan Johar, who tried to act in Bombay Velvet, should take notes.
Sinha is another revelation in Akira. She manages to make us forget Sinha, the star, and gives us a raw, searing portrayal of a woman with zero tolerance for violence against women.
The downside is that Murugadoss employs the usual crutch of over-explaining the Good Samaritan in her.
The scenes that underline her feisty spirit are shamelessly contrived. We are told she's humane because she's kind towards disabled children. Come on, isn't that the oldest spiel in the Bollywood book, to show a woman as a virtuous spirit? (Remember Muragadoss' Ghajini, in which Aamir Khan's character fell in love with Asin because she helped blind children cross the road?). Such scenes designed to manipulate the viewers are unnecessary.
While the first half is thrilling and moves at a fast pace, the second half spirals down a rocky path. The turns are sinister and makes you wonder whether cops can truly get away with multiple murders in Mumbai. You may have to suspend belief to take in some of the haphazard twists in the second half. But it isn't all bad. It's invigorating to see a woman take charge and do what Bollywood heroes have been doing for decades. There's a bit of chest-thumping, but Murugadoss doesn't let it run wild.
Konkona Sen Sharma, who plays a heavily pregnant police officer who is above corruption, doesn't falter. This thriller is a good example of actors doing their job, instead of letting stars and their familiar routines dominate. Despite a few hitches and ridiculous twists, Akira makes for an engaging watch. Some may also have an issue with the way the film tackles mental health, but if you see the big picture the viewers aren't scarred by the film.
Both Sinha and Kashyap keep the film's momentum going with their arresting screen presence.
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