Darbar movie review: Superstar Rajinikanth stands out in a mediocre cop drama

Fervid festivities at cinema theatres across the globe are inevitably filled with chants of “Thalaivaaa”. It has now become a norm for people to not bother about the actual title of the film but just call it a “Rajinikanth cinema”; such is the aura of the superstar, who turned 69 in December. Wooing the audience with his charm since times immemorial, Rajinikanth has grown beyond the medium. The fans can never get enough of their beloved Thalaivar and it is this ardent admiration that has been resulting in movies like Kabali, Kaalai, Petta, and now Darbar. The AR Muragadoss directorial hit the screens on Thursday amid much frenzy and hype. Here’s our review of Darbar.

Director AR Muragadoss has a knack of telling regular stories in his own way; with a touch of intelligence and emotion. He applies the same theory to Darbar. The swag of Rajini though gives it a welcoming twist and makes the film commercially more appealing. The formula works well in the first act when Darbar seems to possess all the right ingredients of a shattering blockbuster. The sequences are based on some smart writing and are studded with brilliant comedy timing from Rajinikanth and Yogi Babu.

However, things start to fall apart slowly, piece by piece, in the second and third acts of the film. The plot begins to lose its course, actors try too hard, the background score pumps in forcefully, and eventually, Darbar boils down to an insipid end. Although there are some “Rajini moments”, some organic progress in the story would have done no harm to the movie’s prospects. While the technicalities like performances, cinematography, and music fare well and are along the expected lines, the casting seems to be a problem. Bollywood star Suniel Shetty, who has acted in over 100 films, looks out of place. The extras too put up a highly disappointing show.

Overall, Darbar is expected to rake in huge numbers at the box office. The film might even stand a chance to perform better in the Telugu states, as compared to Rajinikanth’s other recent outings.

The Biggest Positive: Superstar Rajinikanth

Other Positives: BGM, Pre-interval writing, Nivetha Thomas, Yogi babu, Styling

Negatives: Suniel Shetty, Lack of continuity, post-interval screenplay

Darbar movie one-line review: Superstar Rajini in “not-so-super” film yet again

Review by HalfDay