BOTTOM LINE Flat Ride, Emotional Climax
RATING
2.5/5
CENSOR
U/A, 2Hrs 42Mins
What Is the Film About?
Sunil Narayan (Rajasekhar) and Vikas Narayan (Sharwanand) are father and son.
The father is a former multiple-time Motocross racing champion, and after retiring, he becomes his son's coach.
Vikas Narayan, however, leads a life away from the rigorous routines of his racing career, unknown to his father. What happens when circumstances force Vicky to choose between his career and personal life? How does this situation tear apart the father-son relationship? The redemption of both father and son is the movie's basic story.
Performances
Sharwanand puts his heart into the part. It is evident in the bodily transformation he has gone through for the role. There is a lot of internalised angst in the character, which the actor depicts with required intensity.
Sharwanand effectively covers the character arc through his emotional performance. The ending moments are the best part of the whole lot. For the sheer physical transformation and effort, Biker is sure to be a notable work for the actor.
Malvika Nair doesn't play the typical heroine role, though it starts out that way. However, her characterisation lacks freshness and is clichéd in such sports dramas. She does the required and acts well, but there's nothing more to those moments.
Analysis
Abhilash Reddy of Loser (Webseries) and Ma Nanna Superhero fame writes and directs Biker. It's a story right in his zone, mixing elements of his previous works, but set against an entirely different backdrop.
So, we have the sports genre like the Loser series and then the father-son angle from the director's previous flick. Only here does everything seem well-mixed, but they follow utterly formulaic approach, which ultimately proves to be their undoing, in a way.
The opening scenes simultaneously hook us into the proceedings and also reveal the issues. The fresh backdrop and characterisations instantly register, but the slow pace and urban presentation (excessive use of English) accompany them. The bigger problem, however, is the lack of high and flatness in execution.
The first racing sequences deliver the necessary thrill one might expect, given the trailer and the setting. The drama takes over once the big race sequence is done. It's here that the movie both works and falters.
The father-son drama is flat from the start. The emotions between them are predictable. The actions they take individually, as part of their character, are neatly brought to the fore, but they don't give the necessary high to elevate things to the next level. The heroine's track is much weaker.
By the time the interval arrives, the drama is neatly built despite the issues, but lacks the bite. One still looks forward to seeing how the father-son saga unfolds due to the actors.
The second half starts on a sluggish note. The initial few scenes lack impact, and it feels as if the director is going through the motions to complete the various setups (mountain jump, the son-and-family track, etc) for the payoffs in the last hour or so. The emotional beats featuring the heroine feel clunky (outdated), and they drag the proceedings.
The biggest issue, as is seen from the start, is the lack of rousing moments for a sports drama. They lack the grit and rigour of immense sports drama that overcomes the formula.
The narrative progresses flatly and doesn't raise the stakes emotionally or in terms of thrills. The latter is still okay, as it offers something new to watch, but the emotions and drama lack the freshness and high. There is zero surprise at all.
Having said all that, the climax is neat. The father-son pair do the required with their act and ends things on a decent note.
Overall, Biker is a sports drama with a fresh backdrop for the Telugu audience. It is a sincere effort from the makers with a focus on emotion and big-screen thrills. The problem is that neither delivers the high. The emotions are flat, and thrills lack the raw grittiness to wow. Still, for its sincerity in making and approach, it's a decent effort that one can try once.
Performances by Others Actors
Dr Rajasekhar, seen in a prominent role on the big screen after a long time, is a major asset to the film. His presence gives the role that extra edge, which otherwise would have become very monotonous. The anger and aggression are well utilised and effective in bringing the character to life.
Atul Kulkarni, too, gets a prominent role. It's a clichéd part that could easily have become one-dimensional and boring if not for his effective portrayal, with both subtlety and intensity. The rest consist of the usual faces from the director's previous work, such as Shashank and others. They are okay. The actor playing Anwar gets a good role.
Music and Other Departments?
Ghibran provides the songs and background score for the movie. Although the songs have his typical touch, they serve as speed bumps in the movie. It's the background score where he scores. It is loud but very effective, giving a sense of urgency and energy to the proceedings. If not for the BGM, the same narrative would have felt very dull.
The cinematography is also good. The racing scenes and locations are presented with a strong visual sense, keeping the big screen in mind. The editing could have been a little sharper, though. The writing gets into peacy and prosy space at times, but it works nonetheless.
Highlights?
Racing backdrop
Sharwanand's spot-on transformation
Rajasekhar's neat performance
BGM
Racing blocks, though there are no real highs
Drawbacks?
Utterly formulaic and predictable
Slow pace
Lacks grit and any real challenge for a sports drama
Did I Enjoy It?
Not much. Apart from a few racing blocks, there isn't much to enjoy overall.
Will You Recommend It?
You can give it a try if you are okay with a lengthy ride with no thrills.
Biker Movie Reviewed by Kalyan, M9 News