At a pre-release promotional event, director Shankar explained how his new film, game changerInstagram takes into account the short attention span of the audience shaped by Reels, and delivers engaging sequences in quick succession. Perhaps that’s why the two-hour, 45-minute film feels like a patchwork of segments choosing hasty transitions rather than a seamless Segway. Is Shankar’s first Telugu film (his earlier Tamil films were huge hits in Telugu) any fun? Yes, quite. Does the face-off between Ram Charan and SJ Suryah live up to the hype? Certainly, there are lines and sections worth praising. The bigger question beyond immediate gratification is whether this volume, or the film, will stand the test of time?
game changer Its story, credited to filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj, covers the broader themes of a corruption-free society and good governance, which Shankar has explored since the 1990s. For anyone familiar with Shankar’s films, there are many Easter eggs or callbacks to be happy about. It is a memorable thing when Ram Nandan (Ram Charan) mentions Chief Minister of one day Mudhalvan (Ok Okkadu in Telugu) which forced the audience to watch every minute of the drama with rapt attention, leaving them for a while wondering what would have happened if the government had taken rapid cleaning measures.
In Shankar’s earlier films, the heroes were mostly common men and women who raised their voice against the system. This time, Shankar makes Ram Nandan a civil servant, giving him the power to run the cleanliness drive. The story also throws light on the role played by the Election Commission.
Game Changer (Telugu)
Director: S. Shankar
Cast: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali and SJ Surya
Operating time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Story: A simple civil servant takes on a ruthless politician. The game of cat and mouse begins.
The film begins with the promise of intense drama. In the opening segment, an aging politician is haunted by his past misdeeds. While the story veers into predictable territory, the way it unfolds keeps it engaging. Family politics soon take center stage, as Satyamoorthy (Srikanth) sees the rivalry between his two power-hungry sons, Muni Manikyam (Jayaram) and Bobbili Mopidevi (SJ Surya), coming to boiling point.
The film focuses on the politics of Andhra Pradesh, weaving a story that is based on both the past and present. The narrative focuses on the areas around Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram, while cleverly omitting Hyderabad – likely to avoid reference to the bifurcation of the Telugu states in 2014.
In the first hour, the film moves quickly from one sequence to the next, introducing us to several characters and their game plans. Still, there’s little to keep us invested until intermission, when the drama heats up and the narrative reveals a few surprises.
It is conceivable that a simple, well-mannered IAS officer might clash with a politician. Instead, the shape-shifting equation between Ram Nandan and Mopidevi ensures plenty of twists at every turn.
heartbeat of game changer This is the segment that features Ram Charan (in a dual role) as Appanna, a son of the soil who advocates governance free from the influence of money. Ram Charan brings his A-game to a character who stammers and internalizes the pain of not being able to express his thoughts eloquently. This characterization sensitively portrays the challenges faced by people with speech disabilities. This is Ram Charan’s best performance till date RangasthalamAnd it is a coincidence that his characters in both these films had physical limitations.
The story of Appanna and his wife Parvati (Anjali) forms the emotional core of the later parts of the film. While the story may be predictable, the drama remains engaging as the narrative slows down from its breakneck pace momentarily, giving the characters a chance to breathe. These moments effectively highlight how power and money can corrupt, making us wish the rest of the film had taken a similar approach. Anjali once again proved that she is a powerhouse of talent. She effortlessly makes us root for her character, with her impressive performance in both the emotionally rich background and the current transformation. In the latter, where her dialogue is minimal, she still commands attention with her striking presence and transformation.
Once the backstory is revealed, the rest game changer gets transferred toA familiar territory, focuses on the conflict between Ram Nandan and Bobbili Mopidevi. Ram Charan sails through these sections with ease and Suriya, no surprise here, entertains. When he says ‘Potharu, Mottham Potharu’ in a call back to his previous Telugu film Saripodha SanivaramThe audience cheers.
game changer It’s packed with characters played by well-known names, but very few have scope to make a mark. Although there is an element of entertainment in Sunil’s character, his introduction scene is reminiscent of the slapstick humor prevalent in mainstream cinema two or three decades ago, even in Shankar’s films.
Srikanth, Rajeev Kanakala and Samuthirakani are among those who add gravitas, while many others including Jayaram, Naveen Chandra, Vennela Kishore, Satya and Harsha Chemudu are wasted. As far as Kiara Advani is concerned, she tries to give her best in a role which sometimes goes beyond being decorative. In the power game between the characters played by Ram Charan and Suriya, his part has become smaller. The romantic portions are also lazily written.
Thaman’s music and background score are in tune with the mood of the narrative and songs, deftly portrayed by Thiru and full of grandeur that one has come to expect from Shankar’s films, not looking out of place. A major disappointment is the overly drawn-out finale with over-the-top, tired action sequences.
Ideally, it would be unfair to compare the films. But since Shankar packs game changer Which also includes old glimpses of many of his previous films Premikudu (Kadhalan)This may be better than his last outing, indian 2But that is not a benchmark. Years later, moviegoers still remember excerpts from it Gentleman, Premikudu, Aparichitudu (Anniyan), Bharatiyadu (Indian), OK Okkadu (Mudhalvan) And Robot (Endhiran), game changer Pale in comparison. Perhaps it is time for Shankar, who was once a game changer in mainstream cinema, to reinvent himself.
published – January 10, 2025 02:38 PM IST
