'Brahmastra' Movie Review: Not flawless, but a powerful astra to get audience back to the theatres

'BRAHMĀSTRA: PART ONE', is the story of SHIVA (Ranbir Kapoor) – a young man, who is on the brink of scripting his epic love story with Isha (Alia Bhatt). But their world turns upside-down as Shiva unravels his mysterious connection to the 'Brahmāstra' while attempting to get a grip on his power of fire (Agniastra).

The writer-director, Ayan Mukerji, has got one thing absolutely right in 'Brahmastra' -- its casting. The film features Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Nagarjuna Akkineni, and Mouni Roy. Watching Shah Rukh Khan on the big screen itself is a treat even if it's a cameo.

In the acting department, Ranbir Kapoor is effortless and impactful. He pours a concoction of sincerity and vulnerability into his scenes in the right measure. Alia Bhatt looks stunning and her on-screen chemistry with Ranbir Kapoor feels real and adorable. Nagarjuna Akkineni as Nandiastra makes a powerful presence on-screen albeit for a short duration.

The film 'Brahmastra's power emanates from Amitabh Bachchan. His screen presence and his baritone voice are simply mesmerising. He is a perfect guru and a perfect performer within the industry and in film too! Mouni Roy as Junoon gets good screen space and has done a commendable job.

'Brahmastra' is not flawless. It does take a few minutes for the audience to connect with the film as it accelerates and thaws in parts. This does disconnect you at times with the flow of the script but holistically, it keeps building a narrative to give birth to the next part of the series. The director doesn't invest overtime in dealing with the love story between Shiva and Isha which may create a fissure in fan reaction. Background scores, VFX, and action scenes are the strongest points of the film. Fortunately, the songs in the film don't act like a speed breaker. Kesariya has become the love anthem of 2022 and stays with you even after the film.

The makers should have invested more time in developing and offering a few impactful dialogues for the lead characters. When it is a "universe" and mythology-based film series, it pays to have dialogues that the audience would remember even after leaving the screening.

Overall, this film has been crafted for the movie-theatre-loving audience to experience a visual treat. Though it will draw a stiff and unmatched comparison with masterpieces like 'Baahubali' or films from the Marvel universe, 'Brahmastra' does show Bollywood is trying to make worthy, risky bets in the technical department as much as storyline and narration.

This review is a conscious effort to not indulge in spoilers. Therefore, there are certain parts and scenes we have not talked about. But there are certain crumbs left by the makers across the film which gives the audience a chance to guesstimate what's in store in the next part.

'Brahmastra' released across 5 Indian languages - Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.

Also watch| Queen Elizabeth II death: Most apt onscreen portrayals of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch