Not worth the hype

Following the release of ‘Jaguar’, another Telugu-Kannada bi-lingual sees the launch of a well- networked aspirant- Ishan. Puri Jagannadh, once again busy with a clutch of films in Telugu has taken the onerous task of launching him with his latest release ‘Rogue’.

Leaving nothing to chance, Puri flogs the commercial animal pretty hard with his flick, which begins vaguely as a flashback - narrating the love story of a misogynist. True to the typical Indian film hero, our man too hates girls for their double-faced approach when it comes to love and marriage after things go wrong. Stereotyping begins right from here, sufficiently dampening the audience interest.

In a matter-of-fact, uninteresting tone, the film rolls out as a series of scenes, attempting to piece together a film in which the debutant hero comes out of prison, after serving a two-year term. Naturally, his parents disown him and the hero moves out after knowing the reason why his folks want to keep him at arm’s length.

Enmeshed in this knot is the entire film, which unspools at its sweet will as the director finds a role for each character he unleashes on the hapless audience. This is the manner in which he steers the film’s course, peppering it with action, forced romance, mirthless comedy and the mandatory over-the-top villain, Thakur Anoop Singh with a guttural, dubbed voice.

Set in Kolkata for reasons which only the director can explain, ‘Rogue’ does not have anything novel and the romance between the lead pair too is initially more out of force and threat which the hero unleashes. Mannara Chopra, part of the pool of upcountry babes who dot the southern film circuit is neither a firebrand nor a bimbette and does no good to her heroine stature.

Stylishly presented and endowed with a beefy appearance, Ishan fits the part with his macho action, but the screenplay does not give him much to do, except carrying out the implausible stunts and moves which mana heroes are expected to do.

Of course, the title of the film is justified time and again by calling him a rogue, as he is unique and protective, even if aggressive! The film could have indeed could have fared better had it been toned down and recast with a better mix of action and emotion.

Film Name : Rogue

Cast : Ishan, Mannara Chopra, Angela Krislinzki, Thakur Anoop Singh and Ajaz Khan
Direction : Puri Jagannadh
Genre : Ishan, with the looks of a hero performance
Dislike : out-of-form director

By K Naresh Kumar