Released Date : 25 Aug, 23
Avg. User's Rating : 3.9/5
Story: Arjun Varma (Varun Tej) agrees to protect Union Minister Aditya Raj Bahadur (Nasar) while he is in London for a climate change conference at the United Nations. But a series of events forces him to protect more than just his client.
Review: Praveen Sattaru, who last directed The Ghost, is back with a film that has a little bit of everything. Gandhian Arjun is fighting for climate change to be taken more seriously than it is now. It shows how unethical waste disposal has consequences and more importantly, the film clarifies that we need to leave our future generations with a better planet than the one we currently live on. Sounds good, right? The problem lies in the fact that the film is also an action drama that is slick, but has many tracks that involve strained relationships that are being tweaked. And juxtaposition does not make for a coherent watch.
Former special forces officer Arjun Verma (Varun Tej) has changed his disguise for a fitted suit. He now provides security for bulls through a security firm in London called E.S.S.A.Y. His next client could be Union Minister Aditya (Nasar), who also happens to be his ex-girlfriend Ira's (Sakshi Vaidya) boss. But Arjun has bigger problems than returning to his life as his mother is dying of a mysterious illness. Aditya, on the other hand, is giving his daughter penance for a past she cannot let go of. A UN climate change conference threatens to reveal some unpleasant truths about waste management corporation C&G and its boss Ranveer (Vinay Rai). What happens when Arjun finds himself saving more than just his client?
Gandhian Arjuna's heart is in the right place. It wants to lend a voice to an important cause without coming across as propaganda. But weave that into, well, an action thriller that mostly revolves around misunderstandings, kidnappings, rescues, etc., and it doesn't really make for an entirely interesting film either. Depending on what you're here for, it's easy to care about Arjun and Aditya, their interpersonal relationships, what these people stand for. Or you want the film to move with the topics you love - the parts revolving around climate change. Or maybe you're the type who only thinks of great shots of Varun Tej beating up goons without breaking a sweat in his suit and rigged Mustang.
The film starts well, setting the tone of the story at its core. But it vacillates, predictably, toeing the line of being promoted but holding itself back. There is a love story woven in that seems completely unnecessary. Considering how things are going, maybe more time should have been spent on Arjun's relationship with his mother. We are told a few things instead of shown, especially when it comes to Ranveer, who just comes across as a cookie-cutter villain. As if there wasn't enough going on, Interpol officer Ajith Chandra (Narayan) is also brought in. The writing needs to be more versatile to make everything work together.
Varun Tej looks good, he also delivers the action sequences well, while his emotional scenes could have been better. Sakshi Vaidya gets a role where she doesn't have much to do, but she makes it work. The dubbing, however, does not work in its favour. Nassar and Vinay Rai have got roles they can now pull off in their sleep. Cinematography by Mukesh Ganesh helps the film well. Gandhian Arjuna is slick, but tense - which is a shame.
