Watch it, I say!

Quick gun Murugun
Cast:  Dr Rajendra Prasad, Nasser, Rambha, Anu Menon
Director: Shashanka Ghosh
Rating:***


It was 15 years ago when a pot-bellied, middle-aged Tamilian spouted quirky one-liners on Channel V, shooting off his lips as quickly as his gun.

Quick Gun Murugan was then a revelation that has now translated into a film. Shashanka Ghosh’s Quick Gun Murugun (Dr Rajendra Prasad) is a smooth-talking, morally old-fashioned vegetarian cowboy, and the unlikely superhero of this sambhar western. His colourful feathers are ruffled by a non-vegetarian food mogul, Rice Plate Reddy (Nasser).

Quick Gun enters into an  battle that spans time and space, from a south Indian village to an Institute of Coconut Climbing to Swarglok, the Ministry of Death, with Chitragupta dressed as a Delhi babu and then finally to be reincarnated in cosmopolitan Mumbai circa 2007. In between, he is torn between Mango Dolly (Rambha) who loves him secretly and his first love Locket Lover (Anu Menon), who stays locked in a locket.

The filmmakers found their perfect cast in Prasad who stays consistent to the character. Rambha, as Mango Dolly, is childishly charming while Anu Menon fails to shed the Lola Kutty image. Nasser as Reddy is passable.

Writer Rajesh Devraj’s screenplay is concise, dialogues well placed and story uncomplicated. The humour does not, however, hit the side-splitting levels. 

Together, Devraj and Ghosh mix a wacky concoction of cinema from another era, cultural oddities, common parlance, and an unusual superhero. Note the use of two original MGR songs and the High Noon inspired scene in the midst of Mumbai rush hour. Sanjeev Mulchandani’s styling, Daniel B George’s score and art direction by Rakesh Morchhale add super support. Watch this one, I say