Despite honest performances from Tara Sutaria, Abhishek Banerjee, and Rajpal Yadav, Apurva is a letdown because of its predictable screenplay, underdeveloped characters, and underutilization of the setting and subject.
Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Cast: Tara Sutaria, Abhishek Banerjee, Rajpal Yadav, Dhairya Karwa
Where to watch: Disneyplus Hotstar
Rating: 2.5 stars
Inspired by true events, Apurva narrates the story of an ordinary girl who is forced to become ruthless for survival. Apurva is chased by a pack of lecherous baddies, and the life-threatening circumstances evolve her from being hunted to being a hunter.
A survival thriller is an intriguing subject for a feature film. We still refer to Anushka Sharma's NH10 as a prime example. When you have a film inspired by true events, it adds more weight to the narrative. Apurva starts on a promising note, and you will feel invested in the narrative in the first 10-15 minutes. But later, you will realise that the thrill fizzles out due to predictable writing- at least, this is what I felt.
Set in the rustic, lawless land of Chambal, Apurva has everything in its place. A perfect setting for a survival thriller- check. A female lead who's talented and can carry a film- check. A group of talented actors as antagonists that can make the screenplay interesting- check. Sadly, the movie is let down due to average writing and, undiscovered characters. Neither I feel sad for Apurva, nor do I cheer loudly in her attempt to survive Chambal.
Let's talk about the plus points. First thing first, the movie managed to hold my attention in the first 4 minutes. Tara Sutaria in and as the titular role has given another solid performance. The actress is growing with every other film, and Apurva could be her boldest movie yet. Abhishek Banerjee is another artiste who never fails to surprise. He plays the role of Shukha- the leader of the robbers gang. A few of sequences of Apurva will impress you, but...
Let's point out the negatives- that are more in this film. The script is predictable. After a point, I started guessing what would happen, and this is a red mark in a so-called survival-thriller. Apurva also suffers because of its underdevelopment of interesting characters. There is only a mention of the gang, led by Shukha. No proper background, and no build-up to the characters. How did they come together? Did Rajpal or Abhishek kill their boss Ranga? Some unanswered questions will restrict you from feeling terrified by them. The other members of Sukha's gang, are dependable but don't leave a bigger impact on the screenplay. Dhairya Karwa is a talented actor who sadly gets sidelined due to his little-to-impact characters. First Gehraiyaan and now Apurva, Dhairya should choose better scripts, as he has the potential.
Watch the trailer
Rajpal Yadav, the veteran star who made us laugh for decades, went on to take a different route at this stage of his career. The funnyman with his impeccable comic timing, started with a negative role in Jungle (2000). However, despite his honest attempt at acting evil, he made me giggle, every time he looked confused, or scratched his head with disbelief. In these scenes, glimpses of his characters from Chup Chup Ke, Bhagam Bhag, and Dhol appeared in front of me.
While watching the film, I wanted to believe that Rajpal is Jugnu (the senior member of Sukha's gang), and he has to be taken seriously. But then, in the movie, a bus driver slapped him hard, mocking his physical appearance, and I broke into laughter along with the other audience members. By the time the movie was at its climax, I lost excitement. The only time I clapped was when Apurva attacked the gang for the first time, and took down a member.
Overall, Apurva could be a much better film, but the makers failed to analyse its true potential. As the film is a digital release, a moviegoer might expect a raw, brutal, and unabashedly violent survival thriller, just like me. So, I'm giving you a heads up, don't watch with too many expectations, and you might find it a decent entertainer.
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 "Tara Sutaria, Abhishek Banerjee and Rajpal Yadav in Apurva")
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