Akshay Kumar delivers another dud

This year has mostly been disastrous for Bollywood. Abhishek Sharma’s ‘Ram Setu’ is a fresh addition to the list of huge letdowns of 2022.

The Akshay Kumar-starrer is sure to disappoint even his hardcore fans. This ‘Diwali gift’ justifies the popular argument that Bollywood directors have mostly forgotten the art of filmmaking.

The flick has hardly any ingredients to prove the filmmaker’s claims that it deals with India’s cultural hegemony, history and religious heritage. That ‘Ram Setu’, the bridge connecting India and Sri Lanka, is not a natural creation, but man-made structure, is the only point the flick drives home.

Aryan Kulshrestha, the archaeologist (played by Akshay Kumar), rises to fame after a discovery in Afghanistan. The discovery earns him a promotion. His top brass, hand in glove with a corporate tycoon, forces him to prove in the Supreme Court that the bridge is a natural creation, as a section of the people are opposed to its proposed demolition for a sea project.

Aryan, an atheist, takes up a mission to prove that the bridge is not man made, after being suspended for embarrassing the government in the Supreme Court.

Will Aryan, who considers Ramayana as a piece of literature, and not a part of history, succeed in his mission? Will he realise ‘Ram Setu’ is man made? Does he have to face challenges of unseen forces? What is the final verdict of the Supreme Court on the matter? These questions are answered in the second half of the film.

Most of the second half completely defies logic, be it abduction of Aryan’s wife or lifting of four persons stranded in a remote island in a helicopter and dropping them directly inside the Supreme Court hall, just minutes before the verdict is pronounced. At times, the flick resembles a documentary. The script lacks nuances needed for deft handling of a sensitive theme of belief and science.

Many of the characters have not been cast properly. There is hardly any screen presence for Nasser, the antagonist and Nushrratt. Akshay Kumar and Pravesh Rana impress.

Those valuing time and money can avoid this ‘Diwali’ gift.