Story: DCP Adithya’s ( Sudheer Babu ) life has everything going for him, that is, till a criminal ( Nani ) decides to challenge him. Who is the killer leaving bodies and his signature ‘ V ’ behind and what does he have to do with Adithya forms the tale.
Review: A first-day-first-show after six long months, that’s what went through many movie buffs’ minds when it was announced that V will hit OTT. Even if the pandemic ensured the viewing experience was changed, many were game to grab a tub of popcorn and catch this cat-and-mouse chase the second it released. The novelty of Mohan Krishna Indraganti making a crime thriller was not lost on anyone. But is the film really worth the hype that came with it? Well…
DCP Adithya (Sudheer Babu) is a super-cop, busting crime all over Hyderabad. He’s Hyderabad Times’ Most Desirable man for the year 2019, beats up criminals and runs marathons by day, walks ramps and parties by night. His life is truly perfect, especially so when the girl he desires, a wannabe crime novelist called Apoorva Ramanujan (Nivetha Thomas) seems to like him as much as he likes her and so does her family. A series of gruesome murders by an unknown, mysterious man (Nani), complete with notes addressing Adithya throw a wrench and challenge him to step up his game. What ensues is a chase that ends on a predictable note.
Anyone who has grown up on Indian crime thrillers can smell the ‘twists’ in V coming from a mile away. Even as Adithya wrinkles his forehead in every other scene to figure out what’s happening as he discusses the case with Apoorva, who’s his newly appointed consultant, and no matter how hard the makers try to deflect suspicion on certain characters, you just know how this is going to end. The songs by Amit Trivedi pop up at inopportune moments to try and set the mood (romantic for the most part) in a film that you just end up wishing was tighter. Also, for a character who talks about how girls are not just about pink frilly things and what not, Apoorva sure isn’t given the chance to step up or do much.
But not all is lost, because Nani is here to save the day. With tanned skin shining, green eyes flashing, his character gets its own sweet time in the limelight. While scenes of him toying with fellow passengers for cheap thrills as he travels from Hyderabad to various places do get repetitive (we get the point you’re making, no need to show it twice) Nani revels in his grey character. He even elicits chuckles in some scenes, bringing forth a performance that’s believable of him as a man broken beyond repair. He is the only beacon of hope in a film that falls flat at times. Nani even gets some whistle-worthy moments and entries, despite being the antagonist of this tale.
Sudheer Babu wavers as the super-cop he plays. He’s believable in the action scenes, especially ones that require him to be shirtless. However, his performance, especially in a few key scenes, fails to make a mark. Nivetha Thomas and Aditi Rao Hydari’s characters have potential, but get lost in all the testosterone on display. They give their best to characters that remain basic and after a point just seem to be around to play catalysts in a tale that’s about two men fighting it out. Nivetha Thomas plays her character with a melodramatic touch and Aditi Rao gets one scene to show off her acting skills, but that’s about it. PG Vinda’s camerawork, Thaman S’ BGM and Marthand K Venkatesh’s editing do their best to hold this film together and they do succeed for the most part.
With V, Mohan Krishna Indraganti takes a gamble and tries to show that he can do more than make feel-good dramas. And the film he shows, despite the predictability, definitely has potential to be more. If only it rose beyond the usual tropes. This is not an unwatchable film by any measure, because it definitely has its moments that will make you want to know what comes next (even if just to see if you were right). It’s just a shame that it doesn’t end up to be as exceptional as it promises to be.
