Salaar Review: Prabhas Shines, Prashanth Neel's Script Falters

The long wait is over. After a lot of delays, finally, Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire has finally hit the screens. Without further delay, let's check out what worked and what did not work. Here is our review.

Plot:

Devaratha (Prabhas) and Varadharaja Mannar (Prithviraj Sukumaran) are childhood friends who get separated. Deva leaves Varadha on the promise that he will return whenever he needs him in a dire situation. Deva lives in exile and he is untraceable even to the CCTVs. He comes to the fore when Aadhya (Shruti Haasan), daughter of Krishna Kant, arrives in India and she is in trouble. Only Deva can save her. This eventually leads Deva to  Varadha and obviously to the most dangerous Khansaar town. The conflict intensifies and what events led to the animosity between the two close friends? The movie unfolds to reveal the answers.

Analysis

Director Prashanth Neel unleashes the mass side of Prabhas that fans have been eagerly waiting for the bated breath. Prabhas is at the macho best in the film as Deva aka Salaar. Action blocks see Prabas in full form, providing an adrenaline boost for fans. The interval sequence and a couple of high-octane action stunts stand out. Prashanth attempts to establish Khansaar town and game for power.

In a nutshell, Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire is Prabhas' show set against the KGF-style background. Be it the production design, characters, their behaviour and even the colour palette resemble the director's previous action blockbuster KGF which revolves around a Gold mine. The problem with Salaar lies in the writing. No doubt, the mounting and scaling of the film is of high standards. But the script falters.

The film fails to establish a compelling emotional connection, resulting in a detachment between viewers and the characters and their predicaments. The abundance of characters and subplots may lead to confusion, and the film's elongated duration contributes to its shortcomings. The background music of Ravi Barsur did not meet the expectations. Shruti Haasan is alright. Jagapathi Babu is adequate. The cast delivers intense performances what is expected of them. Songs fail to engage.

Overall, it emerges as an extended action drama lacking a solid emotional foundation. The friendship between Deva and Varadha lacked the necessary depth, highlighting a deficiency in the writing that needed a more impactful touch.

Questions arise about Prashanth Neel's decision to underutilize his potential and why he didn't bring out the best in Salaar. These inquiries linger in the minds of Prabhas fans, creating a sense of disappointment. However, it is watchable for the action quotient. There is a twist towards the end that comes as a surprise. Salaar ends as a one-time watch for Prabhas and action scenes. If you are prepared to watch this, brace up to spare 175 minutes.

Highlights

Prabhas and Hero-Elevation Scenes

Action Episodes

Interval Portion

Drawbacks

Drama

Missing emotional depth

Lack of gripping narration

Absence of Prashanth Neel's magic

Verdict: Watch it for Prabhas and high-octane action scenes