I know many people who were not really open to the idea of even spending time with kids. But all changed after they had kid(s) of their own. Being around a child, caring for him/her can melt hearts of even those who are or perceived to be cold and stone-hearted. Rocky Handsome delves on this idea to an extent and serves as a nice base. The film has a great plotline that can relate with majority of moviegoers but sadly, things don’t go as one expects. What could have been a touching, action entertainer turns out to be an okay film that has its moments but could have been much better.
The story of the movie: Rocky(John Abraham) has a tragic past and is simply surviving, not living. He finds himself getting attached to the kid in his neighbourhood, Naomi(Diya Chalwad). One day, she gets kidnapped thanks to the wrongdoings of her mother Anna(Nathalia Kaur). Rocky decides to get her back, resulting him in facing the wrath of a ruthless drug dealer, crazy-n-menacing brothers, a Thai killing machine and cops too.
Rocky Handsome takes time to really connect with the viewers. More time probably should have been spent in establishing the bond that Rocky has with Naomi. However, that doesn’t happen and hence Rocky going all out to rescue her looks a bit unconvincing. Comparisons can be drawn here with Bajrangi Bhaijaan where the entire idea of Pawan willing to risk his life to get Munni back to Pakistan seems totally convincing. That doesn’t quite happen here. Also, the direction is a bit haphazard and could have been a bit simpler for a better impact. The flashback portion in the beginning is nicely done and that’s when the film really becomes engaging. But the characters of Matoo, Kevin and his brother are too over the top at places that doesn’t work. Same goes for the actor playing Inspector Dilip’s(Sharad Kelkar) subordinate – his antics are just not funny.
However, the film has its share of plusses. John Abraham is totally in character. The action is splendid and some of the scenes really stand out. The climax fight is engaging. Rocky’s flashback is quick and very moving. Even the final scene is touching.
Performance wise, John Abraham owns the film. The film has many other actors but it’s John who dominates. His intense looks are killer and as expected, he rocks in the action scenes. And it looks so real when he finishes 20, 30 and even 40 guys at one go! Diya Chalwad is cute and gives her hundred per cent. But in some scenes, her dialogue delivers looks rehearsed especially in the beginning. Shruti Haasan(Ruskhida) looks stunning and is lovely in the special appearance. Nishikant Kamat gets a bit over the top but does leave mark as the villain. A villain is supposed to send a chill down a spine and he does this very well. Terry Maurya(Kevin’s brother) does fine but in some scenes, he is too loud. Same goes for Uday Tikekar(Matoo). Sharad Kelkar looks smart and does very well. Kazu Patrick Tang shines in the action scenes. Nathalia Kaur is good in a cameo. Nora Fatehi is hot in the ‘Rock The Party’ song. Others are good.
Sunny Bawra-Inder Bawra and Ankit Tiwari’s music doesn’t contribute much but doesn’t serve as roadblocks either. Rehnuma is breezy while Rock The Party and Titliyan are nicely shot item songs. The best one is Aye Khuda and is played during the touching scenes of the film. Sunny Bawra-Inder Bawra’s background score is exhilarating. Sunil Rodrigues and Kecha Kamphakdee’s action is one of the highpoints. Rocky Handsome is based on The Man from Nowhere and there’s no doubt that the story is damn good. Ritesh Shah’s dialogues are more or less fine but screenplay could have been more coherent and simpler. Nishikant Kamat’s direction also suffers due to these reasons. And as mentioned above, the bond between Rocky and Naomi isn’t established well and somewhere that hampers the impact. Also, the scene where the street level drug supplier is explaining the entire racket of kids used for drug peddling is interesting but looks a bit out of place in the film. However, he has handled some of the scenes beautifully and that saves the film to an extent. He is a great director and here’s hoping that he gets back into the Drishyam and Mumbai Meri Jaan mode!
Some of the best scenes:
The flashback of Anna and the cops
Rocky at construction site
Rocky at ANC Police Station
The intermission point
Rocky’s fight in the washroom(damn good)
Rocky-Rukshida’s flashback in the 2nd half
The climax
On the whole, Rocky Handsome has spellbinding action scenes and a great, intense performance by John Abraham. Unfortunately, it’s an average fare due to incoherent narrative and also because the bond between Rocky and the child doesn’t get properly established. Also, the villains are a bit over the top and appear caricaturish. Give it a try if the Hollywood biggie of the week doesn’t impress you. And don’t miss if you are a John Abraham fan – he is in top form!
My rating -* ½ out of 5!