Rann Movie Review: Rann(Run) for The Movie

Ram Gopal Varma finally gets back his groove. This man may harp a lot about his horror movies and entertainers but though they fall like ninepins, his movies like Satya, Company, Sarkar and now, Rann have an ability to rise like Phoneix from the ashes.

Story of Rann
Rann is the story of two competing news channels, one going the quality way and the other quantity (read: putting skimpy dress on female weather reporters ). The righteous news channel India 24x7’s founder and headhoncho, Vijay Harshwardhan Malik (Amitabh Bachchan) has problems of falling TRPs and rival channels stealing its ideas. His foreign returned son Jay(Sudeep) wants to change all that and make India 24x7, the number one news channel in the world. He is willing to go any lengths to do this. Mohnish Behl is the opportunist boss of the rival news channel who has people who will leak information for him from India 24x7. Purab(Ritesh Deshmukh) is a journalist working for India 24x7, who gets messed up in the dirty politics of news channels. Paresh Rawal is the vile politican who exploits the media and creates news with the help of these butt licking news channels. However, his aim is to exploit India 24x7 to achieve his means to become the prime minister of the country. Despite its flaws, Rann has a fresh appeal and is sure to keep you hooked on.

Plus points of Rann
1. It is commendable for Ram Gopal Varma to take an absolutely relevant subject. This movie is sure to stir more angst among people and can be an eye-opener to people who take news for granted
2. The funny, spoofy sections where Rajpal Yadav does a take on several caricature news reporters and television hosts, may have been ‘over the top’ had we not known that such people do exist in various news channels
3. Ram Gopal Varma’s self deprecating humor is evident when he says that a director is going to make a movie on the recent blasts
4. The movie is a frank, uncompromising take on the news-business- political nexus
5. The effective speech of Amitabh Bachchan at the end of the film, where he sums up things very well.

Minus Points of Rann
1. One dimensional roles for all the actress. While Amitabh Bachchan’s wife in the film, Neena Kulkarni has a boring one-dimension role, Neetu Chandra is there to show lingerie and cleavage-thigh flaunting dresses. You can keep her dialogues on mute, you will not really miss out any important part. Gul Panag also doesn’t have much to do. The only woman who has something to do is Suchitra Krishnamoorthi; her role is similar to the cameo role played by a girl in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Corporate, the one who leaks important information from her company to the rival oen.
2. Sudeep uses a pretty down-market mobile for a person who is to be the big boss of the biggest media channel in India
3. Stupid camera angles. RGV, you can pull these stupid stunts off in a horror movie, which you use as tools to create fear. But in a scene, where two people are having a normal conversation, why are you creating a Tsunami effect?
4. Mohnish Bhel’s character is that of a smart son of a b*tch. Then why does he tell all the inside stuff of how a conspiracy was carried out to a rookie reporter Ritesh Deshmukh?
5. Why does Vijay Malik (Big B) release the most important information about the Khanna issue and bomb blasts without confirming with his team of reporters?

Best scenes of Rann
1. The climax scene where Amitabh Bachchan breaks down is good because of its dialogues. The line “previously, we had money as a medium and news as the aim, and now we have news as the medium and money as the aim’ is impactful
2. The missed call which Ritesh gives to Sudeep has its own thrilling moment
3. Rajpal Yadav provides great comic relief. It is a pleasure to watch him on the screen. The scene where Rajpal Yadav interview Paresh Rawal and then creates a hoopla and excitement over a mundane line like “meeta mehsoos ho raha hain” is fun
4. The small scene where a minister’s statement is chopped and shown three times for effect is very relevant.
5. The scene in which Mohnish Behl splits the beans to Ritesh is good but some lines could have been avoided

Best performances of Rann

Sudeep has the meatiest role in Rann, and he has performed brilliantly. His role has the dual shades of being schemy as well as panicking. He pulls both of this with elan. He manages to create an impact in every scene with his expressive eyes and body language. Sudeep’s role and character is the one to watch out for in the movie. You can draw parallels of his character with the one Kay Kay had in Sarkar.

Ritesh Deshmukh has an easy role and he speak-walks through it; his look is enough to create the serious persona. Amitabh Bachchan has a small role in the film and manages to leave his deft touch at the end. Paresh Rawal with his Karunanidhi specs is wonderful to watch

In conclusion: Rann is a good movie and worth your money, specially due to the relevancy factor.