Rustom

For Akshay Kumar fans, Rustom is bound to be a full-on treat. The courtroom drama is scripted, crafted and geared to give the lead actor all the space that he needs in order to own the project. The star of the show proves equal to the task. Unfortunately, Rustom, which fictionalizes the sensational true story of naval officer Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati, comes nowhere near becoming an irresistible cinematic account of a murder trial.

Commander Rustom Pavri's (Akshay Kumar) trial is underway in court. Akshay is a vision in white. A decorated Naval officer, Rustom has the charge of killing Vikram Makhija (Arjan Bajwa), his wife's lover on him. Prosecution lawyer Lakshman Khangani (Sachin Khedekar) pulls up Rustom for being in his pristine white uniform all the time. He goes ahead to remind the jury to not be swayed by the uniform, "Uniform ke peechhe chhupa ek criminal hai."

The movie watching experience of 'Rustom' is very different as compared to other films that take you back to the 60's. Directed by Tinu Suresh Desai, the movie is unique on multiple levels for some of the genuine efforts that he has put in and deserves a mention. Be it the use of vintage cars, the interiors of Rustom's ( Akshay Kumar) Parsi house, the set up of a police station or even the courtroom, they all look believable.

Rustom Pavri (Akshay Kumar), an honourable officer of the Indian Navy shoots his friend Vikram (Arjan Bajwa) to death after discovering that his wife Cynthia (Ileana D'Cruz) had an affair with the rich businessman. The Commander surrenders himself to the Police immediately and admits to have killed Vikram but pleads 'not guilty' in court. Is he convicted or acquitted?

Continuing Akshay Kumar's impressive run as Bollywood's new age poster boy of patriotism, good virtues and faith, RUSTOM is in no way hum drum thanks to the grace and poise of Akhsy Kumar as the dashing suave Naval Commander that saves this stylish, ambitious but tedious thriller inspired from the famous 1959 Mr Kawas Nanavati murder case.

In terms of sheer entertainment value, Rustom serves up enough thrills and spills to keep you hooked on. The film does take a plethora of cinematic liberties, it even turns the KM Nanavati case into a corruption and scam expos, turning the subject, Rustom Pavri (with a new on-screen moniker) into a quintessential cinematic hero and not a cold-blooded murderer as it could be perceived.

Rustom Pavri (Akshay Kumar) returns home earlier than expected only to find his wife, Cynthia (Ileana) away with her lover, Vikram (Arjan). Seething in anger, he decides to kill him. The deed done, he surrenders himself to the cops. Then begins the saga to prove he is innocent. Vipul K Rawal's narrative focuses more on his professional life and the legal wrangles involved.

The infamous 1959 Nanavati case had spawned a couple of early films, neither of which came close to the lurid excitement of the real- life incident which involved a handsome naval officer, his lovely-but-lonely wife, and her lover, and a sensational murder. And yet both Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke and Achanak bear a stronger allegiance to the Nanavati case than Akshay Kumar's Rustom, which borrows the core idea, and then adds a layer of extra intrigue.

RUSTOM starts off with a periodic era of 1959, when Mumbai was still 'Bombay' and the times when justice was done by the jury members and not by the judge. This is followed by the introduction of the 'habituated to his uniform' Commander Rustom Pavri (Akshay Kumar) and his lovely wife Cynthia Pavri (Ileana D'Cruz).

The infamous KM Nanavati case of 1959, wherein an Indian Navy officer had shot his wife's lover to death following a confrontation, has been the inspiration behind two Bollywood movies in the past (Yeh Rastey Hai Pyaar Ke and Achanak) and so, when the trailer of Rustom was unveiled, people were naturally curious to know as to what would the makers offer with this film.

The first time we meet Esha Gupta in Rustom -- a film set in Bombay 60 years ago -- she's spending her afternoon in a satin-covered bedroom bathed in golden light, wearing a white corset-like garment while smoking a cigarette using an exaggeratedly long holder. The second time we see Gupta, she's lounging by the side of a swimming pool wearing a candy-striped swimsuit and an XL-version of Lolita's sunglasses.

Rustom Pavri is a commander with the Indian Navy. He is a celebrated officer and is known for his unabashed nature when it comes to putting his country first. Based on the 50s explosive case of K.M Nanavati, the makers issue a warning at start that it is not a biopic and only a fictional representation of the case.

Rustom is a fictionalised account of those three bullets that shook the nation in the fifties. Cdr. Rustom Pavri (Akshay Kumar) returns home early from his voyage, only to find his find Cynthia (Ileana D'Cruz) is not at home and she has been out from the previous day. Feeling suspicious, he checks her belongings to find she is having an affair with their common friend, Vikram Makhija (Arjan Bajwa). After confronting his wife, he goes to the Naval armoury, borrows a gun and goes to Vikram's house to shoot him.

A naval officer kills his wife's boyfriend and pleads not guilty. The jury weighs its options and declares it an accidental death. The decorated navy commander walks scot-free. But there's more to the case than what meets the eyes. The only person who knows what exactly is the missing link is Rustom Pavri, the accused standing in the witness box.