Tevar

'Tevar' starts with a handicap. This remake of a 2003 Telugu film, 'Okkudu', has a jaded, well-worn story that's been repeated several times over. Now the challenge for the first-time director Amit Ravindernath Sharma and the writers was to redesign it to suit the contemporary times. But, ironically, they have not only failed to do so, but also managed to take it further back a decade or two, uncomfortably reminding us of the terrible '80s phase of Bollywood.

We have seen a lot of northern India and heard the dialect which strikes a hit note with the audiences, recently. Still, when you open your eyes to the world of Arjun Kapoor aka Pintoo in 'Tevar', there is something you feel for Agra and Mathura. Related Stories 'Tevar': First day, first show tweet review Watch: The tevarrific dialogue promo from 'Tevar' 'Tevar' is a remake of 2003 Telugu Blockbuster 'Okkadu' by Gunasekhar, who has also written the story for Hindi version. In this Amit Sharma film, Pintoo is a kabbadi champ. He is macho, fit and can swing goons like a ball. In short, he is our desi 'masala' version of Superman (what better than that?). The moment he is introduced on screen, you know your 'paisa' will be vasool. In fact, even the sidekicks in the film, have been utilized well, and not just as props.

At the start of the new year, debut director Amit Sharma gives us something perfectly Bollywoodish. It is a typical commercial potboiler with a brawny hero, a notorious villain and a plot set in UP. It is filled with excellent action sequences and Sharma's brilliance and previous experience of capturing montages in ad-films works perfectly for a film. Also a special mention to Manoj Bajpai, he is a winner as a villain in boxers!

After three weeks of PK, which is still competent to outshine any new rival at box office, debutant director Amit Ravindernath Sharma is here to help viewers get rid of the hangover of PK and we must say that he stands victorious in his attempt. Tevar is not the similar gang-war drama, which Bollywood has repeatedly been serving us. It's well structured and saves us from the torturous Bollywood's formulaic tales.

Take 100 grams of Arnold Schwarzenegger and mix it with 75 grams of Sylvester Stallone. Sprinkle Salman Khan as per your taste and you'll find yourself staring at Ghanshyam aka Pintu (Arjun Kapoor). This is what the protagonist of Tevar thinks of himself. Director Amit Sharma takes his cue from the Hindu mythology and names his heroine Radhika (Sonakshi Sinha), who is an accomplished dancer. She unknowingly catches the attention of a local don Gajender Singh (Manoj Bajpayee), and thereafter finds herself entangled in a never ending cat-and-mouse game.

Going by the lyrics of one of the songs in Tevar one understands that Pintu (Arjun Kapoor) is Salman ka fan and in the rest of the film he tries to do what Salman does best, herogiri. Pintu says he is a combination of Terminator, Rambo and Salman Khan and the Kapoor khandaan may believe that too but others would disagree, Arjun is still not actor enough to pull off what Salman Khan does.

Right from its opening frames, 'Tevar' makes you a couple of promises : that it will be violent, vicious and crude; and that it will do nothing new. On both counts, that is exactly what it delivers. Same old biff bang thud, covered by blood, bones and mud. It is set in Agra, and neighbouring Mathura. We know this because we keep getting shots of the Taj Mahal.

Tevar -- yet another of those mindless South remakes we have been indulging in so faithfully ever since Aamir Khan showed us the way in Ghajini -- is a tiring slog, devoid of personality, riding unfairly on the shoulders of a young lad. Arjun Kapoor, owner of said shoulders, isn't bad at all.

A pretty college-going girl catches the fancy of a Mathura politician's vicious brother. The latter wants to marry the girl, and like all self-respecting Bollywood baddies, will not take no for an answer. An Agra boy, no mean street-fighter himself, unwittingly gets in the way of the goon's evil designs. Like all Hindi movie heroes, he will not back off once the die is cast no matter how dangerous it is. In the maddening mayhem that ensues, a riot of masala ingredients is willy-nilly hurled into the pot. So far so good.