The much-anticipated movie “Bhaje Vaayu Vegam” (Fast like Wind) aimed to be an action-packed spectacle, especially with its lead star Kartikeya Gummakonda at the helm. However, the film directed by debutant Prashanth Reddy unfolds quite differently, presenting a convoluted narrative that leaves much to be desired.
Kartikeya Gummakonda, who shot to fame with his 2018 hit RX100, attempts to salvage this film with his compelling screen presence, masculine energy, and peak physical fitness. Yet, the story penned by Madhu Srinivas seems to rewind viewers to the 1960s and 1970s through its portrayal of characters and dramatic incidents. Veteran actors Tanikella Bharani and P. Ravi Shankar convincingly embody their roles, adding a sense of authenticity to the storyline.
The movie revolves around a bygone era narrative that follows a poor farmer (Tanikella Bharani) who raises his son Raju (Rahul Tyson) amidst severe poverty. In an act of kindness, he also adopts his friend’s orphaned son Venkat (Kartikeya). Both Raju and Venkat eventually leave their rural life behind to chase their dreams in Hyderabad. Raju harbors aspirations of working in a software firm, while Venkat dreams of becoming a professional cricketer.
Contrary to their father’s belief that his sons are flourishing in the city, the reality is starkly different. Venkat gets entangled in cricket betting to earn quick money, while Raju works as a parking valet at a high-end hotel. They share a dilapidated shack, a far cry from the prosperous lives their father imagines. This situation gets further complicated when their father’s health deteriorates, necessitating ₹20 lakhs for critical surgery.
Ravi Shankar stands out as a formidable antagonist, skillfully portraying a menacing villain.
. Venkat’s impulsive dive into the world of cricket (or IPL) betting to secure funds for his father’s medical needs leads him to cross paths with David, the city’s kingpin. As desperation mounts, Raju and Venkat end up stealing David’s high-end luxury car, triggering a chain of events that catapult them into deeper trouble.
The film grapples with numerous themes — hawala transactions, cricket betting, money laundering, drug problems, and father-son sentiments. These elements are densely packed into the narrative, making the film feel exhausting and overly cluttered for the audience.
Iswarya Menon plays Venkat’s love interest, providing a slight reprieve to the otherwise tense proceedings. While the movie starts on a slow note, the second half attempts to balance the scales with more action sequences. However, the problem lies in the audience’s inability to sympathize or connect with the protagonists Raju and Venkat. Their predicaments stem largely from their own flawed decisions and lack of foresight.
Kartikeya Gummakonda, though impressive in dance and action scenes, struggles to evoke the necessary emotional depth required for his character. Despite these shortcomings, his effort to keep the audience engaged in a formulaic action drama is commendable. For those with a penchant for conventional action films and the patience to sit through predictability, “Bhaje Vaayu Vegam” might offer some entertainment.
As a film currently running in theatres, “Bhaje Vaayu Vegam” endeavors to offer a complete package but ends up being a jigsaw puzzle with mismatched pieces. The promising performances by Kartikeya, Tanikella Bharani, and Ravi Shankar offer some redeeming qualities, but these alone aren’t enough to elevate the movie to the level of a memorable action thriller.
Overall, “Bhaje Vaayu Vegam” straddles various genres without excelling in any, leaving the audience in rapt attention to a plot that spirals into a web of complex yet unfulfilled promises. Action enthusiasts looking for a break from contemporary styles might appreciate the effort and old-school charm, but for others, it may seem like an exhausting ride that fails to reach the finish line convincingly.
