Saindhav

A good attempt at blending action and emotion, but the execution could have been better! Venkatesh and Nawaz give good performances but the rest of the cast don't have much to offer. The action scenes are amazing and the cinematography is nice. There were a couple of emotional blocks that deliver, but due to no proper character development, it doesn't create a big impact. The background music by Santosh Narayanan is underwhelming. A better background score could have taken the movie a couple of notches higher. The climax gives a high with good performance from Venkatesh. Overall the movie is a decent watch but not as good as expected!

Saindhav (Victory Venkatesh) has temporarily retired his Saiko avatar to work as a crane operator, supporting his family consisting of a wife and a daughter. There is a cartel illegally training kids by giving them arms and trading them to terrorist outfits. Saiko used to work for this cartel before quitting. After knowing the cartel's dirty operation, Saindhav steals their containers and in the meantime finds out his daughter is suffering from a medical condition which requires an expensive treatment. The story is set up with the baddies wanting the containers and targeting the ailing girl to get it which only allows Saiko to come out of retirement. Bloodshed ensues and how Saiko serves up cold blooded justice forms rest of the story.

Saindhav has the right idea but it falters immensely with the weak screenplay that fails to engage till the end. I wouldn't say overstuffed but it has all the ingredients this particular genre demands to churn out a blockbuster action entertainer. The execution is simply not there as the flow keeps getting jarring and the scene transition end up having no impact. There are bunch of baddies and an over the top Nawazuddin Siddique who tries to entertain throughout but his character arc is messy, a casualty due to the hype lead character gets. For a thriller it's uneven and the baddies are shown to be no match to Saiko even with the setbacks he receives. The dialogues felt weak and too much bloodshed couldn't elevate the bland narrative.

Though the idea of Saindhav is good and has a lot of potential, the director couldn't come up with an interesting narrative. The screenplay is flat for the most part. The world-building isn't done well, and the first half an hour is slow and unexciting. Fights were too violent.

Saindhav has a bunch of great actors, but none of them make any impact due to the way their characterizations are written. Andrea Jeremiah, Shraddha Srinath, Ruhani Sharma, Jisshu Sengupta, Arya, Mukesh Rishi, and Jayaprakash deserved much better roles. There are logical errors in the story as well.

For any action film, the background score is very vital in enhancing the impact. Unfortunately, the background score provided by Santosh Narayanan is pretty bad and hardly adds any value to the film. In fact, the impact of neatly designed action blocks was brought down with the background score. In a few important moments, it was almost non-existent.

Saindhav, a 2023 Telugu-language action thriller film, marks a significant milestone in Venkatesh's career as his 75th film. The film, directed by Sailesh Kolanu, boasts a star-studded cast including Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shruti Haasan, and Rao Ramesh.

The story revolves around Saindhav, a powerful and influential man with a mysterious past. When his daughter falls critically ill, he is forced to confront his past and delve into the criminal underworld to secure a life-saving drug. This sets off a chain of events, leading to a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between Saindhav and a formidable gangster named Vikas Malik (Nawazuddin Siddiqui).

The film is visually stunning, with lavish production design and breathtaking action sequences. Venkatesh delivers a powerful performance, showcasing his range and intensity. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, as always, is captivating as the ruthless antagonist. However, the film's narrative falters at times, with predictable plot points and a somewhat underwhelming climax.

Despite its shortcomings, Saindhav is a visually impressive and entertaining action film that will appeal to fans of the genre. It's a fitting tribute to Venkatesh's illustrious career, showcasing his enduring star power and ability to deliver a powerful performance.

Disappointing experience with the movie "Saindhav." It seems like the film tried to emulate the style of "John Wick" with an Indian twist but fell short in several areas.

Direction and Execution: Despite the director Sailesh's previous success with "HIT," "Saindhav" didn't live up to expectations. The action-packed approach lacked the depth and storytelling that audiences appreciate.

Acting: Victory Venkatesh's performance seemed one-dimensional, with the same expressions throughout the movie, which detracted from the overall impact.

Storyline: The movie's pace was too fast, making it difficult for the audience to engage with the story. It seemed like the focus was more on action rather than developing a compelling narrative.

Positive Aspects: The appearance of Arya and the showcasing of luxury cars like Lamborghini, Mustang, and Bentley were some of the few highlights.

It's clear that a well-balanced movie needs more than just action sequences to be successful. Storytelling, character development, and emotional depth are crucial elements that resonate with the audience.