13 reviews
Should have to elaborate a little bit
There needs no introduction while talking about the most notorious person ever seen by India, Veerappan, he had vanished or killed from here around 17 years back. Lots of articles, documentaries, and even films come out publicly depicting the biography of Veerappan. There also comes a book written by the Chief of Special Task Force, K Vijayakumar who was the mastermind behind the killing of Veerappan named Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand. Here we are talking about a film, which is also about the last moments of Veerappan, that directed by the veteran Ram Gopal Varma. Like Veerappan, the name Ram Gopal Varma is so famous not in the way how Veerappan was known and he was a genius in Film Industry. He made wonderful movies and created a space in the mind of film lovers. Veerappan is his 2016 product and this film is not at all flavored with the actual Ram Gopal Varma essence. This is an 'okay' film that has ups and downs. The movie is about the movement of the police to capture Veerappan. Poor Script is the main thing I want to point here because there is a rush in the making while the incidents are going on. The director has that kind of a mind to restrict the film within 2 hours, and I feel so. The misplaced use of background scores feels inappropriate and the performance from some of the actors feels awkward. Especially the character of Shreya which was done by Lisa Ray is not fit in that role. The director or even the writers can't add anything freshness to the story because we all know the story very well. The task for them is to engage us the but unfortunately, they are failed to do so. There is also a docu-fiction named Killing Veerappan and that was also directed by Ram Gopal Varma which is not at all like Veerappan, the film. Anyway, the film is so short and only focused on the ending of Veerappan's killing.
- sudhakaranakhilan
- Dec 7, 2021
- Permalink
It has pace, but the classic RGV isn't back yet
A 360-degree camera spin follows this Voltaire quote, and you find yourself surrounded by a dense forest and trumpeting tuskers. This territory belongs to Veerappan, a killing machine who counts LTTE chief Prabhakaran as his inspiration. You wish to know more about this rugged man, and a child appears with a camera mounted over his shoulders.
The kid takes you on a time warp and loud background score ensures you remain stuck there for a while. And then you breathe, recognise and realise it is that Ram Gopal Varma touch. Welcome to the world of omnipresent cameras.Now, to the film's story: Different task forces couldn't kill or capture Veerappan (Sandeep Bhardwaj) in more than 15 years, so the project has been handed over to a no-nonsense cop (Sachin Joshi), who hasn't been given a name in the film. He involves Shriya (Lisa Ray), an untrained civilian, in a highly confidential plan to eliminate Veerappan for reasons best known to Varma.Though we know what happened on October 18, 2004, the day Veerappan was killed, we still sit in anticipation of RGV's trademark storytelling, if we can ignore bad acting and touches like a candle in an already well lit room. There is a straight lift from Sholay as well. Who said RGV is out of his Aag hangover! The disappointment grows when the script fails to produce any grip over the characters. Nobody other than Bhardwaj looks serious about the film. Thanks to his make-up artist, he reminds the viewer of the dreaded man from the beginning, but he has a gang that looks absolutely out of sync.
The cop, Joshi, takes this cluelessness many notches higher by inviting Lisa Ray to the interrogation room holding one of Veerappan's aides. She breathes heavily, almost orgasmically, and it all becomes so ridiculous that you wonder who will faint first -- Ray or the bandit?Other characters bring no relief despite Varma's flourishes of using camera from unexpected angles. The attempt to produce a taut thriller is hampered by the fact Veerappan states the obvious. Rather than how and why of the dreaded smuggler's rise in the border areas of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it seeks refuge in dishing out the details of Operation Cocoon.
Instead of diving deep into Veerappan's past, there is an effort to create a positive halo around him. At a point, he candidly describes how he received only Rs 7 lakh out of the total Rs 9 crore ransom in the kidnapping of Kannada superstar, Dr Rajkumar. The basic idea is to present it as a morally ambiguous story where the good can also use evil means, but that isn't enough.
Having said that, this 126-minute film has pace and a narrative technique which may give you a glimpse of RGV's old charm. But, the mojo isn't completely back yet.
The kid takes you on a time warp and loud background score ensures you remain stuck there for a while. And then you breathe, recognise and realise it is that Ram Gopal Varma touch. Welcome to the world of omnipresent cameras.Now, to the film's story: Different task forces couldn't kill or capture Veerappan (Sandeep Bhardwaj) in more than 15 years, so the project has been handed over to a no-nonsense cop (Sachin Joshi), who hasn't been given a name in the film. He involves Shriya (Lisa Ray), an untrained civilian, in a highly confidential plan to eliminate Veerappan for reasons best known to Varma.Though we know what happened on October 18, 2004, the day Veerappan was killed, we still sit in anticipation of RGV's trademark storytelling, if we can ignore bad acting and touches like a candle in an already well lit room. There is a straight lift from Sholay as well. Who said RGV is out of his Aag hangover! The disappointment grows when the script fails to produce any grip over the characters. Nobody other than Bhardwaj looks serious about the film. Thanks to his make-up artist, he reminds the viewer of the dreaded man from the beginning, but he has a gang that looks absolutely out of sync.
The cop, Joshi, takes this cluelessness many notches higher by inviting Lisa Ray to the interrogation room holding one of Veerappan's aides. She breathes heavily, almost orgasmically, and it all becomes so ridiculous that you wonder who will faint first -- Ray or the bandit?Other characters bring no relief despite Varma's flourishes of using camera from unexpected angles. The attempt to produce a taut thriller is hampered by the fact Veerappan states the obvious. Rather than how and why of the dreaded smuggler's rise in the border areas of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it seeks refuge in dishing out the details of Operation Cocoon.
Instead of diving deep into Veerappan's past, there is an effort to create a positive halo around him. At a point, he candidly describes how he received only Rs 7 lakh out of the total Rs 9 crore ransom in the kidnapping of Kannada superstar, Dr Rajkumar. The basic idea is to present it as a morally ambiguous story where the good can also use evil means, but that isn't enough.
Having said that, this 126-minute film has pace and a narrative technique which may give you a glimpse of RGV's old charm. But, the mojo isn't completely back yet.
- kumarvarun1989
- Oct 9, 2016
- Permalink
Poor Acting Ruins the Show
It cannot be said that Veerappan is a very entertaining movie. Although, one feels there was enough material to make it so. Revolving around the eponymous forest brigand , the story line is strange since it is not very impactful. Presumably it would be hard for the audience to decide how to perceive the film. There is a shabby effort to add suspense and develop plots . This seems shoddy since everyone knows the main business of the movie.
The background score is very ordinary and raucous , doesn't go well with the setting.
However, what spoils the show is the acting . Lisa Ray's acting is very poor . Partly due to her own limited skills as an actress , partly due to the director's misjudgment and substandard character development. Sandeep Bhardwaj does a little better , however the most genuine aspect of his character are the moustaches.
The cast from Crime Patrol (SET) does a fairly good job invoking their vast experience in police drama genre. The rest of the cast either underacts or overacts. Without exception.
All said and done , had the actors been given better developed characters to play and more interesting dialogue even they could have done better. That not being the case the movie falls way below par. That is all there is to it, I am afraid.
The background score is very ordinary and raucous , doesn't go well with the setting.
However, what spoils the show is the acting . Lisa Ray's acting is very poor . Partly due to her own limited skills as an actress , partly due to the director's misjudgment and substandard character development. Sandeep Bhardwaj does a little better , however the most genuine aspect of his character are the moustaches.
The cast from Crime Patrol (SET) does a fairly good job invoking their vast experience in police drama genre. The rest of the cast either underacts or overacts. Without exception.
All said and done , had the actors been given better developed characters to play and more interesting dialogue even they could have done better. That not being the case the movie falls way below par. That is all there is to it, I am afraid.
- lediscipledessocrates
- Jul 11, 2016
- Permalink
Very poor. Verappan deserved much better. He would certainly be turning in his grave!
- Prabhat_KS
- Jun 4, 2016
- Permalink
If you didn't watch Original Kannada version, You will like it a lot
Even though some changes were made from Original Kannada version, the movie is very engaging. If you did not watch the Original Kannada version, you will enjoy a lot. Lot of Voilence in the movie
- tarunchanderboora
- Jan 3, 2021
- Permalink
Totally Avoidable
When a movie comes out about Veerappan, and there have been quite a few, that too from the RGV camp, your hopes run high. But like most his recent movies this disappoints.
Three minutes into the movie and I was thinking how to endure the next two hours of this mindless, poorly scripted, poorly scored movie. It is somewhat painful to see the descent of RGV, the filmmaker who mastered the art of Indian gangster movies and carved a name in the horror/thriller genre.
This movie is completely passable except the short and natural performance by Usha Jhadhav who plays Veerappan's wife. Overall the movie has nothing more to offer than what you might have already seen in the trailers.
What surprises me, the earlier movie by the same director "Killing Veerappan" garnered much more praise and was undoubtedly a better crafted movie. Why he took the pain of shooting another version?
Three minutes into the movie and I was thinking how to endure the next two hours of this mindless, poorly scripted, poorly scored movie. It is somewhat painful to see the descent of RGV, the filmmaker who mastered the art of Indian gangster movies and carved a name in the horror/thriller genre.
This movie is completely passable except the short and natural performance by Usha Jhadhav who plays Veerappan's wife. Overall the movie has nothing more to offer than what you might have already seen in the trailers.
What surprises me, the earlier movie by the same director "Killing Veerappan" garnered much more praise and was undoubtedly a better crafted movie. Why he took the pain of shooting another version?
- sgupta001-817-774557
- May 27, 2016
- Permalink
Makers just tried to en-cash the Title without any research work
- dineshprakash
- May 26, 2016
- Permalink
Wrong depiction, false facts
Lets leave how the movie has been taken or how the screenplay is though its awful. Just because the director has a background of gangster movies he cannot manipulate the story of a real person who actually lived.
Many facts in the film are cooked up just to show veerappan as a horrifying villain. I have grown up reading news about veerappan and knowing many facts about his life, for me this film is nothing but a absolute nonsense.
Its not just the director who knew about veerappan everyone who is above 20 years knew about him just the same way the director has known. Just the first 5 mins of the movie made me understand how horribly the movie has been made and the first scene of veerappan mutilating a police by chopping off his limbs, man seriously how come you invented some crap like this. Before taking a movie about a person at least try to know some facts about him, don't just bring your imagination on the screen.
Many facts in the film are cooked up just to show veerappan as a horrifying villain. I have grown up reading news about veerappan and knowing many facts about his life, for me this film is nothing but a absolute nonsense.
Its not just the director who knew about veerappan everyone who is above 20 years knew about him just the same way the director has known. Just the first 5 mins of the movie made me understand how horribly the movie has been made and the first scene of veerappan mutilating a police by chopping off his limbs, man seriously how come you invented some crap like this. Before taking a movie about a person at least try to know some facts about him, don't just bring your imagination on the screen.
- vyaas-radhakrishnan
- Mar 22, 2017
- Permalink
Very focused and entertaining
Superb direction acting by all. Seemed riveting like Madras cafe with focus on main plot. well done Ramu. loved it thoroughly. Veerapan looked exactly like real but lead Police officer i.e Joshi lacked intensity (may be his character demanded it). I truly believe that the way story has been told by Ramu kept interest alive throughout the movie and its worth watching time and again.
- manoj_s-72754
- Apr 21, 2017
- Permalink
RGV pass ho gaya!!
Veerappan review :
That Ram Gopal Varma loves Dawood and his company staff is well known. He also adores Veerappan. No kidding doston; till date the maverick director has made atleast 3 films on Veerappan...'Jungle' (2000) featuring Urmila Matondkar and Fardeen Khan, the Kannada docu-drama 'Killing Veerappan' (2015) and now the hindi 'Veerappan' which released yesterday.
While I haven't seen the Kannada film, 'Jungle' didn't make a good impression on me because it came in the era when RGV had 'Rangeela', 'Satya' and 'Koun' as his calling cards. Not anymore!! Today, after a string of intolerable duds ('RGV Ki Aag', 'Department' to name just two...), RGV ka Veerappan appears a significant improvement over those turnips but still doesn't come close to 'Jungle' - forget the outstanding 'Satya' (1997) or 'Company' (2002). So basically, Ramuji pass hue (..after multiple failures) par second class mein...
Starting horridly, the first fifteen minutes of Veerappan resemble an orgy of blood and gore where humans are mercilessly hacked to small pieces, elephants are shot dead and their tusks uprooted - all this to a continuous onslaught of ear blasting background music screaming Veer Veer Veer Veer Veerappan!!!!
Things get better when Varma starts focusing on the operation helmed by a nameless cop (Sachiin Joshi) to nail the elusive criminal with help of a widow (Lisa Ray, still looking desirable) of a slain task force officer.
RGV employs hard core commercial elements to narrate the biopic - like replicating Gabbar's introduction scene from 'Sholay' (1975) to giving a Rashomonesque twist to Veerappan's daughters death.
Zareen Khan's sensuous item number is left out and I certainly missed that on the big screen.
Anyways, a few facets of Veerappan are interestingly captured like his idolising the LTTE chief Prabhakaran and his unfulfilled ambition to kidnap Superstar Rajinikanth.
On the flip side, Sachiin Joshi and Lisa Ray are pathetic casting decisions. The background score is too loud and distracting. Editing cuts are haphazard. The film's length appears long even at just over two hours.
Of the cast, Sandeep Bharadwaj, in the titular role, looks convincing. Usha Jadhav as Veerappan's wife is completely natural. Her emotions in the concluding scene are spot on.
After a long time, RGV has made a fairly decent film but the touch of 'Satya' is still missing. He's getting there though.....
Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.
That Ram Gopal Varma loves Dawood and his company staff is well known. He also adores Veerappan. No kidding doston; till date the maverick director has made atleast 3 films on Veerappan...'Jungle' (2000) featuring Urmila Matondkar and Fardeen Khan, the Kannada docu-drama 'Killing Veerappan' (2015) and now the hindi 'Veerappan' which released yesterday.
While I haven't seen the Kannada film, 'Jungle' didn't make a good impression on me because it came in the era when RGV had 'Rangeela', 'Satya' and 'Koun' as his calling cards. Not anymore!! Today, after a string of intolerable duds ('RGV Ki Aag', 'Department' to name just two...), RGV ka Veerappan appears a significant improvement over those turnips but still doesn't come close to 'Jungle' - forget the outstanding 'Satya' (1997) or 'Company' (2002). So basically, Ramuji pass hue (..after multiple failures) par second class mein...
Starting horridly, the first fifteen minutes of Veerappan resemble an orgy of blood and gore where humans are mercilessly hacked to small pieces, elephants are shot dead and their tusks uprooted - all this to a continuous onslaught of ear blasting background music screaming Veer Veer Veer Veer Veerappan!!!!
Things get better when Varma starts focusing on the operation helmed by a nameless cop (Sachiin Joshi) to nail the elusive criminal with help of a widow (Lisa Ray, still looking desirable) of a slain task force officer.
RGV employs hard core commercial elements to narrate the biopic - like replicating Gabbar's introduction scene from 'Sholay' (1975) to giving a Rashomonesque twist to Veerappan's daughters death.
Zareen Khan's sensuous item number is left out and I certainly missed that on the big screen.
Anyways, a few facets of Veerappan are interestingly captured like his idolising the LTTE chief Prabhakaran and his unfulfilled ambition to kidnap Superstar Rajinikanth.
On the flip side, Sachiin Joshi and Lisa Ray are pathetic casting decisions. The background score is too loud and distracting. Editing cuts are haphazard. The film's length appears long even at just over two hours.
Of the cast, Sandeep Bharadwaj, in the titular role, looks convincing. Usha Jadhav as Veerappan's wife is completely natural. Her emotions in the concluding scene are spot on.
After a long time, RGV has made a fairly decent film but the touch of 'Satya' is still missing. He's getting there though.....
Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.
- nadkarnisumeet
- May 27, 2021
- Permalink
Very Bad !
What has happened to RGV he has always been one of my favorite directors and what sort of movies does he make these days , the movie was so bad that I could barely watch it somehow I managed to finish it . Bad bad bad avoid it
horrible movie
Calling a freedom fighter a terrorist in this.. the so claimed terrorist mentioned for 2 seconds in this movie (Have to mention the irrelevance?) at approximately 16'12 min (16:12) out of no where- Is a hero who fought for his people to live peacefully in a land they called home for generations. Which decades later still cannot peacefully be called home. The name doesn't suit the movie, I don't know anything regarding the real "Veerapan" or his auto biography. Veeram means bravery/courage in my language, relating a real hero to terrorism is absurd. Just the voice of a first generation Sri Lankan Tamil living in Canada.
- riluxsshans
- Dec 14, 2017
- Permalink
Veerappan review
....Movie storyline and acting is too god and better than baaghi 3....
- prashant-83762
- May 27, 2021
- Permalink