Tiger is a Misnomer for this Cliched Robber-Turned-Messiah Saga
Cast: Ravi Teja, Nupur Sanon, Anupam Kher, Nasser, Jishu Sengupta, Renu Desai and others
Direction: Vamsee
Rating: 2 stars
Seasoned star Ravi Teja breathes life into the role of a dreaded thief from Stuatpuram in Bapatla, who turns a messiah as he decides to set up a factory to help unemployed youth in his region with his loot. The ‘Tiger’ in the title is a misfit for this film, which is a a mindless action saga. Being inspired by the real-life story of a shrewd and dare-devil robber, if you expect some interesting robbing incidents in the 1970s using his brawn and brain, then you would be grossly disappointed. Because director Vamsee glorifies him as a messiah and captures two robbery incidents- as he loots food grains with his gang from a speeding train and usurps 300 kilos gold from a dreaded smuggler in Chennai- are more cinematic than real.
However, him scaling a 14-feet wall in a Chennai jail to escape and his daring attempt to breach the security of then Prime Minister, supposedly Indira Gandhi, to draw attention to his region is laudable (if these two incidents really happened), otherwise he is just a robber who lives on other people’s money and splurges it on girls in prostitution dens. Hence, his love story with college girl Nupur Sanon doesn’t really take off and even their tragic separation doesn’t evoke much sympathy. His other love story with Gayatri Bharadwaj also goes for a toss. Director is at fault for designing the film as a hero-villain conflict rather than a gripping real life story, so it is bound to leave the audience in despair.
The film begins with police officer Murali Sharma being summoned to Delhi by Intelligence Bureau head Anupam Kher and he is asked about Tiger Nageswara Rao who has vowed to breach the Prime Minister’s office. Ravi Teja manages to breach the security and draws the attention of then Prime Minister of India. It is revealed that Ravi Teja has tasted blood from the age of 8 and rose to become a dreaded thief who is at loggerheads with Hareesh Peradi who is boss of the underbelly in Stuatpuram. Ravi Teja also joins the auction of places for robbery marking his meteoric rise in the crime world. Meanwhile, he falls in love with college girl Nupur Sanon and he decides to marry her. But fate had other plans for him and his love saga is halted, while he is sent to jail by his opponents. Watch the movie for the rest of the story.
Ravi Teja appears in different looks according to his changing age on screen and showcases his fiery side. He excels as a dare devil robber who goes on blood splitting spree but he couldn’t salvage a superficial action film revolving around a gang of petty thieves. Legendary actor Anupam Kher showcases his acting brilliance as Intelligence Officer who apprises PM about the deeds of Nageswara Rao. Both the heroines Nupur and Gayathri have nothing much to do, rather than indulging in skin show at few places. Hareesh Peradi looks menacing and Jishu Sengupta plays a ruthless cop with ease.
Director Vamsee claims in the title cards that it is the story of ‘the blood and tears’. No doubt, he splashes the screen with blood with numerous killings and leaves ‘tears’ for the audience with his slow-paced and lackluster narration.
