Ruslaan Movie Review: Bollywood’s obsession with alpha males will never run dry. They run like cheetahs, rise from the ashes like a phoenix, have washboard abs and have bulletproof skin. In Ruslaan, however, Aayush Sharma also has a screwdriver-proof body. He soars from the abysses of the Arabian Sea. Even corkscrew when drilled into his palm cannot deter him and beat his spirit. In a nutshell, he is immortal. Nothing can pierce, crumble and shatter him. And despite all this heroism (or idiosyncrasies), Ruslaan entertains because it is unapologetic in its appeal.
The film revolves around Ruslaan, who sees his father being killed in an encounter after he’s accused of planting bombs in a school in Mumbai. In the same encounter, his mother also dies. An orphan Ruslaan gets bullied at school for being the son of a terrorist and eventually gets adopted by anti-terrorism squad chief, Sameer Singh, and his wife. As he grows up, his foster father cautions him about not picking up arms or join the forces but pursue his passion for music.
Obstinate as he is, Ruslaan begins working under RAW chief, Mantra, keeping his family in the dark about the same. However, he keeps getting reprimanded for ‘engaging’ with terrorists and notorious criminals rather than just extracting information about them. One day, he catches the attention of the dreaded terrorist Kashim, who joins hands with a Chinese perpetrator, to wreak havoc in India. Ruslaan then joins forces with Vaani, another agent, to stop Kashim. But there are far too many skeletons in the closet that come in Ruslaan’s way.
In one of the scenes in the film, Ruslaan’s best friend – a prototypical trope of a ditzy and funny best friend of the hero – refers to him and says, ‘Woh aata nahi hai, entry maarta hai’. And nothing in the film rings truer than this. Aayush has far too many slow-motion entry scenes in the film, the first one being the longest, so much so that it tests your patience. Even at 2 hour 19 minutes, Ruslaan feels like a slow-driven horse carriage with the hero bearing the power, stamina and resilience of a stallion.
The film starts off well and then its pace nosedives with director Karan Lalit Butani never trying to crank up its horsepower. Ruslaan is also unintentionally funny in parts. But that’s enough to keep you hooked throughout the length of the narrative. The second half, particularly, is packed to the brim with long-drawn and elaborate action sequences that you keep questioning where the film is headed.
To add to it, the screenplay is all over the place and veers away from its crux far too often. The romantic angle between Ruslaan and Vaani feels too contrived. Even the protagonist’s obsession and desire to protect his country against perpetrators and associating this ambition with his identity isn’t properly established. The twists and turns are predictable too. The anti-climax will fail to surprise you. Ruslaan feels like an uncomfortable paradox that doesn’t fit well. While some of the action sequences are new-age and slick (watch out for the one between Rahyl and Ruslaan), the rest of the film has a very jaded treatment smeared all over it.
Having said that, the makers deserve some credit for attempting to make an earnest film and reinvent the actor in Aayush. He’s truly an action star in the making. While Antim: The Final Truth also saw him in a well-toned physique, packing some solid punches, he takes it a notch higher with Ruslaan. Despite not having the cushioned support of his brother-in-law Salman Khan this time around, Aayush manages to carry the film comfortably on his shoulders and impresses. There’s a lot of untapped potential lying in him and hopefully, we will get to witness all of that in the years ahead.
Aayush gives the film his all and yet he’s effortless. There’s a certain kind of charm and restraint underneath all that rugged rawness and he deserves brownie points for the same. However, his performance in bits and parts also remind you of Salman. There’s a heavy hangover there that may sometimes rob him off his individuality.
Jagapathi Babu is in his element in Ruslaan and as Sameer Singh, he plays to the gallery which definitely changes the pitch of the film every now and then. Vidya Malavade plays Mantra and does a good job. It’s refreshing to see her essay an unyielding and resolute woman after dabbling in a streak of vulnerable and emotional characters. Beauty pageant winner Sushrii Mishraa marks her acting debut with Ruslaan and she gets to play around with a meaty character, who also gets to flaunt her physical prowess with some action sequences.
In short, it’s the performance by the primary cast that elevates this otherwise messy narrative. Ruslaan bears a testament to Aayush’s growth as an actor as he ably manages to put up a one-man show, rather effortlessly. It might not be a flawless film that keeps you glued but it definitely makes for an entertaining watch (for the most part). If you don’t rely too much on logic and rationality, you might actually appreciate its absurdity.
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