"Laal Kaptaan" Review: Topnotch Performances Are The Saving Grace Of The Film

Laal Kaptaan, produced by Aanand L Rai, is in cinemas now. The film stars Saif Ali Khan in the lead role of a Naga Sadhu who sets out to seek revenge.

The trailer of the film garnered excellent responses from the audience. But does the whole movie live up to the expectations? Let us find out whether or not you should be watching Laal Kaptaan in theatres. 

What Laal Kaptaan Is All About?

Set against the backdrop of The Battle of Buxar 1764, Laal Kaptaan revolves around Naga Sadhu Gossain (Saif Ali Khan) who is on a prowl. Years ago, his father, who was a Rohilla chieftain, was hanged by Britishers after his own people betray him.

A group of Naga Sadhus adopted Gossain and raised him along with t teaching him warcraft, among other things. He has now grown up to be a dreaded bounty hunter, but his main goal is to seek revenge from his father's killer. What happens next forms the crux of the film.

Is Laal Kaptaan Worth Your Time & Money?

Laal Kaptaan is one of the most beautifully shot films of late. The team seems to have worked assiduously to ensure that the movie shines in every department and, thankfully, it does so in most of the departments. From vast ravines to nifty costumes and magnificent cinematography to electric background music, Laal Kaptaan scores well in several departments.

Talking about performances, Saif Ali Khan pulls off his character effortlessly. He gets into the skin of his character as if never to come out of it. Deepak Dobriyal is another actor sho aces his role and leaves an impact. He looks completely unrecognizable in his role. Manav Vij proves his acting mettle once again. Overall, Laal Kaptaan is a brilliantly acted film.

The only problem with the film is its convoluted storyline. It is tiringly slow and takes a lot of time in reaching its conclusion. Laal Kaptaan needed sharper scissors at the editing table. It feels so long that not everyone can comfortably sit through to watch it in one go. 

Final Verdict

By the looks of it, Laal Kaptaan seems to be an out-and-out mass entertainer. Surprisingly, it is not. The film may provide some doses of entertainment to the multiplex audience, but the audience at mass centres may find its complex narrative a bit confusing and hence, less entertaining. I am going with 2.5 stars.

Movie Credits

Banner: Eros International, Colour Yellow Productions
Director: Navdeep Singh
Casting: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Zoya Hussain
Runtime: 145 Minutes
STARBIZ Rating: 2.5 Stars

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