'Antim: The Final Truth' Review: More than just another Salman Khan film

Bollywood superstar and his protegee Aayush Sharma power this action drama

Ambica Sachin

Published: Fri 26 Nov 2021, 2:03 AM

Last updated: Fri 26 Nov 2021, 2:22 AM

A sauve superhero who pulls no punches and can fend off villains and dodge bullets with equal ease.

Goons, who while away their time in dingy rooms, playing caroms and slugging alcohol straight from the bottle. A ‘villain’ with kohl lined eyes and a bronzed buff body that could be the envy of any gym bunny yearning for a 6-pack.

Bullets that go off helter-skelter with no dearth of ‘extras’ to be bumped off the big screen. Antim: The Final Truth follows the textbook formulaic path as far as action scenes and even the plot line goes for a typical Salman Khan movie.

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Shots of the superstar making his heroic entry, with a roaring background score to accentuate his big ticket presence and droll dialogues belted out in trademark fashion are by now de rigueur for any Salman Khan movie.

Yet, this remake of the 2018 Marati movie, Mulshi Pattern, helmed by Mahesh Manjrekar, has a lot more going for it that elevates it from being just another superficial mass entertainer that ‘Bhai’ is known to bankroll.

For starters Manjrekar has a tight grip on the script that confronts socio-political issues like land grabbing and the plight of farmers forced to work as indentured labourers in their own land amidst the rise of the multinationals and power-hungry politicians. Heavy-duty actors including Sachin Khedekar and Upendra Limaye add to the overall scale of the movie.

But the one who stands tall is the central figure of Rahuliya, the embittered son of a farmer Dutta Pehlwan (Khedekar), who refuses to play victim and takes the gun to avenge his family’s humility and rise up the ranks to be the local don of the region.

One-film old Aayush Sharma totally owns the role with his dark intensity shining through and his emotive visage reflecting the unabashed joy of power as well as the pangs of being separated from those he loves the most.

Debutant Mahima Makwana, who plays his love interest Manda, also stands out with a succinct performance as the lone woman in a sea of unruly men, without succumbing to melodrama.

The action scenes are choreographed well and Manjrekar, who plays the role of Manda’s drunk father, gets to mouth some whistle-worthy dialogues.

In the midst of all this towers Salman Khan, as upright Inspector Rajveer, a one-man police force, with his sleek flat front trousers and muscular body that can withstand any bullet or any pummeling. He plays the Sikh cop with unusual restraint and generously offers up the screen for his protégée Aayush to shine through.

Antim is a well-made film with a generous dose of superbly shot action sequences offset by some zany dialogues that will make you smile in the midst of all the doom and gloom. Its strength lies in the fact it is a typical Salman Khan film that ends up being more than just another Salman Khan movie as well.

Antim: The Final Truth

Director: Mahesh Manjrekar

Cast: Salman Khan, Aayush Sharma, Sanjay Manjrejkar, Sachin Khedekar, Mahima Makwana

Rating: 3 out of 5