Liger Movie Review

Introduction

Liger, a highly anticipated movie of recent times, has been extensively promoted and played across India in various languages. It remains to be seen if the film lives up to the immense anticipation and excitement surrounding it.

The Cast of the Liger Movie

The cast of the movie Liger features a talented ensemble of actors who bring their unique skills and charisma to the screen. Here is a detailed breakdown of the cast:

• Vijay Deverakonda: Playing the lead role, Vijay Deverakonda is a renowned actor known for his captivating performances in films like "Arjun Reddy" and "Geetha Govindam." In Liger, he takes on a pivotal character, showcasing his versatility and acting prowess.
• Ananya Panday: Ananya Panday, a rising star in the Indian film industry, joins the cast of Liger as the female lead. Known for her roles in movies like "Student of the Year 2" and "Pati Patni Aur Woh," Ananya brings her charm and acting skills to portray a significant role in the film.
• Ramya Krishnan: A veteran actress with an illustrious career, Ramya Krishnan is a valuable addition to the cast of Liger. She has mesmerized audiences with her iconic portrayal of Sivagami in the blockbuster film "Baahubali." In Liger, her presence adds depth and gravitas to the ensemble.
• Ronit Roy: Ronit Roy, a versatile actor recognized for his powerful performances, joins the cast of Liger, contributing his expertise to the film. With notable roles in movies like "Udaan" and "Kaabil," Ronit Roy brings his intensity and commanding presence to this highly anticipated project.
• Makarand Deshpande: Makarand Deshpande, a seasoned actor known for his remarkable performances in both Bollywood and regional cinema, joins the ensemble cast of Liger. With his ability to seamlessly adapt to diverse roles, he is expected to bring a unique flavor to the film.
• Ali: Ali, a famous comedian and character actor, adds his trademark humor to the cast of Liger. Renowned for his impeccable comic timing and entertaining presence, Ali's role is expected to bring light-hearted moments to the film.
• Others: Apart from the main cast, Liger also features a talented supporting cast that includes actors like Nassar, Getup Srinu, and many more, who contribute their skills and performances to enhance the overall cinematic experience.

Story of the Liger Movie

Liger revolves around the protagonist, Vijay Devarakonda, who harbors a sole ambition of becoming a renowned national champion in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Alongside his supportive mother, portrayed by Ramya Krishna, he ventures to Mumbai to pursue his dreams. Liger undergoes rigorous training in MMA, but the plot turns unexpectedly when he falls victim to deception by a wealthy girl named Tanya, played by Ananya Pandey. The remainder of the narrative focuses on Liger's journey to overcome heartbreak, regain strength, and ultimately emerge victorious in the international MMA championship.

Star Performance of the Movie

It is perplexing to comprehend how someone like Vijay Deverakonda, who appears reasonable in public, could have not only given the green light to a project like this but also delivered a terrible performance. His exaggerated portrayal of a character with a stutter goes to such an extent that it could be offensive even to those who do not stammer. The authenticity of his character's anguish fails to come across naturally, mainly due to the disastrous story and screenplay.

After films like Khaali Peeli and Gehraiyaan, he started appreciating Ananya Panday's film choices. However, she regresses even further than her career low in Student Of The Year 2. Her role in Liger involves playing an Instagram influencer aspiring to be a Hollywood actress, essentially portraying herself in the film. Unfortunately, her character adds no value to the story, much like her talent of touching her nose with her tongue.

One can't help but wonder if Karan Johar possesses some compromising information about Mike Tyson, as it is difficult to understand why someone as significant as Tyson would agree to tarnish his established reputation by being part of this project. When comparing international stars collaborating with Indian stars, even Brett Lee did a better job in the 2006 song "Haan Main Tumhara Hoon" with Asha Bhosle. Even Ben Kingsley's performance in Teen Patti would overshadow Tyson's character.

Plus Points of the Movie

Vijay Devarakonda delivers a commendable performance in his role, and his physical transformation is visually impressive. Although his portrayal of a stammering character can sometimes be irritating, he manages to handle it better in the film's second half. Ananya Pandey puts in her best effort as a wealthy girl, but unfortunately, her character lacks proper development.

Ali showcases a decent performance in his role, and Getup Sreenu provides some comedic moments in the film's first half. Ramya Krishna portrays Vijay Devarakonda's mother effectively, evoking genuine emotions. Ronit Roy leaves a strong impression with his portrayal of the coach.

The appearance of Mike Tyson towards the end of the film is well-shot, and his cameo adds an enjoyable element to the narrative. The fun scenes he shares with Vijay Devarakonda are well-executed. The MMA fight sequences in the film are choreographed skillfully, adding to the movie's overall impact.

Minus Points of the Movie

The stammering act portrayed by Vijay Devarakonda, which appeared promising in the promotional material, fails to resonate effectively within the film. It might be considered Puri Jagan's significant mistake to depict him as a character with a disability. This decision disappoints the audience, who appreciates Vijay's natural and fluid dialogue delivery, as the stammering act feels lackluster.

Liger suffers from an extremely thin storyline that fails to engage. The film needs a proper conflict, and the hero's journey needs to be developed more. The forced love story needs to capture more interest. While the film's first half maintains a coherent narrative with some good songs, the second half needs to maintain its way. Vijay's journey to the US and rise to fame seem overly exaggerated. The film needs a significant emotional connection, ultimately where Liger falls short.

The twist involving Ananya Pandey's character must be more severe and executed. The sentiment portrayed through the mother's character feels exaggerated and lacks depth. Liger lacks high moments that could have captured the audience's attention, ultimately leaving those who expected to see Vijay Devarakonda as a typical Puri hero feeling disappointed.

Technical Aspects of the Movie

The film showcases neat production values, with good camera work enhancing visual appeal. The music sounds cool in Hindi, but unfortunately, the songs do not blend well in Telugu. The background music by Sunil Kashyap is disappointing in the first half but improves in the latter part. However, the production design needs to meet expectations.

When it comes to director Puri Jagan, he fails to live up to the created hype. Once again, he has rushed through the writing and narration of the story, which is evident on screen. The decision to make the hero stammer proves to be ineffective.

Puri Jagan is known for elevating his hero characters, but Liger needs more such scenes. Although including Mike Tyson in the narrative appears intriguing, how the proceedings are concluded comes across as silly. The trademark Puri dialogues and emotional depth are noticeably absent in the film.

The sports drama created by Puri needs to be more fresh and familiar. The absence of a potent antagonist diminishes the impact of the conflict. However, Puri creates some high moments through comedy and patriotic dialogues that will likely resonate with the masses.

Direction, Music of the Movie

Vijay Deverakonda's character in Liger begins by stating, "I don't know how to narrate a story properly," perhaps the only honest line directed by Puri Jagannadh in this film. While I don't mind movies that don't make complete sense, as I enjoy them regardless (e.g., Housefull 4), my biggest complaint with Liger is that it doesn't even attempt to entertain. Puri Jagannadh relies heavily on tired clich�s, from jingoism to machoism, which fails to bring anything new or engaging.

One aspect of the film that deserves some praise is Sunil Kashyap's background score, which at least tries to serve its purpose. However, that is the lowest bar to meet for every department involved in Liger. The less said about the film's songs, the better, as they fail to leave any lasting impact.

Conclusion

Overall, Liger needs to catch up to the immense hype surrounding it. The film needs a solid and shallow storyline, Vijay's stammering act, and rushed pacing, which are significant drawbacks. However, the audience will appreciate a few enjoyable mass moments and Vijay's transformation in B and C centers, making it a passable watch. Our suggestion for viewers would be to approach the film with lower expectations.