Shankar’s storied career in Tamil cinema over the course of more than three decades has had some wild swings in both film craft and genre exploration.
His experimentations have however had recurring narrative trademarks, from larger-than-life vigilantism, biting commentary on systemic corruption and class disparity.
Small wonder, then, that his Telugu cinema debut, Game Changer, is packed with everything. It’s almost like a summary of the man and his work. In the film, cop-turned-administrative-officer Ram – played by RRR’s Ram Charan – crosses paths with corrupt politician Mopidevi (S J Suryah), whose hunger for power leads him on a desperate path, coveting the role of Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister at any cost.
Here’s the problem, though. The film feels less like a Shankar film and more like a Now-That’s-What-I-Call-Shankar's-Greatest-Hits playlist. From expensively shot musical numbers to one man being the solution to the root of all socioeconomic evils, it has been done before, and done better.
Want some vigilante action? Shankar’s 1993 feature film debut Gentleman, along with Indian (1996) and Anniyan (2005) have you covered. Power-hungry politicians? Take your pick between Mudhalavan (1999) or its Hindi-language remake Nayak (2001).
For some good old Shankar bombast, ambitious romcom Jeans (1998) and sci-fi action thriller Enthiran (2010) are a perfect balance of style and kitsch – and a rather decent way to spend a couple of hours.
Game Changer is basically a distillation of its writer-director’s most well-known tropes, but without much of the emotional pull. It’s a supercut of all of Shankar’s previous films that doesn't allow viewers to invest on an emotional level.
Not that there isn’t much to praise here. The musical numbers, in particular, boast phenomenal art direction. The massive set design and execution of Thaman’s groovy Jaragandi are reminders of the qualities Shankar has to pull off something wildly kitschy that can actually work. The action choreography is incredible, with each set piece packing a massive punch, and the film's cinematography by Tirru is stylish.
Towering over the few silver linings is the movie’s biggest trump card, Charan. He plays the dual role of an upstanding district collector and a political figure whose journey is similar to major Indian political protester Anna Hazare’s social work. He demands attention throughout the film’s 165-minute runtime and succeeds in holding it from the first second to the last.
He’s also the reason the movie is remotely watchable in a sea of derivative storytelling choices and some technically unmitigated disasters, like the sound design, and often finds his way through the bumpiest of pathways.
He’s supported by a competent cast of character actors, from Suryah, the theatrical antagonist, to Srikanth, who plays the most morally dynamic character in the movie and is one of the best parts of it.
Bollywood actress Kiara Advani also has a part to play but, like a lot of Shankar’s films that feature women, she’s a love interest whose absence would not change a thing.
There’s enough to appreciate in Game Changer to reach the end. But this is not a Shankar cinematic gem. Only his actual game changers from the past 30 years fall into that category.
