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'Champion' More than Sunny, its Rahul 'champion'ing the film

By N K Deoshi
Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com

Man against man, brawn against brawn, muscles ripping and rubbing against each other. The macho hunk of Indian cinema Sunny Deol has some tough competition coming from the model-turned-actor Rahul Dev in the much-delayed Champion.

Still recuperating from the debacle of his home production Dillagi, Sunny is hoping to revive the magic of his heydays while Manisha Koirala is making a comeback after a along hiatus from the big screen. However, it is the dashing hunk Rahul Dev who attracts all the attention in his debut role as the deadly assassin.

With

his long hair and pumped up sinews Rahul looks quite convincing as the trigger-happy killer. He describes his role in the film as akin to the one Shah Rukh played in Baazigar and hopes that people will like him in the character with negative shades. Others in the cast include Kashmira Shah, Deepak Parashar, Padmini Kapila, Vikram Gokhale and Tom Alter.

Written and directed by south Indian filmmaker Padam Kumar, Champion is the story of two feuding families and a man's personal vendetta against those responsible for the death of his dear ones.

Rahul Dev plays a computer nerd Naseer who loses his father, mother and sister due to a close friend's treachery. Traumatized by the loss of his family vengeful Naseer picks up gun, goes on a killing spree, takes life for life and makes his enemies pay through their nose. All but an eight-year-old kid Abbas (played by Abhishek Sharma of Kaho Na Pyar Hai) come under the shadow of his gun. As a heart full of gall knows no love for the little ones, so Naseer harbors no mercy for Abbas.

Now this is the perfect setting for the entry of a hero. And bang! No sooner said than done steps in sadda Punjabi jatt cop Rajvir Singh from Patiala (Sunny Deol) as Abbas' savior. Rajvir is a man of high morals and rustic simplicity. But he has a mellow heart that beats for the city girl Manisha Koirala who reciprocates his love with double intensity and a childish zeal.

Rajvir is assigned the task of protecting Abbas from Naseer's demonic intentions. Dedicated to his duty Rajvir becomes Abbas' savior, his shield that Naseer must break in order to reach him. Thus begins the battle between a cop and a killer.

If Rajvir's a man of iron will then Naseer is no booby either, he too is hell bent to erase the very last trace of his enemy's family. Thereby follow the battle of wits and brawn. Who will win and be the Champion and who will bite the dust forms the nail biting climax of the movie.

Director Padam Kumar does pack in a gripping thriller with some high voltage action sequences to keep the adrenalin flowing. Yet Champion is not void of the absurdities of mainstream kitsch. Clad in designer dresses Sunny, a cop to the core, does look a wee bit out of place and reason gamboling around with buxom Manisha on Anu Malik's tepid compositions.

Following a bad run at the box office of late, Sunny is trying to rejuvenate his withering phenomena. To this end he has even donned a new look in the film and even tried to shake a leg or two along with Manisha. Now a clumsy foot as he is on the dance floor Sunny had not one but three choreographers guiding him during the shoot. And seeing the results on the big screen it is not hard to conclude that they only tried in vain.

On the other hand Manisha's presence in the film can be explained by the necessity of having a heroine in Hindi films. With whom otherwise would our brawny hero bill and coo? Anyway Manisha chips in for quite an eyeful of pelvic friendly numbers and as usual is full of simpers and puerile laughter that even goes to the extent of exasperating the viewer. Hats off to the hero who endures all this and that too with a smile on his face!

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