Cast: Ahan Shetty, Tara Sutaria, and Saurabh Shukla
Director: Milan Lutharia
Rating: 3/5
This week's big Bollywood release Tadap is an action-packed romantic drama that caters to the 'Gen Y' audience and proves to be a good launch vehicle for actor Suniel Shetty's son Ahan. The film, a remake of the Telugu blockbuster RX 100, revolves around the life of a simpleton named Ishana, who lives happily with his 'daddy' and hangs out with his friend 'Lol'. His world is turned upside down when he falls for a local politician's daughter.
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Not a sweet love story
While romance is an integral part of the narrative, this isn't a Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or a 96 as the storyline is quite dark and violent. The bold plot reaches its potential due to the sincere execution. Tadap opens with an action-packed sequence that sets the stage for what is to follow and gives fans a glimpse into the hero's tragic past.
Top-notch packaging
Tadap subsequently focusses on Ishana and Ramisa's love story through a series of well-executed flashback sequences. These portions work reasonably well because of the crackling chemistry between the two. Their passionate lovemaking scenes have been shot aesthetically and will not make viewers squirm in his or her seat. The story takes a big turn towards the intermission, which forces the protagonist to channel his inner darkness. While the twist isn't too unpredictable, it packs a punch due to the impressive packaging.
Not meant for RX 100 fans
The film slows down a bit in the second half but never becomes unwatchable. There is a major reveal towards the end but it caters to only those who aren't familiar with the Telugu version. This, however, is not a major issue as remakes invariably work if the audience is not familiar with the original work. In fact, even a film like Drishyam -- widely regarded as one of Ajay Devgn's most underrated releases -- did not appeal to the Malayalam audience as they were familiar with the major twist towards the end.
No glorification of violence
When Kabir Singh released in theatres in 2019, a section of the audience criticised it for 'glorifying violence'. Tadap is unlikely to face any such problems as the writer, through Saurabh Shukla's character, highlight the ill effects of rage.
Impressive debut
Coming to the performances, Ahan exceeds expectations as he does justice to a layered character. He emotes with his eyes to highlight the inner trauma experienced by his character. The youngster brings an animalistic intensity to the table in the action sequences, which makes them feel all the more relatable. Ahan is supported by Tara Sutaria, who puts her best foot forward. While she is not able to highlight the character's mean streak in a couple of scenes, this definitely is a better outing for her than Marjaavaan. Saurabh is endearing in a role that has shades of the one played by Anupam Kher in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Kumud Mishra is underutilised in a role that fails to do justice to his abilities as it feels quite one-dimensional.
Musically sound
A film with elements of romance needs to have memorable songs in order to make an impact. The yesteryear classix Aashiqui, for example, would not have emerged as a cult hit without songs such as Nazar Ke Saamne and Dheere Dheere. Tadap is no exception on this front. Tumse Bhi Zyada is the best track of the lot as it hits the right notes with its simple lyrics. This aspect makes it a bit similar to love songs such as Sunn Raha Hai and Tum Hi Ho. Major portions of Tadap have been shot in the dark, which gels with the film's setting. Dialogues are a another major highlight. Lines such as 'aashiq ke teen thikane hai...' and 'main sharab hota..' make an impact as they are effective but not overtly dramatic. The other technical aspects are up to the mark.