Saaho: Money, Money and more Money

Star Cast: Prabhas, Shraddha Kapoor, Murli Sharma, Jackie Shroff, Arun Vijay, and Vennnela Kishore
Music Composed by Tanishk Bagchi, Guru Randhawa, Badshah, and SEL.
Cinematography by R Madhie
Edited by A Sreekar Prasad
Directed by Sujeeth

When I entered into the theatre after a completely sleepless night and even more torturous search for tickets – successful and unsuccessful, thinking that we got it and then realising didn’t, a horror night of comedies, I couldn’t just hold back myself from feeling cringe at the scenes that I knew made no sense at all. An easy 6 months on the plot would have given the makers three questions – Why this film needs to be made? What are we achieving with such a story, screenplay? And most importantly, why it needed that budget?

A Don’s son doesn’t need aa disguise so bad that he should be seen as a thief because he knows the entire plot behind his father’s death. It is like, he knew the reason for his father’s death, he knew that there are moles within their security but he never for once tends to make sure that his “supposed plan” is suitable for all his aspirations. Even then what are his aspirations?

If he needed the money that Devraj took from his father, all he needed to do was to pull off a heist in Waji City under his nose. What purpose did him faking himself as an undercover cop achieve? Okay, let us say the undercover cop (Shadows on these Chars don’t make the character Grey!) is a disguise, he wanted to use for Devraj to believe that he is quite intelligent. But does the heist have any intelligence?

It is like we are reading an Amar Chitra Katha book, where Minister’s son takes the identity of Prince for the prince to attack and avenge all the perpetrators of the crown under a false identity. But this identity has to be rooted and concentrated in the myth that a gangster can believe but not a 10-year-old does. A Dan Bilzerian inspired “Bad Boy” thief will come under the radar of police too. Why would a person hide for security reasons so long, go and take on police? Is it to tell us police cannot be trusted? But if you find a beautiful lady you can fall in love with her?

The first comic robbery is funny and good enough for an intro but not for a suspense twist. Also, the department won’t just believe any random person as an Undercover cop because a hacker changed loyalties and the real person won’t become a thief just like that. Even if it is a film, the entire plot of the first hour seems like an amateur’s version of chess (Guy Ritchie? Nah..) with only black pawns on the board than the white pawns.

Now, the second part of him trying to let Devraj ask him for a job. It is even more hilarious. When his goal is to have him ask for a job and then make him pay for it, why would he even involve his love in it? Won’t he be more specific to not leave any trace of emotional connection in the plan? Won’t he be careful enough to let Devraj believe that his morals are just as bad as Devraj’s?

To make them believe that he is a daredevil does he need to base jump from high ice mountains without any shirt? Does his lifestyle need to be more “Over The Top” unbelievable expenditure of money? It is just like someone is trying to prove to a person that he is a bad boy but we get to see him becoming a heist master as a lover boy. So, is there a purpose for any kind of sequences till the climax?

All Saaho needed was money heist from Devraj’s building and a means to kill all the moles, his empire and people who distrusted his father, himself. A simple revenge story with heist angle. Is there any need in that story for him to become an undercover cop? Is there any purpose served by any attacks or even by luring people with Black Box conundrum? He has supporters in the group who trust Roy, he has people in the police who would love to nab Devraj. He can definitely find people who would willingly help him carry on the heist from within Devraj group. Why complicate a plot with senselessness while a simple narration of heist drama can lead to better film?

On the whole, this movie is more like a team that doesn’t really understand the purpose of spillway, irrigation canals and drinking water reservoir in a dam, given money to build Polavaram and all they did is show a miniature built-in VFX after spending all the money on how not to build a dam. Prabhas needs to come out of this taking inspiration from 80’s stories kind of screenplays and work on his script selection, consistent looks in a film. This film is a great example of a young mind confusing itself with the weight of opportunity and ambition without realizing how much it can take away from you.

Theatrical Trailer: