Game Changer

The screenplay is engaging in parts, especially scenes involving the protagonist's announcement as CM and the backstory. The dialogues are well-written, and the production design is neat. Overall, Game Changer is a better outing than Indian 2 and offers decent entertainment. While it may not rank among Shankar's best works, he narrates the film competently, even if the plot feels routine. On the whole, Game Changer is a better film than Shankar's last outing, Indian 2. Ram Charan shines in his double role and the confrontations scenes featuring him and SJ Suryah stand out. Though the plot sounds a bit predictable, Shankar does not experiment much and narrates the film in a simple yet neat manner.

Even if the writing falters, which it does in quite a few places, Thaman shifts gears to bring us back right into the groove. But even Thaman, Tirru, and the starcast lead by Ram Charan can only do so much when Shankar’s writing doesn’t follow his own rules of his own world, and showcases a final act that is outlandish even for his standards. It gets too verbose after a while that it almost undoes the goodwill the film received for its dialogues till then. Even the action sequences, which were measured and to the point, get all loud and too over the top. I can forgive Ram Charan dangling from the helicopter or slashing the ropes of henchmen tied to the track just before an incoming train zooms past them. But a line must be drawn somewhere, right? Right?

Shankar's direction is massy and after the very disappointing HINDUSTANI 2 [2024], he's back in form in a space that he excels in. A lot happens in the film, and it even spans various eras. But thanks to his execution, it makes for a seamless watch. Most importantly, it is very simplistic and appeals to the common man. Since it deals with corruption, it is bound to touch a chord. Moreover, the various unexpected moments add to the fun. The intermission point is when the audience will go bonkers. The scene where drones lift the EVMs is another memorable scene.

Game Changer’s first half is tedious to sit through, often reminding you of Indian 2. None of the sequences are coherent or engaging enough to make you look forward to the power-packed second half. Sunil as Sathyam’s so-called comedy, the forced romantic angle featuring Ram Charan and Kiara Advani hardly add anything to the story, which revolves around electoral politics. It is only before the interval, when Charan undergoes a life-altering moment, that the film begins to feels alive.Â

If I sound rather disappointed, it's because halfway through the film, I found myself hopeful about its potential, about how it rises in energy and rhythm as it goes along. But as the story progresses, it settles for predictable resolutions and doesn’t stretch its boundaries. Philosophically too, the film feels conflicted. The flashback emphasises that ends don’t justify means—a bribe from an industrialist or a murder cannot be excused with the justification that the party can perform acts of good. Yet, Ram’s actions (a lie about his mother's mental state, egging people to receive increased bribes for their votes...), as the film goes on, seem to contradict this, as he encourages deception when it suits his goals. And for that reason, something feels rather off too about the self-serving destinations his roads lead to.