Rashtra Kavach: OM

STORY: A para commando is on a top-secret mission for the nation. But as he goes to work with his top-notch combat skills, he realises that his personal and professional life is intertwined with multiple layers of lies, betrayal and deceit. Can he trust anyone at all?

REVIEW: Covert operations, a super-skilled fighter and an elite government agency on a mission to save the nation. These are some of the staple ingredients for a story that gives ample scope to infuse mindless action, chest-thumping patriotism and convoluted plot twists. That’s ‘Raksha Kavach Om’ for you in short – a film that must have checked all the boxes for a slick actioner on paper but on screen, it doesn’t pack the same punch. Director Kapil Verma and his writers get the setting right to mount their ambitious thriller, but the writing is clunky and all over the place. The film starts with Om (Aditya Roy Kapur) being called in for an all-important mission, but the attack leaves him half-dead. When he recovers, he has lost his memory and he is now fumbling to find answers about his past and present. He is in the care of Kavya (Sanjana Sanghi), who can kick some serious butt when it comes to defending her team members. They have their task cut out but amidst all of this, Om also needs to find his father and prove to the world that he was not a traitor.

It’s a story that is padded with multiple layers making it unnecessarily complex. The deafening background score adds noise to every big and small event on the screen. However, the action choreography is a definite plus and somewhat makes up for the otherwise lengthy and laborious screenplay. Aditya Roy Kapur is smouldering in his new macho avatar as an out-and-out action hero. The effort and dedication he has put into physically transforming himself for the role shows on screen. His action is impressive, and this is a genre he can probably explore more. Sanjana Sanghi is one of the few women in this all-male domain, but her role or performance has nothing noteworthy. Ashutosh Rana plays his part diligently while Prakash Raj comes off as very stereotyped. Jackie Shroff as scientist Dev is aptly cast.

‘Rashtra Kavach Om’ is just as unreal and outlandish as its name, if not more. But if you’re a diehard Aditya Roy Kapur fan then maybe this mission isn’t all that doomed for you.