Shiva 143

Plot: Shiva falls in love with city-returned Madhu, who is the daughter of the Zilla Panchayat head. She shows him love and lust in equal measure, changing him from his angry and rugged persona to a lovelorn puppy. But do they get to stay happily ever after?

Review: Shiva 143 is the official remake of the hit Telugu action romance RX 100. The film remains a faithful adaptation of the original, while ensuring it does give newbie Dheeren Ramkumar the necessary build-up with allusions to his family. While Dheeren and Manvita Kamath have solid performances, the story falters in momentum and falls short of creating the magic just like the original. That said, it does not make for a bad watch either.

The film begins with the introduction of an angry Shiva, who is seen chasing and beating people up. Through this we are introduced to Shiva's love story with Madhu. The two paint the town red with their steamy sequences. Just when things seem to be headed in the right direction, there seems to be a hiccup. What led Shiva to be filled with angst? Does he manage to get the love of his live back?

RX 100 created ripples for its story that showcased a tale that had a young man's unadulterated love for his woman. The Kannada remake also showcases this in the right manner. While those sequences showcase the right momentum, the pace is slackened from the comedy sequences that somehow don't land the right punches. There's also an unwanted raunchy track thrown in that doesn't really require to be there, nor does it have a tune that stays on. Had these been looked at carefully, the romantic action drama would have been far more impactful.

Dheeren Ramkumar makes a promising debut and shines in intense scenes. Manvita Kamath takes on a bold role that many conventional heroines would have shied away from and delivers a good performance too. Charan Raj and Avinash add the much-needed punch with their measured performances. The Malehaniye song deserves a special mention for its soulful composition and aesthetic visuals that capture the lust of the leading couple.

Shiva 143 might not be as impactful as RX 100, but it does have moments that can give the front benchers reasons to whistle. The allusions to cult hit Om are strategically placed and work well too.