Shaktiman

We come across many people in our daily lives who are unique in their own rights. Some who are shining in their lives, some who have given up and others who are trying their best to make the most of whatever they have. But each of them is the hero of their story, or is at least trying to be one. Prakash Kunte's Shaktimaan is the story of one such person.

The film revolves around Siddharth (Adinath Kothare), his wife Seema (Spruha Joshi) and their son Ishaan. Ishaan is a big fan of superheroes, so much that his toy collection has a lot of popular superhero figures in it. Siddharth too regularly tells Ishaan stories of superheroes, not necessarily those with superpowers but even those who turn their compassion, generosity and kindness into powers to help others. It so happens that the office boy at Siddharth's workplace, Tanaji (Priyadarshan Jadhav), needs to raise funds for his young daughter's medical treatment. When Siddharth learns about this, he steps up to help raise the amount and goes out of his way to help Tanaji. Does he succeed? What toll does this take on his family? Does he become a superhero in the eyes of his son? These are some questions that the film answers.


The story is interesting and filled with innocence and a general sense of positivity. However, Kunte and team falter in using the power of the story to its fullest. So the film doesn't hold your attention and ends up being a simple, straightforward and predictable tale. Do the performances save the day? Somewhat.

Spruha Joshi and Priyadarshan Jadhav stand out in their roles, each lending gravitas to the characters. Spruha as Seema is somewhat the audience's representative, asking the questions they have while watching the film, on screen. Priyadarshan has limited screen time but makes the most of it. That said, most of the film rests on Adinath Kothare's shoulders and the actor is sincere in his portrayal. Adinath delivers a relatable performance but the makers seem to have gotten carried away while trying to bring all the focus to his character. This unknowingly reflects in some scenes where Adinath falls short of what's expected to be done.

To cut the long story short, Shaktimaan is a genuine film. It's heart is in the right place, it's story is interesting. But the execution is not engaging. If you're taking your kids to the cinema, Shaktimaan could be a decent watch.