Ankush Movie Review: The action-drama fails to capture the imagination on account of poor execution

Ankush is the latest in the slew of teen romances that create a world of heightened stakes in a college setting. While touted as an action-drama, it is the dance that takes the cake for this film.

A bright eyed boy from a poor family – Ankush (Deepraj Ghule) is an ideal student with dreams to make it big. He seeks the patronage of a local don (Chinmay Udgirkar) after a melee in college, only to find himself embroiled in an old gang rivalry. Like many of the films in this genre, Ankush is filled to the brim with moralistic grandstanding that lacks nuance. Preachy dialogue from Ankush’s parents and mentors really drags the first half, while slow motion punch-fighting takes precedence over creating a tangible story. This would still be justifiable had the action choreography not fallen prey to choppy editing.

Ganesh Acharya’s capable dance number for the dahi handi song tried to breathe new life into a crumbling story but it is a little too late.

Ankush sees average acting across the board, with poor dub sync of the lead actor markedly sullying the experience. While it does have some redeeming qualities, the action-drama ultimately fails to capture the imagination on account of poor execution.