In order for a boxing movie to work the foundations need to be strong in the story department as well as a tight screenplay which portrays our principal hero as the “underdog” who has to fight his way to prove his worth. There needs to be an emotional and humane side which makes the viewer FEEL for the principal character which in turn intensifies the impact of the fight scene and the ultimate winning of out “hero” and in retrospect the story of ARYAN penned by Abhishek Kapoor was fine. The movie revolves around Aryan (Sohail Khan) - a born fighter who lives for boxing. He is the college champ and has a tough as nails mentor and trainer in the form of Coach Ranveer Singh(Puneet Issar) and Aryans only dream is to win the Nationals. The love of Aryans life is Neha( Sneha Ullal), she is his biggest strength and his biggest weakness at that but Neha is what matters most to Aryan in life alongside boxing and he needs her to always be around. Neha falls pregnant and life takes a turn for Aryan as he decides to give up boxing and start a family with Neha despite her parent’s wishes. He accepts a job as a sports commentator however there “something” has always been missing in Aryans life. He hits an all time low professionally and his marriage life starts to fall apart as a frustrated Aryan takes to the bottle which in turn leads him to suspicions about his wife’s fidelity, and in a fit of rage Aryan hits her.
Complete shattered, Coach Ranveer comes to visit Aryan and asks him to get back into the ring and Aryan decides to give his long lost dream one final punch! But Aryan isn’t the same man he used to be, out of training for the last 4 years and with his support system, his wife not on his side…can Aryan still win the fight? And more his wife and the respect of his younger son?
Films with boxing as a central in my opinion provide the platform for the ultimate masala filled drama which involves the viewer emotionally, extracts some inspiring performances from the leading actors as well as ending on an ultimate “feel-good” high factor. However Aryan doesn’t deliver on some of those counts which in turn makes the movie come across as a half-hearted effort and a case of a prime opportunity wasted in many parts. Yes the movie does have similarities to the Sylvester Stallone starrer ROCKY, however ARYAN doesn’t even rival the worst of the ROCKY movies as far as quality goes. ROCKY hit the viewer in the heart first and foremost which is where it’s success lay, Rocky Balboa is the ultimate all time underdog whom makes the viewer laugh and cry in equal doses and in turn leaves his vying for him like no other in the climax, Aryan doesn’t!
The screenplay of the movie of the movie by Mr. Kapoor could’ve been a lot better! The sequence of events which unfold on-screen sound fine on paper, and they followed the right order too, however Kapoor doesn’t emphasize enough attention where he should. Firstly the relationship between Sohail Khan and Sneha Ullal never quiet captures the viewer how it should. The turn of events actually have a heavy reminder from Aamir Khan’s RAJA HINDUSTANI and AKELE HUM AKELE TUM with the marital problems faced by the two however all but one scene manage to leave the kind of impact they should. Secondly the angle of the films “villan” isn’t developed properly at all. It’s shown at the start that Inder Kumar has a problem with Sohail Khan; however that angle isn’t delved into. The next time we see Inder Kumar he has become a lean mean fighting machine of sorts who detests Aryan which in turn makes him out to be more like a caricature. Also there weren’t enough scenes establishing the enemy lines between Sohail and Inder either. Thirdly the angle of the Puneet Issar and Sohail Khan needed to be developed a LOT more, the involvement of the coach/trainer is absolutely critical to a movie like this, and sadly it has been left unexplored apart from a few scenes at the start and towards the end. There is no bond as such developed between Sohail and Puneet which connects with the viewer which once again is a letdown. Lastly the characters of Snehas parents seem like something out of the 80’s and don’t fit in well with the movie at all. On the plus side however the rapport with Sohail Khan and his little son has been well captured as well as all the scenes involving his frustrations as he brews and finds solace in alcohol. One just wishes Mr. Kapoor had paid more attention to his screenplay and not rely on clichés to do the work.
As a director Abhishek Kapoor is a letdown. He had in front of him the platform to direct a emotionally engaging and feel-good drama with ample action and “seeti”/”taali” moments however he follows a formulaic path which is his biggest drawback. The college sequences are fine, though the pace does slump in there in the post marriage sequences. The movie does pick up for the better in the scenes which portray Aryans frustrations as well as his “big fight” with his wife which has been expertly canned and leaves a lingering affect. The sequence where the coach comes back to him comes to suddenly to leave any kind of a emotional impact which is essential, however the scenes leading up to the final fight and the final fight itself is simply wicked and hugely entertaining. The climax sequence shows that Abhishek Kapoor knew the in’s and out’s of the genre well. The fight sequence in the end is supremely predictable and extremely clichéd, however it still makes for some very entertaining viewing as out “underdog” gets beaten to a pulp only to rise from the ashes in the 10th and final round and deliver a knockout. The entire sequence has been shot with aplomb and the images and flashbacks of Aryans family whizzing past as he fights is a masterstroke. It’s a novel experience to see a sequence like this in a Indian film directed so well, just wish the rest of the movie was the same. Something else which indicates to me that Kapoor knew the genre well as his portrayl of our actual hero. Kapoor has created the right ambience and surroundings for our underdog with his humble dwellings and everyday persona which suits Sohail Khan to a T. The character is an extremely likeable one and no doubt an identifiable one at that. Abhishek Kapoor has talent in him, he understands the nuances of storytelling as well as being a director with an eye for style and technical panache however needs to concentrate on his characters and screenplay a lot more.
As far as performances go ARYAN belongs to one person-Sohail Khan! I have always had liking towards Sohail Khan-the actor ever since I saw his bravura act in the superb I-PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN. He played the whole “silent yet violent” tough guy usually reserved for Sunny Deol with aplomb and was just superb. He then showed his worth in comedy with MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA and the recent SALAAM-E-ISHQ and Sohail seems to be someone who can pull off action and comedy both with with equal conviction from what I’ve seen so far despite his unconventional looks. ARYAN offers Sohail the perfect opportunity to give another winning performance and Sohail doesn’t disappoint, it’s infact the film that disappoints him. He slips right into the character of Aryan with effortless ease. He looks every inch the part of a boxer physically which helps his performance, and the combination of a tough exterior and soft interior is portrayed remarkably well by Sohail. The scenes when Aryan is unemployed and frustrated are a job well done. He brings an “every day kinda guy” quality to Aryan which is an absolute must for a movie like this. He leaves his mark in the emotional sequences as well as the boxing sequences, job well done Khan Jnr.
Sneha Ullal is OK here. This is better than her performance in LUCKY, however given this is a more complex character than a school-girl and one that requires Sneha to transform from a school girl to a wife she doesn’t quiet etch her character our properly. She is convincing in the initial sequences, however is quiet flat in the latter half of the movie and lacks the maturity(looks wise and talent wise) to pull of a role like this as she needs more touching up. The scene where she tells her dad she’s pregnant and her big fight with Sohail she has done well in.
The supporting cast is a let-down and very clichéd. Puneet Issar is excellent in a poorly developed character. How one wishes this was better developed. Satish Shah and Suprita Karnik fail to leave a mark. Supriyras change of heart in the end comes across as rushed and tepid. Inder Kumar plays his part well and looks the vicious boxer every inch however is let down by poor characterisation. Farida Jalal is OK. Fardeen Khan plays his part well in a special appearance.
Technically ARYAN is a cut above the rest, and given the movie was delayed for a considerably amount of time I was surprised by this. Neelabh Kauls cinematography is crisp and slick. Editting (Renjit Vattakattu) is tight, and the action sequences are fantastic. Infact-the entire team deserves a round of applause for their execution of the final fight. Action co-ordinators Chris Anderson and Mahendra Verma deliver one intense, and nail biting fight sequence with authenticity and novelty which is a lot of fun to watch.
Anand Raaj Anands music is average. The only track that registers any impact is CHHUNA HAI AASMAAN. The rest of the songs come and go, and though work well in the movie aren’t exactly chart busters. The background music by Ranjit Barot on the other hand is excellent.
All up ARYAN is a letdown, and by no means a great film. The movie is simply average, and those who have a likening for the genre, will be pleased on one level that a film on boxing has been made, and on another will be disappointed that the movie doesn’t make use of its potential. Despite a good performance from Sohail Khan and some individually penned sequences/scenes scattered throughout the movie that leave a hammer-strong impact, ARYAN on the whole definitely is not “unbreakable” . However the movie does have enough to warrant one watch be it on DVD or when it plays on T.V
Final Rating: * * *
