BRO (2023) Review: Pawan Kalyan’s Titanic One-Man Show!

BRO, an adaptation of the acclaimed 2021 Tamil movie Vinodhaya Sitham, marks the first collaboration between the uncle and nephew duo – Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Tej. Under the direction of P. Samuthirakani and a screenplay from Trivikram, the film also features a solid supporting cast, including Priya Prakash Varrier, Rohini, Yuva Lakshmi, Tanikella Bharani, ‘Vennela’ Kishore, Ali Reza, Ketika Sharma, Subbaraju, and others.

In BRO, Mark (Sai Dharam Tej), an egotistical corporate worker, faces a fatal accident, dies, and meets the mysterious God of Time (Pawan Kalyan). Requesting a chance to amend his mistakes and fulfill family duties, Mark receives a transformative ninety-day period on Earth from the God of Time. Subsequently, the film portrays Mark’s journey of self-discovery, learning, and growth into a more compassionate individual by the end.

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Beginning with the positives, Pawan Kalyan shines bright in BRO, embodying his character with exceptional finesse. Samuthirakani’s meticulous attention to his screen presence, elevations, and delivering what the fans crave created an “electrifying” experience in the theater. The film’s clever callbacks and throwbacks to his vintage roles added to the nostalgic charm. And most importantly, it felt like Kalyan had a ton of fun playing his part, offering a delightful contrast to his previous role in Gopala Gopala, where he also portrayed a God teaching a common man a few life lessons.

While I appreciated the film’s messaging, dialogues, and overarching theme, I couldn’t help but feel that the execution fell short, particularly in conveying the emotional depth of Mark’s transformation. At times, the film struck the right chord and garnered the attention it deserved. However, the prevalence of fan service material featuring Pawan Kalyan on-screen sometimes overshadowed the film’s emotional impact. The director and screenwriter displayed proficiency in delivering entertainment through comedy and catering to Powerstar’s fans, but the much-needed balance between emotion and fan service could have been better.

Let’s move on to the technical side of things. Editor Navin Nooli might have faced challenges in maintaining a cohesive 130-minute runtime, resulting in a few scenes feeling out-of-place and forced, creating an occasional lack of coherence. Alas, I could very much be wrong. And maybe it is a screenwriting error by Trivikram. Furthermore, the visual effects appeared to be subpar. Understandable, given the time limitations due to Pawan Kalyan’s political commitments affecting outdoor shooting. Some VFX-heavy scenes become distracting and awkward to watch.

Thaman, who has now scored music for Kalyan’s films for the third time in a row, impressed once again with his background score, delivering where it mattered the most. However, the songs themselves felt subpar in comparison. As for the performances, the supporting cast portrayed their roles decently. As for Sai Dharam Tej, considering the tragic accident he recently endured, which heavily impacted his speech and physical condition, his performance felt a bit uneven as he navigated various character shades, from an arrogant brat to a man on a journey of self-discovery. Given these circumstances, I will reserve my judgment and criticism for him.

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Overall, BRO does suffer in several aspects, notably in the emotional execution, and I couldn’t help but wish for a more flawless handling of its impactful theme. However, the film manages to entertain, and Pawan Kalyan’s titanic screen presence alone makes it worth the price of the movie ticket. Exiting the theater, I experienced mixed feelings, but I must admit it is still worth watching with your family, guaranteeing a fair share of delight.

‘BRO’ Rating – 3/5