Don't expect the teased second part, which — if it ever gets made — would be a disservice to similar promises by the likes of "Jagga Jasoos".
A poster of Vikas Bahl's 'Ganapath'. (X)
Ganapath (Hindi)
The top comment on the official trailer of Ganapath: A Hero Is Born on YouTube says it looks more fan-made than real.
That quality seems to have made its way to the big screen as well, with janky graphics and an equally janky handling of the story making the film feel like an extended TikTok or Reel of Tiger Shroff either dancing or performing stunts.
Oh, and did I tell you that this film exists in the unique mental universe of Vikas Bahl, where no one other than the villain is really a “baddie”?
That did well for films like Chillar Party (2011), Queen (2013), and even Shaandaar (2013). However, it comes across as a huge detriment to Tiger Shroff’s character Guddu, who — for example — sees his girlfriend get abducted one day, returns to where he was staying and informs the other residents the same day, but waits till the next day to go back in search of her.
Such downright weird behaviour of the characters, thanks to a script that makes little sense quite often and lacks heart, means that even the at-times-slick visuals can do little to redeem the film.
Tiger Shroff in a still from ‘Ganapath’. (X)
It’s a dystopian world, with hints given that it got that way because of a global nuclear war. This post-apocalyptic world, faithful to all others found in literature and visual media, has a class divide where people wear rags, and the rich oppress the poor, who have little to eat or drink.
Within the poor is the prophecy that one day their messiah, named Ganapath, will rise and end their misery.
On the richer side, though, is Guddu (Tiger Shroff) — a philanderer who helps the unimaginative John, the Englishman, find fighters from the poor populace to participate in a competition.
John regularly fixes the fights — which take place in the affluent area, known as Silver City — and pays a cut to Dalini the purveyor of the competition.
Of course, Guddu turns out to be Ganapath, and Ganapath: A Hero Is Born is his origin story.
Vikas Bahl has both written and directed Ganapath: A Hero Is Born. Perhaps, he should not have. Perhaps a different set of eyes would have spotted the glaring holes in the plot, script, screenplay, and dialogues.
Heck, even the three plot twists — one was good, another was somewhat anticipated, while the third one could be spotted from a mile away — cannot completely salvage the film, no matter how hard they try.
What’s wrong, you ask? Take, for example, Kriti Sanon’s character’s name. Is it Jassi or Jessie? And when did someone introduce her before Guddu suddenly starts calling her that?
Then there’s the problem of people’s motives, and how people end up where they do. There’s no rhyme or reason for that.
There is also a major lack of heart in the film. One is aware — although sometimes only vaguely so — of why something is happening or must happen. However, there is no sense of inevitability, and events sometimes appear to unfold just for the sake of doing so.
Now, it’s not as if Bahl didn’t have things going for him. The premise was promising and some plot points could have elevated the story if they were explored.
But that setup was squandered, thanks to problems like underdeveloped mythology, weak world-building, and a near-absent character arc.
In fact, the whole story seems to have been written for kids, and tacking on the ₹150-200 crore budget in order to make it for adults seems to have been an afterthought.
Tiger Shroff in a still from ‘Ganapath’. (X)
None of the actors seem to be in great form, but that is not exactly their fault: Vikas Bahl, as the writer, has little for them to do.
Most of the screen time is dedicated to Tiger Shroff, specifically his dance moves and stunts.
Now, he has perfected the swag and slick style and comes across as charismatic in the scenes that Bahl seems to have custom-written for him.
However, he still appears comical in the emotional scenes. That’s probably why his shouts have to fill in for when there should have been intense emotion on his face.
That is even more apparent in the final monologue where, instead of heavy emotional fulfilment, you experience cringe.
Kriti Sanon is once again stuck playing second fiddle to the protagonist, although she does try her best to deliver a good performance. Sadly, there is little for her to do.
The others have even less of a role to play. In fact, Tiger Shroff’s swag has a more extended screen presence than most of them!
One of the few aspects of Ganapath: A Hero Is Born that works is the visuals, but not very often.
The Ladakh portions are definitely scenic, but the post-apocalyptic destruction and Sliver City in its midst look unconvincing on screen.
When Tiger Shroff is dancing or fighting, what unfolds is genuinely eyeball-grabbing. However, the green-screen effects are so janky in some places — especially composite scenes that require a close-up — that they look worse than homemade videos.
Sound-wise, the background score does get you to sit up at times, but the songs are not really revisit-worthy. Heck, one of them seems to be incomplete! It has Tiger Shroff moving his lips, but either there is no vocal or there’s a female voice singing the lyrics.
Such mistakes in a big-budget film in 2023 border on sin!
If Ganapath: A Hero Is Born is Part 1, Part 2 has been teased as Ganapath: Rise Of A Hero. However, do not expect that to be made, because this one was bad enough.
If it does get made, it would be a slap in the face of much better films like Jagga Jasoos, which promised a sequel that never came.
But if you must see Ganapath: A Hero Is Born, wait for the OTT release (on Netflix). Till then, whet your appetite with the videos of Tiger Shroff on Facebook or Instagram!
(Views expressed here are personal.)
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