Rustom Movie Review

Akshay Kumar has been on a decent streak lately with his Airlift and Housefull 3 doing well this year. He is back with his third movie (not counting Dishoom in which he was hilarious) of the year Rustom. It is based on the famous Nanavati case and is set in a historical time period. It’ll be Akshay’s second film of the year which is based on true incidents. Is Rustom a taut thriller like Airlift and will it become Akshay’s third success of the year? No better time to find out than now.

Story: Rustom (Akshay Kumar) is a naval officer who married Cynthia (Illeana D’Cruz) against his father’s wishes. When Rustom was away on a trip, Cynthia and Vikram (Arjan Bajwa) come close and have an affair. Rustom returns and is furious to find out about the affair. He confronts Vikram, who is killed in an ensuing scuffle. Rustom is tried for murder in court, with defence and prosecution lawyers fighting it out. Is he let off or is he given a prison sentence?

Rustom Review: Tinu Suresh Desai who made 1920 London this year, manages to inscribe his touch into this movie but it eventually doesn’t feel enough. There are some cool transition effects between scenes and he tries to maintain a uniformity. But that’s about the only good or innovative thing about this vapid courtroom historical drama which does nothing to thrill and just like the time period it is situated in, it only takes Bollywood back to an age where the details feel half baked, the characters are sleazy stereotypes and the twists are uninspired. The fictional retelling of real life incidents could have been dealt with a lot more maturely and a flawed character like Rustom shouldn’t have become a jingoistic patriot who can do no wrong. The second half where most of the action shifts to the courtroom isn’t thrilling and pacy enough.

Rustom Movie Review

Rustom Movie Review

Rustom feels uneven inspite of the director’s constant efforts to maintain uniformity, that’s because of the patchy production design, clichéd costume design and bad vfx. The editing could have also been more snappier and the important courtroom scenes feel daft and slow because of the amateurish editing. The music of Rustom is good and the songs stick with you. The romantic ballad Tere Sang Yaara is the pick of the lot.

Acting: Akshay Kumar is a solid casting decision as Rustom Pavri, and he maintains his stoic expressions as the doting navyman who loves his country throughout the movie. We like the choices he’s been making lately, but the movie Rustom lets down the character Rustom Pavri. Ileana D’Cruz plays the cheating wife who becomes a doting wife with a lot of grace but she comes up short in the acting department. Arjan Bajwa tries his best to play the most stereotypical character in the movie. Esha Gupta is made to show her cleavage and her body more than logic suggests but she shows her acting skills whenever given the chance. Pawan Malhotra, Usha Nadkarni and Kumud Mishra all excel in their respective characters.

Conclusion: Rustom feels quarter baked, and the thriller courtroom drama lacks thrill, and lacks uniformity. It fails miserably in the details department and it doesn’t come together in the end as a movie. Akshay Kumar gives it his all but the reinterpretation of such a famous real life story leaves a lot to be desired. It is boring, takes a lot of time to get to the point and feels like a big disappointment. A lot could have been done to make the story taut and engaging. Airlift worked because it didn’t make its main character a flawless hero, and Rustom doesn’t work because of the exact opposite reason. Having said all that, Rustom will be liked by a section of the audience becsuse the basic story it is telling is a very interesting one. You can give it a watch and decide for yourself.

Pros:

  • Akshay Kumar’s casting and his acting
  • Innovative transition between scenes
  • The supporting actors act well
  • The music is good

Cons:

  • The details are let down by production design and costume design
  • The editing is not snappy enough
  • Ileana and Esha Gupta are objectified
  • The uniformity that this movie required is absent
  • It’s boring and lacks the thrill that the promos promised
  • Vfx is awful and messy

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Advertisements

56 Comments

  • Some critics have called Rustom comedy
    Hahaha. Are yaar not good for both movie
    If each movie cross 100 crore at box office, then it should be considered a massive achievement ….!!!!

  • The negative points Indicine mentioned are true but the movie isn’t essentially relying only on those points. It has things that are in ots favour. Far mor entertaining than the 2 stars given by indicine suggests. 3/5

  • indicine u r too harsh on rustom..rustom has received mostly positive reviews….and it is far better than mohenjodaro

  • I said it whenever Akshay promots a film so aggressively trust me that film is not up to d mark! whenever he is confident of a product he is not too worry about aggressive promotion, i.e Baby and Airlift. Hope it get different response from d paying public though will watch it on sunday

  • Your review for MOHENJO DARO was predictable but Your review for Rustom was not predictable.

    So
    Bad review from you for MOHENJO DARO was predictable means MOHENJO DARO is an outstanding or Masterpiece of Hindi Cinema.

    but bad review from you for Rustom was not predictable means Rustom is simply Crappiest Film of Hindi Cinema after FAN.

    Let’s celebrate Hrithik Fans & MOHENJO DARO lovers

  • You must be crazy Indicine but no offence it’s your review but actual review will come from audiences…you had given 2. 5 star to welcome but the movie was blockbuster.. not expecting it to be blockbuster but it will surely loved by all

  • Sab log khans ki gulami karte hai..2* to hona hi tha…..not a good review indicine. I follow this site for almost 6-7 years n this review is one of the worst you’ve post…Hope mohenjodaro get atleast 1*

  • So RUSTOM will be 1st day wonder.

    From tomorrow Mohenjo-Daro will be run and will cross 200cr mark

    FAN is biggest crapiest film by all audiences of the world but for critics FAN is belong to 4*/5*.

    Never believe in Ratings (fake ratings), first watch films then Rate film by yourself

  • Except Sultan and BB most of the Salman’s movie are shit n he cant act on all of them n Indicine You gave more stars….

  • wow indicine what an observation mentioning the negative points about Rustom! but i have a question i have seen both the films today and i can say the negative points you made about Rustom are all present in MJD as well.So my question is why didn’t you mention those in the MJD review? was the movie itself so crappy that the crappy vfx costumes and details didnt count as cons for the film?
    This review of yours sounds too harsh.
    Rustom is far better as compared to MJD.

  • I saw both Rustom and MohenjoDaro. Frankly speaking, neither of the 2 movies are OUTSTANDING. But if I had to chose one, it would be Rustom. Mohenjo wont appeal to everyone despite the universal appeal. Its not a bad film too but not good enough.
    PS- I saw Rustom in a packed theatre with screaming fans while Mohenjo which had only 2 rows occupied with people mocking the film. Think twice Hrithik before coming on 26th Jan now.
    Coming from a neutral Cinema lover.

  • #Rustom doesn’t need reviews.

    Now where are they (Hr Fans) who was Barking that Mohenjodaro will open Better than Rustom?

    I think u guys got ur answer.

  • means, both movies were Crap but I think Rustom was not as boring and slow as Mohini se koi na daro….Rustom will become hit in worst case coz of low budget but Mohini se koi na daro was made to become Disaster !!!!!!!!! ?

  • Where r those akki fans who were bashing Mohenjodaro……hahahahahaahha…………
    Rustom is getting negative reviews from most sites whereas Mohenjodaro getting mostly mixed to positive reviews…..Mohenjodaro will win in long time…& from weekdays only Mohenjodaro will rule due to its mass appeal……..

  • Both films are average but coz of the cash on sentiments theme of rustom which lately akshay films try to cash on with stupid illogical films like baby n now rustom and added reputation of a neeraj pandey film and a week full of holidays , rustom wld still earn well! Althgh the film is nowhr near spcl 26 or holiday or even airlift! Those were really good movies which did not atleast misuse the dramatic patriotic angle of us indians!( which only surfaces in cricket matches n bcoz of pakistan), akshay smartly is using this limited dramatic anti sumthing n not pro nation patriotism in his films and also by making few related statements !
    Mohenjo daro is a stupid film n wld b a big loser even with the xtra holidays!

  • Ohh OK I will not criticize your review like Gawar hrithik fans as everybody has it own opinion .

    So MD is better than rustom, Still rustom will do 100 cr while MD only 80 FLOP . Akki is official father of 8-hit-thik

  • We all know RUSTOM GOT 40% opening while MJD 25% so What you think Papa’s calculator will come in use this time also or not? ?
    Akshay>Hrithik according to BOI officially.

  • Listen i dislike Akki but one of the con is “Ileana and Esha Gupta are objectified”. Lol!! I never saw that point on Mastizaade and KKHM 3 :P

Leave a Comment