Game Changer

Rating – **** (4/5)

Cast: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, S.J. Suryah, Anjali & more

Directed by: Shankar

It’s fascinating how director S. Shankar seems to have an enduring obsession with eradicating corruption and fighting the system. Every film of his dives into these themes in one way or another, and Game Changer is no different.

What’s even more disheartening—and ironic—is that the state of corruption and political rivalry hasn’t improved one bit from the time he made Indian in 1996 to now, nearly three decades later. In fact, if anything, it’s only gotten worse. However, with Game Changer, Shankar didn’t entirely reinvent the wheel.

Instead, he decided to blend all his previous films into a concoction that consistently reminds you of Nayak, Anniyan (Aparichit), and Indian. And here’s the kicker: it’s not a bad thing at all.

What Shankar perhaps couldn’t achieve with Anil Kapoor in Nayak or even Vikram in Anniyan, he seems to have nailed with Ram Charan in Game Changer. In essence, the film feels like Nayak and Anniyan on steroids. Surprisingly again, this isn’t necessarily a downside.

I walked into the theater prepared to temper my expectations but left pleasantly surprised. Sure, Game Changer is far from perfect. S. J. Suryah probably needs to re-evaluate his claim of delivering “great Hindi dubbing—you’ll love it,” and the over-the-top, lavishly scaled songs not only add little to the narrative but aren’t even that enjoyable to watch. And yet, the film plays to Shankar’s strengths as a filmmaker and Ram Charan’s as a star, making for an entertaining ride.

Ram Charan, a man so chiseled he could give Greek sculptures a run for their money, gets his fair share of slo-mo hero shots. Now, this is hardly a novelty in South Indian cinema, but Game Changer actually makes these moments impactful and whistle-worthy.

Credit goes to the settings and the situations, which manage to build up to these moments rather than merely shoehorning them in. Instead of hammering home the legend of Charan’s character with hollow fanfare, Shankar gives us slow-motion sequences that feel earned, leaving you satisfied rather than rolling your eyes.

Of course, Shankar being Shankar, there’s plenty of indulgence. His signature style is unmistakable, with frantic editing, sweeping drone shots, loud and colorful characters, token comedic relief, situational comedy, and relentless pacing.

Game Changer has all of this in abundance, and while it teeters on the edge of chaos at times, it mostly works. Unlike his recent outing with Indian 2, Shankar seems to have put genuine effort into crafting a screenplay that, while occasionally questionable in logic, keeps you too entertained to care.

The film even manages to tug at your heartstrings with an emotionally charged backstory, lending some much-needed depth to the otherwise frantic narrative.

A lot of people raised eyebrows when Ram Charan chose Game Changer as his follow-up to the global phenomenon of RRR. But his decision makes sense when you watch the film. Charan’s good looks, unmatched swagger, and undeniable screen presence make him the quintessential hero for a movie like this. He’s a star who knows how to command attention, whether he’s flexing his action chops or oozing charm in a scene.

Kiara Advani, for her part, achieves the unthinkable in a film like this: she gets a role with actual substance, at least in the first half. Her presence is luminous, her sincerity evident, and she does her bit to leave a mark even in a film so dominated by larger-than-life moments.

S. J. Suryah, though, is a mixed bag. His over-the-top antics as the antagonist are often grating, but he does manage to be sufficiently annoying and despicable, which is exactly what the role demands.

At its core, Game Changer is riddled with hiccups and absurdities, but it still emerges as an enjoyable watch. Shankar, who seemed to lose his way with Indian 2, redeems himself by showing that while he’s still stuck in his “against-the-system” phase, he can adapt his style for today’s audience without losing the essence of what makes his films uniquely his.