KGF CHAPTER 2

Cert 15

169 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence

What happened to those epic movies which used to bring crowds to cinemas in their millions?

This year there have been precious few 'events' bar the Top Gun update with Tom Cruise but even that had quite a small cast.

Meanwhile, the huge-scale KGF Chapter 2 has become the third-highest box office hit in Indian history, taking circa $160m.

Prashanth Neel's movie is breathtaking although I was left wondering whether there was a case for suggesting size overwhelmed substance.

It outlines the story of Rocky (Yash), an ultra-confident, highly ambitious criminal in sharp suits, flowing hair and thick beard.

He sends out a warning to his peers by early savagery which sets them as enemies or prompts them into reluctant alliances.

Meanwhile, he takes one of their own (Srinidhi Shetty) to ensure that they will not work against him as he takes over the KGF - a gold field which he sees as key to his power base.

As the story flows, politics plays a more significant hand but a new Prime Minister (Raveena Tandon) will not be bought off as easily as her ministers.

KGF Chapter 2 has so many strands and is literally so dark that it is occasionally difficult to follow or even see what is going on.

But Yash is a blistering anti-hero and he has powerful support, especially from Sanjay Dutt as a muscular villain who looks like he has arrived from the set of Mad Max.

Does it go on too long? At nearly three hours, it certainly does.

But there is no doubt that Neel's movie is worth setting aside the time even if it is just to marvel at the giant sets.