'Saakini Daakini' was released in theatres on Friday. In this section, we are going to review the crime-action-comedy:
Story:
The South Korean film 'Midnight Runners' (2017) gets adapted into 'Saakini Daakini' by director Sudheer Varma, who is known for 'Swamy Ra Ra'. Shalini (Nivetha Thomas) and Regina Cassandra (Damini) are police trainees at an academy. If the latter is obsessed with neatness, the former is a foodie. They become low-key enemies right at the start and their rivalry becomes worse after they become roomies. An incident changes the way they look at their equations.
One fateful night, a young girl gets kidnapped in front of their eyes. They feel duty-bound to track down the kidnappers, but realize that the police department can't care less. They put their careers at stake to track down the victim. How they do it is what the second half is about.
Analysis:
This film is more of an adaptation than a remake. In the Korean original, Ki-joon was an impulsive risk-taker. In contrast, Hee-yeol weighed his steps before taking the plunge. In the Telugu film, Shalini and Damini, nicknamed respectively Shotgun and Demon, don't exactly correspond to their original counterparts.
In adapting the Korean original, the writing department resorts to lame ideas. The first hour goes into setting up the rivalry between Shalini and Damini, which is needlessly over-indulged. Sudarshan is a pick pocketer who is satirically described by a character as a microcosm of India, for he is ironically a thief while undergoing training as a cop. RJ Hemanth's flirtatious character is a stock one that barely elicits laughs. Prudhviraj starts out as a comical bully and is ignored like the rest of the comedy bunch in the second half. Bhanu Chander is another stock character, who, as the unforgiving head of the police academy, declares that the weak will be mercilessly thrown out. His 'survival of the fittest' reference has a point, though.
The scenes between Shalini and Damini work to an extent, but the track should have been cut short. When they indulge in a catfight, it doesn't occur to them that they are a menace while being in a department that has to punish menacing forces.
The investigation track is simplistic. There is a scene where the two heroines walk into a run-down restaurant and call someone. That someone is in the very place with his fellow gang members! Such coincidences blight a lot of Indian crime thrillers. Considering 'Midnight Runners' is one of the most popular Korean hits in recent times and such a screenplay idea doesn't invite vast criticism there, one wonders if this is how a lot of crime/action films are made in other countries, too!
Even the investigation of the crime scene (read the spot where the victim gets kidnapped) is a stretch filled with easy ideas. The 'Happy Ending Massage Parlour' idea doesn't feel native at all. The action scenes, otherwise well-made, boats of some laughable ideas. One of the heroines seeks to attack half a dozen goondas with a weapon. And these goondas are clueless until their boss comes and saves the day for them. One goonda makes a pointless phone call in the middle of a chase.
The lead performances are able. Regina's acting is effortless, while Nivetha is entertaining. The duo's comic timing works. Prudhviraj, Bhanu Chander, Nellore Sudarshan, Bhadram and Kabir Duhan Singh (in a negative role).
Verdict:
This is a tiresome adaptation.
