Movie Review: Biker

Cast: Sharwanand, Malavika Nair, Rajasekhar, Atul Kulkarni, Brahmaji, Tulasi, and others

Music: Ghibran

Cinematography: Yuvaraj

Producers: Vamsi, Pramod

Writing & Direction: Abhilash Reddy

Putting a full stop to the era of flops he went through, hero Sharwanand has scored big with the recent Sankranthi release “Nari Nari Naduma Murari”. Now, taking up the concept of motocross racing, which has not been seen on the Indian screen yet, he has come up with “Biker”. This film is directed by Abhilash Reddy, who has carved out the critically acclaimed “Loser” web series earlier, and is produced by UV Creations. Does Sharwa impress with this outing? Let’s find out.

Story:

Vikas Narayan, alias Vicky (Sharwanand), lives in Hyderabad along with his wife, Ananya (Malavika Nair), and their son, Ishan, who runs a go-karting zone. While he’s leading a pious life now, he used to be a great bike racer who has quit the game due to unavoidable reasons. After finding out that his father, Sunil Narayan (Rajasekhar), who gets labelled as a fraud due to a corporate scam, wants to turn to racing again. What happened to Sunil, and why Vikas left racing earlier, the quarrel that took place between them, and what he would encounter after trying to get back are the rest of the story.

Narrative-Analysis:

Whether it is the Telugu sports drama “Jersey” or the recent Hollywood blockbuster “F1”, the story outline would be almost similar. There will be a great sportsman who has quit the game/sport due to unavoidable reasons, and leads a normal life. Later, they will be forced to make a comeback due to situations. While everyone underestimates their talent, with their sheer hard work and brilliance, they make a comeback, shutting the critics down and winning the final event. This is what a routine story is in all the acclaimed sports dramas. However, what actually works in favour of these hit films is the way the sport was presented, the emotional graph is maintained, and how it captured the attention. Taking up this proven/known template, director Abhilash Reddy set motocross racing as a backdrop for “Biker”, and tried to impress us. However, the film has no such wow moments and twists, and the high-emotion-inducing sequences like in F1 or Jersey. But still, the film is a reasonable watch, a single time.

Sometimes a sport need not be known or relevant to the audience, because the likes of Rugby (Sye movie) or F1 (Formula 1 Grand Prix) are not popular games in the sub-continent, but Rajamouli’s film worked out in Telugu states while F1 became a cult blockbuster in India. Director Abhilash Reddy brought a fresh feel to the film by choosing motocross racing as the backdrop. The way the sport was presented is a highlight in “Biker”. The do’s and don’ts, nitty-gritty details of a race are narrated through scenes, rather than just exposition. The technical brilliance behind presenting race sequences is brilliant. Though these races, including the stunning climax racing sequence, build a positive feeling, they don’t give that adrenaline-rushing moment, which is a drawback for the film.

What works best in the “Biker” movie is the father-son emotion, which got a fresh appeal due to former hero Rajasekhar playing that role. More than a father, he’s presented as a coach first, in the story, and how that son feels pressure due to this coach is a thread that worked out. However, this leads to a predictable story, and also the twists feel too known and lame. What really does not work out in the film is the hero-heroine episode, and the heroine’s characterisation appears forced. The young son's scenes with the hero remind us of Jersey only. Despite some of these drawbacks, Biker gives a positive vibe till the end, due to the newness factor added by bike racing. The technical brilliance showcased in the film is loud, and those who like sports dramas might find the film appealing.

Performances:

Sharwanand portrayed the “Biker” role quite solidly, giving a feeling that he’s a real racer. His makeover and onscreen presentation are effective. Rather than banking on body-doubles for racing scenes, Sharwa built a proper body language and delivered some stunts himself, thus winning accolades. Rajasekhar impressed with a sincere performance as a father and coach. Though his looks go out of place here and there, this role surely gives momentum to his second innings. Malavika Nair looks comfortable in the role of Ananya and even spills a bit of glamour too. The young actor who played the role of racer Anwar is also good. Brahmaji and Tulasi are adequate in the supporting roles.

Technicalities:

On the technical fronts, the “Biker” film is crafted with top-notch standards. The film’s flaws are effectively covered by this technical brilliance, making it a best-ever sports movie in Telugu that came ever. Even the visuals crafted by Yuvaraj are top-notch, while he cranked the racing sequences very well. At the same time, Ghibran’s music is good, while the songs are average, but the background score is impressive. The song Jagore comes to the rescue, while the lack of more songs is a surprise. UV Creations infused the film with terrific production values, despite the fact that they have invested heavily at a time when Sharwanand’s market is down. The story written by Abhilash Reddy sounds simple, but with the screenplay and the racing sequences, he scored marks. The way he extracted the performances and delivered emotions has stood out. If he could have showcased more novelty in the story and the twists, “Biker” would have gone to the next level.

Finally: Biker, A sports drama inside a family story

Rating: 3/5