review: Covert operations, a super-skilled fighter and an elite government agency on a mission to save the nation. These are some of the main ingredients for a story that gives ample scope to promote goofy action, chest-beating patriotism and complicated plot twists. In short for you it is ‘Raksha Kavach Om’ – a film that would have checked all the boxes for a slick action on paper, but on screen, it doesn’t pack the same punch. Director Kapil Varma and his writers get the rights to mount their own ambitious thriller, but the writing is clunky and everywhere. The film begins with Om (Aditya Roy Kapur) being called on an important mission, but the attack leaves him dead. When he recovers, his memory is gone and he is now struggling to find answers about his past and present. He is under the care of Kavya (Sanjana Sanghi), who can kick some serious butt to defend her team members. His work is over but in the midst of all this, Om too needs to find his father and prove to the world that he was not a traitor.
It is a story that is cushioned by many layers and makes it unnecessarily complicated. The deaf background score adds noise to every big and small event on the screen. However, the action choreography is a definite plus and somewhat makes up for the otherwise lengthy and painstaking screenplay. Aditya Roy Kapur is smoldering in his new masculine avatar as an out-and-out action hero. The effort and dedication he has put in to transform himself physically for the role show on screen. His action is impressive, and it’s a genre he could probably explore more. Sanjana Sanghi is one of the few women in this all-male domain, but nothing remarkable in her role or performance. Ashutosh Rana plays his role diligently while Prakash Raj is very conservative. Jackie Shroff is aptly cast as the scientist Dev.
‘Rashtra Kavach Om’ is just as untrue and bizarre as its name, if not more. But if you are a die-hard fan of Aditya Roy Kapur then maybe this mission is not wasted for you.