Drona - Movie Review

Published: September 15, 2009

By JENNIFER HOPFINGER

Starring Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Kay Kay Menon, Jaya Bachchan

You’d think that a fantasy-adventure filmed in such far-flung locations as Prague and Namibia and featuring marvelous costumes, special effects, Indian martial arts, and an all-star cast would be a sure-fire winner, but instead, it’s one big snooze.

Aditya (played by Abhishek Bachchan, who delivers a wooden performance) is a sad and lonely messianic hero, otherwise known as Drona, who’s unaware of his real identity and being raised in a foster family. A magical blue rose petal wafts into his presence whenever he’s in dire need of comfort—and eventually it leads him to find a bracelet, which has meaning he doesn’t understand, and he starts wearing it.

Riz Raizada (played by the gifted Kay Kay Menon) is an evil sorcerer who’s trying to take over the universe but needs to destroy Drona in order to do it. He doesn’t know who Drona is, but when he spots Aditya wearing the bracelet, he realizes he’s found his man.

Riz starts chasing after the bewildered Aditya, who has no idea why he’s being chased, until a woman named Sonia (Priyanka Chopra) shows up to clue him in. With Riz hot on their heels, she whisks him back to the kingdom of his birth and to his real mother, Queen Jayati (played by Abhishek’s real-life mother, Jaya Bachchan).

The challenge is for the uncertain Aditya to step up and fulfill his destiny as savior of the world. The special effects are cool, and Chopra looks great in all her wild get-ups, but Aditya’s dangerous journey of discovery lacks energy, suspense, or any kind of moving revelation.

Fantasy-adventure is unfamiliar in Bollywood, and the genre doesn’t quite jibe with Hindi film conventions. But Drona gets credit for trying to break new ground—and with an original story that taps Indian mythology, no less. Better luck to India’s next fantasy filmmaker.

Drona is rated Skip.

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