There are bad films. There are horrible films. And there’s Agni Devi , that takes blandness to a whole new dimension. It’s shockingly insensitive screenplay is inspired from Swathi murder case, without retaining the original names from the crime. Madhubala plays an autocratic politician Shakunthala Devi, who wears a thin red namam above her bindi. She throws tantrums at men, and wants them beneath her feet. We know who’s that politician. Every time a filmmaker takes audience for granted by giving us a half-baked product, your blood boils. And Agni Devi has enough scenes that raise your blood pressure.
- Cast: Bobby Simha, Ramya Nambeesan, Madhubala and Sathish
- Director: JPR and Sham Surya
- Storyline: Never mind
The opening credits of Agni Devi says it’s inspired by a Rajesh Kumar novel. Which one? There’s no mention. When we first meet Shakunthala Devi, she comes across as a paralysed woman, in a wheelchair. Later into the film, she defies science and kicks someone off. What’s this miracle? We don’t know. Bobby Simha tries hard to stay relevant. He plays a police officer Agni Dev. Although his friend keeps referring him “guru”. Who is Agni Dev? And why does he carry an expression as if he was suffering from constipation? We don’t know. What remotely inspired Bobby Simha to take up such a dead-boring film? We don’t know. Apparently, Simha was replaced with Daniel Balaji for the climax portion, after he walked out of the film. Halfway through the movie, Agni Dev reflects our thoughts, when he says, “There’s something terribly wrong in this case.” How appropriate, one feels.
