Pawan Kalyan’s much hyped OG, directed by Sujeeth, hit the screens with a lot of expectations and the star’s larger than life image. The film is a gangster action drama and promises a gritty and stylish ride through the underbelly of Mumbai’s criminal world. While OG delivers on style and action, it falls short on narrative substance and leaves us with a film that dazzles but doesn’t linger.
The story is about Ojas Gambheera, played by Pawan Kalyan, a gangster known as “OG” who returns to Mumbai after a decade. His mission is to dismantle the empire of crime lord Vishal Rane, played by Emraan Hashmi. The film starts with OG’s dramatic entry and sets the stage for a cat and mouse game between the two powerhouses. Priyanka Mohan plays Meera, a psychologist who gets entangled in OG’s world and adds an emotional complexity, or at least tries to. The narrative unfolds through a series of flashbacks and present day confrontations to reveal OG’s motivations and past.
Right from the start, OG has got it’s production values in place. Ravi K. Chandran’s visuals are stunning; Mumbai’s streets and nights are the perfect canvas for the action to unfold. The camera work and Thaman’s background score make the film look stylish. Action is top notch, Pawan Kalyan’s swag is in full display in the well executed fights from hand to hand combat to shootouts. For the fans of the star, these moments are worth the ticket price; they get the high energy they came for.
Pawan Kalyan holds the film together with his presence. OG is intense, stoic and vulnerable at the same time. Emraan Hashmi as Vishal Rane is a good antagonist, cold and menacing and a perfect foil to Pawan. Their confrontations, especially the mid film standoff is electric and raise the stakes. But Priyanka Mohan as Meera is underdeveloped; her character is more of a plot device than a character. The supporting cast, including Prakash Raj and Arjun Das do their job well but have very little to do due to the script’s focus on the leads.
Where OG goes wrong is in the storytelling. Sujeeth, who blended style with substance in Saaho, goes too much for style here. The screenplay by Sujeeth and K. V. Guhan prioritizes style over substance. Key points like OG’s past and motivations are introduced through clunky exposition that breaks the flow. Emotional moments, especially the ones involving Meera and OG’s past, are rushed and don’t land. Dialogue is sharp at times, but veers into melodrama and kills the gritty tone. 158 minutes feels too long with repetitive action scenes and subplots that add nothing to the main story.
OG deals with loyalty, vengeance and redemption, but doesn’t go deep into it. It touches upon OG’s moral compass and the cost of his violent life, but these ideas are pushed aside for crowd pleasing moments. Lack of depth prevents OG from going beyond the usual action fare despite its technical polish.
Ultimately, OG is a style over substance film. It’s a visual treat with Pawan Kalyan and Emraan Hashmi delivering great performances, but the weak script and overlong runtime dilutes the impact. For die hard fans it has enough star power and action to satisfy, but for those looking for a more layered gangster drama will be disappointed. OG is a slick, adrenaline fueled ride that burns bright but fades fast.