James Review: Puneeth Rajkumar steals the show; a must-watch for all Appu fans

Powerstar Puneeth Rajkumar has delivered a powerful performance in James, the last film of the late actor. From family drama to emotions, power-packed action and foot-tapping numbers, Appu's James offers it all. It delivers the central message of putting one’s country before self.

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Bengaluru, First Published Mar 17, 2022, 4:39 PM IST | Last Updated Mar 17, 2022, 5:22 PM IST

The theatres ran jam-packed across Karnataka after Puneet Rajkumar’s last film ‘James’ released on the silver screen on Thursday. Every movie buff and fan of the actor who went to watch the film was high on emotions. The Powerstar has offered a treat to his fans through the film that revolves around drug mafias and how an Indian soldier takes on the drug cartel after losing his friends to it. Director Chethan Kumar, who helmed the project right from scripting, lyrics, dialogue and screenplay, has delivered a masterpiece.

James is based on an Indian soldier wanting to put an end to a drug cartel that has reaped within the country. The film revolves around how Santosh (played by Puneeth Rajkumar) plans to wipe off the drug cartel from its roots. With twists and turns that keep the viewers engrossed throughout, the film also has a flavour of romance between Nisha (Priya Anand) and Santosh.

ALSO READ: James Twitter Review: Fans call Puneeth Rajkumar’s last film his career's best performance

James is filled with impressive action sequences and power-packed performances. While Puneeth Rajkumar is the absolute show-stealer, performances by Mukesh Rishi, Sarath Kumar and Malayalam actor Lal among other actors are equally impressive.

ALSO READ: James review: Puneeth Rajkumar's fans get emotional as they miss his voice

What has worked: Puneeth Rajkumar in itself is a prize catch for the young director Chethan Kumar, who signed him in 2020. The star cast inclusive of Sharat Kumar, Mukesh Rishi, Aditya Menon, Srikanth and Priya Anand among others enhances the film further. The combination of artists and their performance is a plus point. The foot-tapping numbers, especially 'Salaam Soldier', will linger on the minds of the viewers for a long time. Deepu’s sharp editing is worth a mention too.

What has not worked: While James’s storyline and acting make it a must-watch film, it is Puneeth Rajkumar’s voice that the audience has missed the most. Even though Shivrajkumar did a fantastic job at dubbing for Puneeth’s voice, there still was the void that only Puneeth could have filled.

Director: Chethan Kumar who debuted with Bahadur, has done quite a good job with James. The movie offers all-important elements such as action, drama, emotion and music. One of the interesting elements is that the director has roped in Shivrajkumar and Raghavendra Rajkumar for small roles in the film to ensure that all the three brothers are seen in the movie.

Star Cast: Puneeth Rajkumar, Priya Anand, Sharat Kumar, Srikanth, Lal, Aditya Menon, Rangayana Raghu, Sadhu Kokila, Anu Prabhakar, Chikkanna and Tilak Naidu.

Stars: 3.5

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