Review of ‘Ronny’: Kiran Raj Shines in Dual Role, Overcoming a Predictable Plot

The narrative kicks off with Kaali (Ravi Shankar), a gangster who has ruled the criminal underworld for ten years, insisting that a movie be created about his life.

“Ronny” ambitiously seeks to merge the flashy allure of gangster dramas with a heartfelt journey for redemption. The film kicks off with a well-known phrase—”Violence, Violence, Violence”—before adding its own twist to the iconic line from the KGF series.

The plot centers around Kaali (Ravi Shankar), a gangster who has held sway over the criminal underworld for a decade, as he demands a film be made about his life. He imagines his story as a grand action spectacle and hires a director (Sujay Shastry) to realize this vision. Kaali shares his troubled past, revealing his resentment towards his mother’s wish for a conventional life and his obsession with dominating the gangster scene, providing insight into his character.

Next, we meet Ronny (Kiran Raj) through the familiar yet effective imagery of a beer bottle and a cigarette. Kiran Raj’s shift from television to film is impressive; his physicality and performance inject a raw energy into Ronny that hints at transformation. The film delves deeper into character development through Ronny’s two closest friends, who illuminate his dual nature and create a dynamic narrative that contrasts his gangster identity with his earlier life as Raghava.

Raghava, an aspiring actor chasing fame, falls for Anjali (Radhya) at acting school, but their budding romance is soon complicated by Gowli (Yash Shetty), a rival who is also interested in Anjali. This love triangle aims to anchor the film’s grand action in a more relatable personal struggle. While the themes of love and rivalry are intense, they feel almost secondary to the film’s primary focus—Ronny’s transformation and the cyclical patterns of his fate.

Raghava’s aspirations come crashing down when he is forced into a violent decision, leading to a confrontation with Gowli.

Kiran Raj fully immerses himself in his role, offering a powerful and emotional performance, especially as he navigates Raghava’s dreams and challenges as an aspiring actor. His transformation into Ronny captures a wide audience, but these impactful moments are frequently overshadowed by the film’s over-the-top action scenes. While these sequences provide entertainment, they tend to diminish the film’s more profound themes.

Though Ronny embodies the physicality of a gangster, he remains Raghava at heart. His poignant statement—’I am here for art, not the bloodstains of violence, and my goal is to wear makeup’—highlights his yearning to break free from the harsh realities of gangster life and seek refuge in creative expression.

This tension between his artistic aspirations and his involvement in a violent lifestyle serves as the emotional backbone of the film. Ronny is a blend of thrilling action and intimate drama, navigating the intricate journey of redemption and self-discovery against a backdrop of cinematic extravagance. The film’s strength lies in its ability to balance these contrasting elements, even if the execution occasionally wavers.

Ronny

Director: Gurutej Shetty

Cast: Kiran Raj, Radhya, Sameeksha, Apurva, Ravi Shankar P, Ugramm Manju, and Yash Shetty

Rating: 2.5/5