Some consumer products are marketed so well, with attractive packaging, that a consumer is tempted to buy them. But, when they actually open the packaging, they are slightly disappointed, as the product they have purchased, doesn’t fulfill  their high expectations. Same is the case with a feature film. Many a times, the trailer of a particular film, is so appealing that the audience is tempted to watch  such a film. But, when they actually watch the film, they are left disenchanted.

This is what happens,  in the case of  new Marathi film ‘Vakratunda Mahakaya’. The film opens up well, with a terrorist group trying to create trouble in city of Mumbai, by planting a bomb in a soft toy Ganapati and leaving the same in a temple complex, with the help of a hired local terrorist ( Vijay Maurya) . But, his plan is foiled, when a little child Altaf ( Naman Jain) flees away with this toy. Director Punarvasu Naik , who has the influence of Bollywood films, being an associate of  many  known directors;  has tried to develop the story of Yogesh Joshi in his own style. He does succeed to a certain extent, to generate a lot of interest in the first half of the film; showing the ‘cat and mouse’ chase.

The director has also very skilfully, shown the soft toy passing from one person to another and finally coming back to the same child. Some of the sequences,  like the soft toy of Ganapati pouring drop by drop milk, through its  trunk and a modern female saint ( a look alike of a present day controversial God Woman) presenting the same toy, to  a minister, as a return gift;  have been presented well, to generate humour. The presence of the character of an elderly woman ( Usha Nadkarni) selling home made food products and coming across the same soft toy on repeated occasions, has also been captured well.  The veteran actress has also played her part well. But, Prarthana Behere is a waste in this film. She has been used as a married woman, having an affair with a youngster living in the neighborhood; and the latter presenting her with this soft toy, found by him on roadside bench.

There are few other popular faces seen in Marathi serials, like Pallavi Patil ( Runji fame), Rutuja Bagwe( Nanda Saukhyabhare‘ fame), Nachiket  Purnapatre (who has just joined the ‘Dil Dosti Duniyadari’ team) ; but except for Nachiket, who plays a roadside thief Paplu offering shelter to the homeless little boy Altaf, others haven’t found much scope.  Drawback of the film is that many of the dialogues in this film are in Hindi, thus losing its Marathi flavor. Director hasn’t been able to build up the other supporting characters, played by Jayant Savarkar, Usha Nadkarni, Prarthana Behere , Pallavi Patil and few others well, so as to connect them well with the happenings in the film. Perhaps, he didn’t have much scope to elaborate , in this 90 minute long film.

Nevertheless, the performance of Naman Jain, the child star, is praiseworthy.

All that the film has tried to convey,  is that Lord Ganapati is there to thwart all the plans of terrorists.  In simple words,  ‘God is Great! Ganapati Bappa Morya! ‘. But, at the end of the film, it makes you think, as to why every citizen shouldn’t be alert, about the happenings around ?.   ‘Vakratunda Mahakaya’ has therefore turned out to be an average entertaining action filled film, with its limited content.