Movie Review: Ek - The Power of One

Ek - The Power of One: Nana – Bobby shine in an average film
Rating: 2 out of 5*
Starring: Bobby Deol, Nana Patekar, Shriya Saran, Priti Bhutani, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Raghuvir Yadav, Pradeep Kharab and Zarina Wahab
Director: Sangeeth Sivan


Every time Bobby Deol comes onscreen, the background score goes excruciatingly screechy and the camera zooms to close-up angles for that extra effect. After a long wait, the audience is seeing Bobby Deol (long locks and all) in a sizeable role playing the lead. After Dostana, this I thought would be a good opportunity for Bobby Deol to make a mark in Bollywood.
Nandu (Bobby) and Shekhar (Pradeep Kharab) are childhood pals who have taken to crime and contract killing at a very young age. They get mentored by a goon Sawtya (Jackie Shroff) during their growing up years. Now as grownups, Nandu becomes the most dreaded assassin in town and Shekhar his accomplice who always helps him in getting away from the scene of crime within minutes. Opposition leader Anna Mhatre (Sachin Khedekar) to create a sympathy wave for him in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections hires Nandu to make a false attack on him. According to the plan, Nandu aims a shot on Anna’s arms who is addressing a huge political rally but before he shoots, a bullets zips through Anna’s forehead killing him instantly. Now the Police present on the scene see Bobby fleeing and think of him as the assassinator. When he tries to reach for Shekhar’s car, he sees it getting blown up after it hits a petrol tanker. Chased by cops Nandu enters a train heading towards Punjab. In the train Nandu meets Puran (Akshay Kapoor) who is going back home to Hoshiyaarpur after 18 years since the time he had runaway as a kid. The talkative Puran narrates in short time everything about his home and shows Nandu his souvenirs from home. Just then Police arrives and in the commotion that ensues mistakenly shoot Puran. Nandu yet again succeeds in fleeing the scene. He heads straight to Puran’s house but is mistaken as Puran by his family. Unable to reveal the sad truth, Nandu starts staying in their house impersonating Puran. There he encounters Puran’s childhood love Preet (Shriya). He takes it upon himself to solve all the problems that Puran’s family is facing. But his happiness is short-lived as a quirky but intelligent CBI officer Nandkumar Rane (Nana) hot on trail to nab Anna Mhatre’s assassin lands up in Hoshiyaarpur at Puran’s doorsteps. What follows next forms the rest of the film wherein many secrets get revealed some shocking, some not so shocking.
The twist arises when Shekhar’s family expecting Shekhar after a gap of over 14 years and not recognizing how he looks, welcome Nandu with open arms assuming him to be Shekhar. Nandu, reluctant to be the bearer of the bad news in such a happy atmosphere decides to play along and be Shekhar. Here he falls in love with a very cute and bubbly Preet (Shreya Saran), who is the daughter of Shekhar's grandfather's friend playng a typical Punjabi girl. The plot builds by the case of Nandu being transferred to CBI who in turn assigns it to Inspector Rane (Nana Patekar) who rears a very hip-hop look which definitely does not suit him. There are a number of daring stunts performed both by Nandu and Inspector Rane to give the movie a very Hollywood action movie feel. The action sequences are directed by a famous Hollywood action director. In the end the climax answers all the questions built up during the course of the movie. Bobby Deol can make a better actor but yet doesn’t make a mark in this movie. Nana Patekar’s humor and comedy timing was just ok. All in all, an ok movie. Watch it if you like super-human action sequences.