Puri Connects and Sangeeta Ahir Moviez’s Double Ismart (dubbed from the Telugu film of the same name; A) is the sequel to Ismart Shankar (Telugu).
Shankar’s (Ram Pothineni) brain already has the memory of a police inspector. Now, Big Bull (Sanjay Dutt) wants to store his memory in Shankar’s brain as he (Big Bull) is about to die and, therefore, wants to preserve his memory so that his incomplete task of dividing India into two parts can be completed. But Shankar has an axe to grind with Big Bull. What happens finally? Does Big Bull survive or does he die? Is his sinister plan executed or not?
Puri Jagannadh’s story and screenplay are not interesting enough to engage the audience. The viewers wonder why Big Bull would take the trouble of transferring his memory elsewhere when he knows, he is not going to survive beyond a few months. The latter part of the drama, where Shankar seeks revenge and CBI officer Parmeshwaran (Sayaji Shinde) reveals about his plan with Shankar, does not impress the viewers. All in all, Puri Jagannadh’s story and screenplay fail to involve the audience because they seem a bit weird. Emotions are dull. Comedy is irritating. The confrontation scenes between Shankar and Big Bull fail to excite the viewers. Dialogues (by Rajendra Sapre) are so-so.
Ram Pothineni is good in the role of Shankar. Kavya Thapar is alright as Shankar’s girlfriend, Jannat. Sanjay Dutt is fair as Big Bull. Makarand Deshpande is okay as neuroscientist Thomas. Sayaji Shinde is okay as CBI officer Parmeshwaran. Bani J. makes her presence felt in the role of Big Bull’s henchwoman. Jhansi is okay as Shankar’s mother, Durga Devi. Ali’s comedy is irritating — and not just because there’s no connection with the story and hence it appears contrived. Getup Srinu (as Shankar’s friend), Pragathi, Ganesh Yadav (as police inspector Ashok), Uttej and Ajay Dhansu (as the RAW officer) lend routine support. Others pass muster.
Puri Jagannadh’s direction is average. Mani Sharma’s music is functional. Lyrics (Raqib Alam and Mohsin Shaikh) aren’t anything to shout about. Song picturisations (by Jani, Shobi and Vijay Polaki) are nice. Mani Sharma’s background music is not very impactful. Camerawork (by Gianni Giannelli and Shyam K. Naidu) is good. Action and stunt scenes (by Kecha Khamphakdee, Real Satish and Stunt Jashuva) are thrilling. Karthika Srinivas’ editing ought to have been sharper. Dubbing is proper.
On the whole, Double Ismart is too ordinary to make a mark at the box-office.
Released on 15-8-’24 at Metro Inox (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru AA Films. Publicity: dull. Opening: very ordinary in spite of Independence Day holiday. …….Also released all over. Opening was below the mark at many places.