Kiran Raj’s dual portrayal elevates Ronny, despite a familiar plot

The film follows the classic arc of an aspiring hero who, despite his best intentions, becomes enmeshed in the chaos of the criminal underworld. As Ronny’s story unfolds, he encounters key characters who offer brief moments of solace in his otherwise tumultuous life. The mix of gangster action and melodrama leads to a resolution that, while predictable, delivers its thrills and emotional highs with consistent flair. Characters like Dharmanna Kadur, as Ronny’s friend, and Anil Yadav, as Bala, briefly highlight their roles as supporting and antagonistic forces, respectively.

In its attempt to provide a fresh perspective on the genre, accompanied by Manikanth Kadri’s music, Sachin Basrur’s background score, and Raghavendra B Kolar’s cinematography, Ronny offers a compelling glimpse into how an aspiring individual transitions into the world of crime. While it doesn’t break new ground, it presents a respectable portrayal of ambition and the harsh realities of gangster life.

Kiran Raj invests deeply in his role, delivering a heartfelt and intense performance, particularly when exploring Raghava’s struggles and ambitions to be an actor. His transition to Ronny is marked by mass appeal, though these moments are often overshadowed by the film’s exaggerated action sequences, which, while entertaining, dilute its deeper thematic undertones.

Ronny is physically a gangster but, at heart, remains Raghava; his declaration—’I am here for art, not the bloodstains of violence, and my goal is to wear makeup’—expresses his desire to escape the brutal world of gangsterism and find solace in artistic expression.

This duality—between his search for creative dreams and the entanglement in a violent world—forms the emotional core of the film. Ronny is a whirlwind of intense action and deeply personal drama, steering through the complex terrain of redemption and self-realisation amidst a backdrop of cinematic excess. Its success lies in balancing these elements, even if the overall execution falters on occasion.

Ronny

Director: Gurutej Shetty

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

Rating : 2.5/5