Sanjay Dutt’s face is kept in close-up for much of the film, and there is still power in it. This is an actor who can explode off the screen, given the right story. Maybe he needs something better told to vent his anger.

The climax comes with tired tropes that we associate with such revenge dramas – Hydari is shown as Adi Shakti or a devi of Hindu mythology who is wreaking vengeance. While Dutt does the actual fighting, symbolically, Hydari is the one punishing the wrong-doers. Oh, the demands of Bollywood masala train.

The highpoint of Bhoomi is that the plot of the film is very okay but it has a massy appeal to it. The film might not bore you but it is certainly not one of the most interesting revenge sagas made in recent times. 

By the time it gets on to display Dutt’s aggression and Hydari’s token participation against a red and yellow-themed climax featuring a miraculously accumulated crowd of village women in colour-coordinated costumes, Bhoomi’s blood-splattering, bone-crunching vigour is as unwelcome as the rest of this ghastly movie.

Bhoomi lags far behind Kaabil and Mom which were based on a similar subject. The item song featuring Sunny Leone dulls the “feminism” flavour that Omung wants to give this film. The climax is straight out of a bad ’80s movie, with some unintentionally funny moments. Shekhar Suman annoys. Strictly for loyal Sanjay Dutt fans.

Omung Kumar’s obsession for stylised cinematic moments is more melodramatic intolerable fare. Raaj Shaandaliya writes the most cringe-worthy dialogue of the year to reinforce the trauma inflicted on the father-daughter duo. Originality here means coming up with demeaning games such as ‘hide and cheekh’. Its sleazy villains cross all borders of morality with their innuendo talk. The end result is a film which is an assault on the senses.

Bhoomi is a story which never should’ve been made at the first place. Alas! Damage has been done now, my only hope with this film is it’ll be a lesson for people who want to execute a story like this. Miss this one, please! Watching Bhoomi after Kingsman: The Golden Circle is exactly the situation everyone feels who visits a local train after Metro.

Omung Kumar’s ‘Bhoomi’ is, to say the least, a disturbing film. The discomfort doesn’t stem just from the dark motifs of rape and revenge, but also from the director’s treatment of these sensitive issues.

BHOOMI brings back Sanjay Dutt to his karmbhoomi, like a seasoned warrior Dutt lovingly called ‘baba’ makes an impact and his screen presence is charismatic as ever. Watch it for Sanju Baba

The film tells you that India isn’t safe for women, especially young girls but in the recent times films like ‘Pink’, ‘Mom’ and even ‘Maatr’ have dealt with the subject in a mature way. ‘Bhoomi’ is not quite the re-entry to Bollywood that Dutt’s fans had been expecting. But it still justifies a trip to the theaters just for the man.

Overall, this film coming from director Omung Kumar who had earlier given us films like “Mary Kom” and “Sarbjit”, is a big let down. The entire viewing experience is truly repulsive and an eye sore.

Bhoomi is better dressed, better filmed and better performed than the old-fashioned revenge drama it actually is.

And the big differentiator is that this film has Dutt showing us that his wrinkles have their own stories to tell. While the idea of an eye-for-an-eye and taking the law into one’s hands is hard to justify, Dutt’s performance is affecting. He’s tender, he’s tormented and helpless, and when he’s vengeful, you feel his pain.

This version of avenge-your-daughter’s-rape film is so gory and violent, you wonder if they’re all living in some time warp. Who makes such films? And why should we watch such blood and gore?

With its done to death theme, Bhoomi is just old wine served in a new bottle, and does little to stand apart from the pack. The only saving graces are its intentions and the performances by Dutt, Hydari and Kelkar. Bhoomi will benefit a lot for being Sanjay Dutt’s comeback. But when it comes to the other way around, well, I do wish Sanjay Dutt would have chosen a better movie as his comeback.

Except for the effort of the actors, there isn’t anything going for Bhoomi. There are a couple of well conceptualised scenes, especially the one in the climax. But, one it is a little too dramatic too and it is of course very little, very late.

While I try to keep my flag of disdain for such material flying high, I am but mortal. Both my patience and anger will be drowned out by homogenised cinema sooner than later, and I will be but a bystander as irresponsible cash grabs like this one continue to live on long after the death of my sentiments.

It’s might over mind. There’s nothing remotely redeeming about this film. Watch this at your own risk.

Revenge Drama Created for Single Screens, and Sanjay Dutt Fans…