Custody

Custody has the kind of story that's predictable and some of the characters could've been fully realised to make this experience better than what it is. But if action dramas with a touch of emotion are your cup of tea, this is right down your lane.

Custody has a very interesting premise that could have been an edge-of-the-seat thriller but the screenplay meanders all over the place. However, this was marred by too many characters and sub-plots. Custody is predictable but if the Shiva-Raju relationship/ story had been completely unlocked, it would have made for terrific viewing.

Custody doesn't decide what type of movie it wants to be till the very last scene of the film. Whenever Venkat Prabhu tries to make Custody a normal commercial entertainer, it ends up disappointing. The tone of the film thus ends up being as inconsistent as its Tamil dubbing.

Despite such moments, the film falls short. Though Shiva's motivation comes across unoriginal and weak, Venkat Prabhu manages to shine in many places purely relying on his filmmaking skills, yet the film seems dull in parts due to the lack of slick editing.

Venkat Prabhu, who previously showcased his inventiveness with Maanaadu, disappoints with Custody. Custody had the task of redefining the onscreen image of Naga Chaitanya, but by the end of the movie, Chaitanya remains a pretty boy, and the film fails to deliver the edge needed for an effective action drama.

Custody is one of those action films that never realise their potential and get lost midway. It wastes a lot of time initially in the scenes between Chaitanya and Krithi Shetty. If only all this excessive flab was removed and the story only focused on Shiva, Raju and all those men who are after them, this would've been a cracker of an action-thriller.