They Call Him OG

Another southern superstar vehicle that alternates between soaring high and sputtering cumbersomely, They Call Him OG does not go completely off the rails thanks to the kinetic power that lead actor Pawan Kalyan lends the film. The Telugu superstar goes full tilt at powering an erratic screenplay that delivers an abundance of superficial style. The film has plenty of arrows in its quiver but all of them hit their intended targets. But if you are a Pawan Kalyan fan, that lacuna is unlikely to take anything away from the sheen that the star possesses.

All the superstars of Indian cinema share one thing in common: a remarkable screen presence. All it takes is for them to come on screen and blow us away with just one glance. Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan, fondly known as Power Star by his fans, is one such actor whose antics are enough to set the screen ablaze. For his fans, director Sujeeth’s ‘They Call Him OG’ is a film that promises to satisfy all their cravings.

“When a cyclone strikes, bow down to the tide. When OG arrives, run and hide.” A character holding a grudge against the protagonist says something to this effect. It isn’t the sharpest mass dialogue in mainstream Telugu cinema, but the actor’s intonation gives it weight. Director Sujeeth’s They Call Him OG references cyclones a few times, but fire serves as the recurring visual motif, shaping the presence of the titular character — Ojas Gambheera, aka Original Gangster, played by Pawan Kalyan. The film was in production for four years, and the director openly acknowledges his admiration for the star, filling the film with fan-service moments.