Like countless directors all over the world, Ram Gopal Varma admits to being influenced by Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather in making his latest crime story, Sarkar. And who better to step into the roles made famous by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino than the towering real life father and son team Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan. Replacing the Italian-American mafia setting with Mumbai's murky underworld, Sarkar is a dark, well-made but less riveting drama than the original Hollywood classic.

While Brando played a mobster who uses loopholes in the law to run organised crime, Amitabh Bachchan portrays Subhash Nagare, aka Sarkar, a self-righteous man who dispenses his own brand of justice for the common man who has been failed by the government or police. But operating above the law means problems for his power hungry elder son Vishnu (Kay Kay Menon) and younger, educated son Shankar (Abhishek Bachchan). When Sarkar is framed for a murder he didn't order, you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out which of his enemies is to blame and exactly where each son's loyalties lie.

"BY NO MEANS AN IMITATION"

Despite being inspired by The Godfather, Sarkar is by no means an imitation. The concept of an honourable Don whose sole purpose is seeking retribution for the weak by any means necessary - and as a by-product lining his family's pockets - is an interesting one. Whether or not that would actually happen in today's morally and financially corrupt Indian society is another matter. Either way, Sarkar leaves enough time for the audience to get to grips with the subject matter and the Bachchans to deliver commendable performances.

In Hindi with English subtitles.

Music: Amar Mohile, Kunal Mehta, Pariksht Lalwani, Anup Dev