Ranbir Kapoor riding a horse. Ranbir Kapoor riding a horse with an axe. Ranbir Kapoor riding a horse with an axe and Vaani Kapoor. I won’t be surprised if this is what the draft of Shamshera’s screenplay looked like!

Too monotonous? Wait, there’s also Ranbir Kapoor trapping a swarm of bees in a loose cloth. The bizarreness of Shamshera has several shades. After a four-year hiatus, RK is back on the big screen in the much delayed and anticipated offering, Shamshera. Was it worth the wait? Does it do justice to RK’s craft or end up as a big heap of disappointment? Let’s find out.

Ranbir’s Shamshera is a Lone Ranger who later transitions into Robin Hood. The plot isn’t different from what the promos offered. Shamshera (Ranbir) is the leader of the downtrodden, lower-caste tribals called Khamerans. They live in these barren landscapes surrounded by mountains and trenches. Ruled by the British army, their clan is governed by the dreaded police officer Shuddh Singh (Sanjay Dutt), whose job is to keep these tribals under control. Wanting to free his tribe from this oppression, Shamshera plans a revolt that goes awry, resulting in the ultimate sacrifice – his death!

The plot races 25 years ahead to introduce us to his son Baali (also Ranbir, duh) who dreams of becoming an officer himself. His hate and disdain for his father, who abandoned him years ago, trumps his loyalty to his people. But it doesn’t take too long for the blindfold to slip and reveal the truth. Now on the path to freeing his own tribe and also seeking vengeance for his father’s death, Baali becomes Shamshera and fights a twofold battle against Shuddh Singh and the British officers. Along the way, he falls in love with Sona (Vaani Kapoor), becomes a father nearing the climax and attempts to have a full-blown Brave-Heart moment, trying to rouse the valour of his tribe to fight the oppression they have suffered.