section_path: Reception/Critical response
section_name: Critical response
paragraph_text: Critical response
  
  Rachit Gupta of Filmfare rated the film 3.5/5 and wrote, "In essence, Game Changer is an unmistakable Shankar creation fuelled and delivered with Ram Charan's charisma." The Hans India also rated the film 3.5 out of 5, calling the performances of Ram Charan and Anjali as "powerhouse" and "strong impact" respectively, and noted, "Game Changer stands out as a solid political drama with exceptional performances, making it a must-watch". Paul Nicodemus of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "Overall, Game Changer is a well-executed commercial film. Shankar's grand scale and Ram Charan's brilliant performance, combined with strong supporting roles and technical excellence, make it a compelling watch for enthusiasts of the genre". The critic also praised the performance of Anjali and S. J. Suryah. Bollywood Hungama rated the film 3.0/5 and wrote, " Game Changer is yet another mass-appealing anti-corruption saga from Shankar that works due to the clapworthy moments, twists and turns, relatable goings-on and performances of Ram Charan and S. J. Suryah."
  
  Prathamesh Jadhav of The Free Press Journal rated Game Changer 3/5 stars, calling it a grand and entertaining political drama with standout performances from Ram Charan and Anjali. Sashidhar Adivi of Times Now gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "With style and swag in abundance, Game Changer is like the quintessential masala entertainer. The film serves up a little bit of everything in its narrative — action, drama, music, romance, exotic locations and sentiment. The screenwriting could have been better." Avad Mohammad of OTTplay gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "Ram Charan shines in this social drama that has a predictable plot, narrated in a decent manner."
  
  Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu described Ram Charan's portrayal of Appanna as "Ram Charan's best performance after Rangasthalam." She remarked, "Director Shankar's latest has fun segments featuring Ram Charan and SJ Suryah, but the hasty narrative leaves little room for emotional heft." Avinash Ramachandran of The Indian Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, " Game Changer is essentially a lot of nice segments that are stitched together in the hope that it would make a good film. Now, individually, these segments have a sense of purpose, but together, they sometimes become incoherent due to the lack of focus."
  
  Janani K of India Today gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "It is high time that Shankar rethinks his way to grandeur filmmaking. Game Changer presents potential ideas but falls short in delivering a lasting impact." Sudhir Srinivasan of Cinema Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "But here's the thing: a three-hour canvas of hero-uses-rules-to-thwart-villains can only stretch so far without fraying, especially when the film itself doesn't treat it too much reverence." Kirubhakar Purushothaman of News18 gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "While mainstream Indian cinema has changed significantly in terms of style and content, Shankar's constant bet on his old ideas seems to be surprising. A lot remains the same in this film, which is ironically titled Game Changer."
  
  Goutham S of Pinkvilla gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "Game Changer is undoubtedly one of the biggest movies to release this year, but it fails to live up to the expectations it set. While director Shankar is known for addressing societal issues at the core of his films, this movie feels stuck in the 1990s style of Indian cinema in terms of execution." Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 2/5 stars and wrote, " Game Changer is never found wanting in the matter of giving plausibility a wide berth and finding easy answers to complex conundrums. The film has a second half that is far better than the first, but taken together they do not add up." BVS Prakash of Deccan Chronicle gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "Director Shankar has to give up his old ideas and come back with refreshing story which doesn't have any shade or resemblance to his earlier blockbusters."
  
  Amit Bhatia of ABP Live gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "Game Changer' fails to live up to its grand title. While Ram Charan's performance is a saving grace, the predictable storyline, over-the-top execution, and lack of originality weigh the film down." Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "In Game Changer, filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj gets the credit for the story. Of course, it's not as unwatchable as Satyameva Jayate 2 or Indian 2, but is that genuinely a compliment?" Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times wrote, "Game Changer is strictly average, even as you're rooting for it to be something more. It succeeds in staying focused on what it sets out to do - call out corruption in Indian politics - but gives you nothing more. And after Shankar's last outing, Indian 2, maybe that's a win."
  
  Rachit Gupta of Filmfare rated the film 3.5/5 and wrote, "In essence, Game Changer is an unmistakable Shankar creation fuelled and delivered with Ram Charan's charisma." The Hans India also rated the film 3.5 out of 5, calling the performances of Ram Charan and Anjali as "powerhouse" and "strong impact" respectively, and noted, "Game Changer stands out as a solid political drama with exceptional performances, making it a must-watch". Paul Nicodemus of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "Overall, Game Changer is a well-executed commercial film. Shankar's grand scale and Ram Charan's brilliant performance, combined with strong supporting roles and technical excellence, make it a compelling watch for enthusiasts of the genre". The critic also praised the performance of Anjali and S. J. Suryah. Bollywood Hungama rated the film 3.0/5 and wrote, " Game Changer is yet another mass-appealing anti-corruption saga from Shankar that works due to the clapworthy moments, twists and turns, relatable goings-on and performances of Ram Charan and S. J. Suryah."
  
  Prathamesh Jadhav of The Free Press Journal rated Game Changer 3/5 stars, calling it a grand and entertaining political drama with standout performances from Ram Charan and Anjali. Sashidhar Adivi of Times Now gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "With style and swag in abundance, Game Changer is like the quintessential masala entertainer. The film serves up a little bit of everything in its narrative — action, drama, music, romance, exotic locations and sentiment. The screenwriting could have been better." Avad Mohammad of OTTplay gave 3/5 stars and wrote, "Ram Charan shines in this social drama that has a predictable plot, narrated in a decent manner."
  
  Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu described Ram Charan's portrayal of Appanna as "Ram Charan's best performance after Rangasthalam." She remarked, "Director Shankar's latest has fun segments featuring Ram Charan and SJ Suryah, but the hasty narrative leaves little room for emotional heft." Avinash Ramachandran of The Indian Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, " Game Changer is essentially a lot of nice segments that are stitched together in the hope that it would make a good film. Now, individually, these segments have a sense of purpose, but together, they sometimes become incoherent due to the lack of focus."
  
  Janani K of India Today gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "It is high time that Shankar rethinks his way to grandeur filmmaking. Game Changer presents potential ideas but falls short in delivering a lasting impact." Sudhir Srinivasan of Cinema Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "But here's the thing: a three-hour canvas of hero-uses-rules-to-thwart-villains can only stretch so far without fraying, especially when the film itself doesn't treat it too much reverence." Kirubhakar Purushothaman of News18 gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "While mainstream Indian cinema has changed significantly in terms of style and content, Shankar's constant bet on his old ideas seems to be surprising. A lot remains the same in this film, which is ironically titled Game Changer."
  
  Goutham S of Pinkvilla gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "Game Changer is undoubtedly one of the biggest movies to release this year, but it fails to live up to the expectations it set. While director Shankar is known for addressing societal issues at the core of his films, this movie feels stuck in the 1990s style of Indian cinema in terms of execution." Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 2/5 stars and wrote, " Game Changer is never found wanting in the matter of giving plausibility a wide berth and finding easy answers to complex conundrums. The film has a second half that is far better than the first, but taken together they do not add up." BVS Prakash of Deccan Chronicle gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "Director Shankar has to give up his old ideas and come back with refreshing story which doesn't have any shade or resemblance to his earlier blockbusters."
  
  Amit Bhatia of ABP Live gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "Game Changer' fails to live up to its grand title. While Ram Charan's performance is a saving grace, the predictable storyline, over-the-top execution, and lack of originality weigh the film down." Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost gave 2/5 stars and wrote, "In Game Changer, filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj gets the credit for the story. Of course, it's not as unwatchable as Satyameva Jayate 2 or Indian 2, but is that genuinely a compliment?" Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times wrote, "Game Changer is strictly average, even as you're rooting for it to be something more. It succeeds in staying focused on what it sets out to do - call out corruption in Indian politics - but gives you nothing more. And after Shankar's last outing, Indian 2, maybe that's a win."