Tag: Akshay Kumar

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Kesari Chapter 2 (The untold story of Jallinwala Bagh): A stirring tale of colonial injustice

Kesari Chapter 2 poster

An aspect which makes Kesari Chapter 2 stand out is the characterization of Ananya Pandey’s Dilreet Gill an idealistic young woman breaking conventions. Director and writer Karan Singh Tyagi is successful in pushing all the right buttons making the viewers emotional and evoking feelings of disgust towards the British.

Starcast: Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, Ananya Pandey, Simon Paisley Day, Reginna Cassandra and others

Genre: Drama

Director and writer: Karan Singh Tyagi

Dialogues: Sumit Saxena

Cinematography: Debojeet Ray

Based on: The Case That Shook The Empire By Raghu Palat And Pushpa Jalat

Producers: Karan Johar, Adar Poonawala etc

Production Companies: Leo Media Collective and Dharma Productions

Music: Shaswat Sachadev, Kavita Seth and Kanishk Seth

Running time: 2hours and 14 minutes

The subject of Jallinwala Bagh massacre has a huge emotional resonance irrespective of how many times filmmakers explore the topic. The beats of Kesari Chapter 2 has a certain resemblance to the Ram Madhvani web series The Waking of a Nation in terms of the courtroom proceedings and how the narrative unfolds the events leading up to the mass genocide however Kesari Chapter 2 is very much its own beast, the movie is based on the novel written by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Jalat focusing on the fight of Shankaran Nair. It’s hard to say how much has been fictionalized particularly the characterization of Ananya Pandey however the movie is successful in immersing the viewers in spite of familiar troupes particularly the courtroom proceedings. Subtlety and logic isn’t Kesari Chapter 2’s biggest strength but nevertheless the movie is successful in evoking patriotic feelings.

Ananya Pandey as the young lawyer Dilreet Gill

Kesari Chapter 2 doesn’t waste any time in setting up the proceedings. The first ten to fifteen minutes are devoted to the massive bloodbath led by Simon Paisely Day’s General Dyer. The presentation is very graphic in nature unlike Ram Madhvani’s The Waking of a Nation however it does work. The piles of blood soaked bodies coupled with cinematography department makes the audiences blood boil. We see the massacre from the perspective of a young boy Pargat Singh (played by an excellent Krish Rao). From here we move to Akshay Kumar’s Sir C Shankaran Nair. Shankaran Nair is a hot shot lawyer working for the British. He also receives the honor of Knighthood from the British government the same day when the Jallianwala Bagh massacre happens. Shankaran Nair is known for his excellent arguments and the way he manipulates the proceedings. This is established early on in a case involving Pargat Singh’s father. However things take a huge turn after the set up of a so called commission meant to enquire the events leading up to that harrowing day. Shankaran Nair’s belief in the British justice system takes a massive hit as Shankaran starts digging deep. What also shakes his conscience is a meeting with Pargat Singh. However in spite of the misgivings Shankaran Nair decides to not dwell further but that changes with the entry of the fiery Dilreet Gill (an excellent Ananya Pandey). This is the story in a nutshell.

A strong aspect of Kesari Chapter 2 is how Karan Singh Tyagi has designed the character of Akshay Kumar. Yes the transformation of Shankaran Nair and his deep faith in the British justice system could have done with little more nuances still the way the director has presented the various dilemmas faced by the man keeps the viewers engrossed. A particular mention must be made of the emotional turmoil which Shankaran Nair goes through at various stages. His fighting spirit in spite of the numerous hurdles coupled with Akshay’s act makes the viewers root for Shankaran Nair. Of course an argument can be made on why not have R Madhavan play the titular role given his South Indian background, still Akshay’s fiery performance particularly in the scenes where Shankaran Nair confronts General Dyer about his racist behavior makes the casting work.

As already mentioned Ananya Pandey’s Dilreet Gill plays a young woman breaking numerous conventions particularly given the period the movie is set in. Of course how much of the characterization is similar to the truth and book is a question mark still Ananya Pandey plays a very crucial role in making the movie more interesting. A scene which specifically needs to be mentioned here is Dilreet Gill’s response to the press who are surprised with Shankaran Nair having a female counsel. She responds by saying what is so surprising doesn’t the British have a queen. On the surface it may appear as a simple moment but the sarcasm behind it questioning a certain type of attitude makes it a brilliant scene. The character of Dilreet Gill has various shades and Ananya does complete justice more than holding own opposite Akshay Kumar. The scene in the railway station where she confronts Shankaran Nair on how he shouldn’t run away and instead should fight back against the crown is a significant reminder of how far the young actress has come. Another portion worth mentioning is the cross examination scene involving an important character Martha Stevan’s. From the initial nervousness to taking things head on Ananya does a marvelous job.

R Madhavan plays Advocate Neville McKinley. He enters the movie at a crucial moment just before the interval. Nevile McKinley is an eccentric counsel with a certain misguided grudge towards Shankaran Nair. The back story of Nevile McKinley has some interesting touches which could have been explored more however to the actor’s credit R Madhavan adds a lot of spice to the courtroom proceedings even though the writing trudges along a familiar path. Of late R Madhavan has been playing more of grey/negative roles whether it is Vikas Bahl’s Shaitaan or this years Test. Once again R Madhavan does a very fine job proving to be a worthy opponent for Akshay. The way he portrays the different shades of the role is a treat to watch.

R Madhavan and Akshay Kumar face off

Simon Paisley Day in spite of the heavily accented Hindi like his collogues is very successful in making the viewers detest him. The backstory of Dyer involving scenes of being bullied give a psychological insight into the man’s behavior. Among the other actors Amit Sial impresses with his understated villainy. Reginna Cassandra as Akshay’s wife adds an emotional depth in spite of the limited screen time and a not so great characterization.

Simon Paisley Day as General Dyer

An another interesting aspect of Kesari Chapter 2 is how it portrays the issue of press being controlled either through manipulation or being shut down. Looks like nothing much has changed from them.

The technical department led by cinematographer Debojeet Ray is very effective in creating the right atmospherics. There is an authenticity to the way the period has been recreated whether it is the blood stained grounds of Jallianwala Bagh, the colonial courts or the even the place of viceroy which has numerous shots of lavish parties. The soundtrack by nature isn’t of the popular variety still the few songs make for a wonderful listen and watch. The recreated version of Teri Mitti with Nair visiting the massacre sight of course takes the top spot. At the same time “Oh Shera and “Kithe Gaya Tu Saaiyan” also tug at the viewers heartstrings.

Talking about the flaws the heavily accented Hindi of the Foreign actors leave a bitter after taste. Even Akshay Kumar’s attempt at speaking Malayalam in one scene comes across as very jarring to say the least. Also the way Dilreet and Shankaran Nair find evidences against the British make it look like an piece of cake. The courtroom proceedings follow a set template, this adds to a certain fatigue during some moments.

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Sky Force : A competent and refreshing war drama avoiding the usual bombastic-ness

‘Sky Force’ directed by Sandeep Kelwani and Abhishek Anil Kapur is set during the tumulus war of 1965. The movie follows India’s daring and successful airstrike on Pakistani’s heavily protected Sargodha airbase.
Sky Force (Hindi), 24-01-2025, Action, Drama, 2 hours 30 minutes, U/A, Theatre
  • Main Cast: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sharad Kelkar, Sara Ali Khan, and Nimrat Kaur
  • Director: Sandeep Kelwani and Abhishek Anil Kapur
  • Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Jyothi Desphande
  • Music Director: Tanishk Bagchi
  • Cinematography: Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran
  • Rating: 3/5

Subjects involving our beloved neighbour Pakistan have been one of Bollywood’s pet themes over many years, whether it is the likes of Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) or Aditya Dhar’s Uri (2019).

The love and hate-relationship between India and Pakistan has been the emotional fodder for numerous movies. When it comes to war movies portraying Pakistan there has been an increasing trend of playing to the gallery with zero nuances, of course, exceptions are also there like the Meghana Gulzar-directed Raazi (2018), a movie which looked at the human cost of war.

Synopsis

Sky Force directed by Sandeep Kelwani and Abhishek Anil Kapur is set during the tumulus war of 1965. The movie follows India’s daring and successful airstrike on Pakistani’s heavily protected Sargodha airbase.

In this very successful mission, the rebellious squadron leader TK Tabby (a promising Veer Pahariya) goes missing. He has a major disregard for protocols, which leads to him flying solo into the enemy territory during a sky-force mission.

TK Tabby goes missing and the higher authorities in the military have zero interest in knowing his whereabouts given his rebellious nature. It is left to Akshay Kumar’s KO Tiger Ahuja to uncover the mystery.

KO Ahuja is both a wing commander and also a fatherly figure to Tabby. The movie follows KO Ahuja’s relentless quest.

Sharad Kelkar in an extended special appearance plays Pakistani squadron leader Ahmed Hussain. He turns out to be a major link for Tiger Ahuja in unravelling the mystery.

What works and what doesn’t 

There is no denying that Sky Force has a bumpy start. The initial sequences of camaraderie and the air training portions have a distinct hangover from Siddarth Anand’s Fighter a movie which also featured many air combat sequences.

But the movie soon settles down as the intensity of the 1965 War takes centre stage.

The movie also taps into the bureaucratic frustrations and political red tape. These issues are briefly touched upon effectively. The pre-interval sequence leading to the successful airstrike and then the subsequent disappearance of Tabby is wonderfully staged thoroughly involving the viewers.

The second half focuses on KO Ahuja’s relentless quest and from here on the movie engages the viewers emotionally.

How KO Ahuja finds the first lead thanks to Ahmed Hussain and his determination to uncover bringing closure and also justice to Sarah Ali Khan’s Geeta Vijaya —Tabby’s wife packs in an emotional punch.

The ultimate revelation and how Tabby gets his much-deserved due for his bravery has both been wonderfully written and enacted.

Dynamics between the leads

A major plus for the movie apart from the strong emotional resonance, are the dynamics between Tabby and KO Ahuja.

The on-screen camaraderie between the two characters has been wonderfully established. KO Ahuja sees his lost son in Tabby— there is visible warmth in the light-hearted scenes.

KO Ahuja is a father-like figure to Tabby, someone he respects deeply. Ahuja treats Tabby with warmth but maintains an authoritative stance. In one scene, Tabby is kept on standby and not allowed to take part in any action. When Tabby asks for an explanation, saying he has always looked up to Ahuja as a father, Ahuja responds firmly, “I don’t owe you any explanations.”

Sky Force is also refreshing in the sense that there are no in-your-face celebrations after India defeats Pakistan, no over-the-top dialogues looking down at Pakistan.

The animosity between the two nations isn’t going to last forever. There is a mutual sense of respect for men in uniform in both India and Pakistan. The scenes featuring Sharad Kelker as the Pakistani squadron leader is a very good example of this.

Technical aspects and performances

The action sequences designed by Parvez Shaikh and Craig MacRae are a delight to watch particularly for fans of air combat sequences.

Santhana Krishnan Ravichandrana’s cinematography is also stunning. He perfectly captures the intense action like an action-packed sequence between Veer Pahariya and Sharad Kelkar.

Tanishk Bagchi’s music is of a good standard barring one rather unnecessary party number. Among his compositions, the standout number not surprisingly goes to B Praak’s “O Maaye Teri Mitti Bulaye”. The composition along with B Praak’s soulful voice will move the audiences.

Talking about the main leads Akshay Kumar as KO Ahuja plays a senior officer and a concerned mentor with absolute finesse. He brings in a lot of gravitas making the viewers root for his character.

Veer Pahariya makes a confident debut; he plays the determined soldier with conviction effortlessly embodying a rebellious nature. Sharad Kelkar also leaves a significant impact in his brief role with a restraint act.

Nimrat Kaur and Sara Ali Khan play the typical army men-wife characters. They are good in their limited portions but the characterizations of both leave a lot to be desired.

Final take

To sum it up Sky Force is worth boarding on despite a familiar territory.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/sky-force-movie-review/

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Khel Khel Mein: A deadly game of revelations

Director Mudassar Aziz successfully dwells into the themes of how much we really know our friends and partners. The game of surrendering phones leads to a major chaos, unexpected secrets tumble out leading to major conflicts

  • Starcast: Akshay Kumar, Vani Kapoor, Taapsee Pannu, Aditya Seal, Ammy Virk, Pragya Jaiswal, Fardeen Khan and others
  • Direction, screenplay and story: Mudassar Aziz
  • Based on: Perfect Strangers by Paolo Genovese
  • Producers: Ashwin Varde, Bhushan Kumar, Vipul D. Shah and others
  • Music: Tanishk Bagchi, Rochak Kohli, Guru Randhawa and Raj Ranjodh
  • Cinematography: Manoj Kumar Khatoi
  • Production house: T- Series Films and Wakaoo Films and White World Productions
  • Running time: 2 hours and 21 minutes
  • Streaming site: Netflix

Mudassar Aziz’s Khel Khel Mein based on the Italian movie Perfetti Sconoscuit (Perfect Strangers) has been remade in several languages including the Malayalam movie 12th Man. 12th Man was directed by Jeethu Joseph reuniting him with Mohanlal. What makes the subject of Perfect Strangers so relatable is the exploration of how smartphones create havoc in a what appears to be a perfect marriage. Jeetu Joseph’s 12th Man was more of a mystery/thriller with his signature touches. Khel Khel Mein on the other hand is more of a matrimonial comedy. Every time the movie switches into a tense mode a comic scene follows soon.

The Italian movie Perfect Strangers has been remade into several languages including the Malayalam movie 12th Man

The plot of Khel Khel Mein is set against the backdrop of a big Indian wedding. You have three couples along with a bachelor friend. The night before the wedding Vani Kapoor’s Vartika suggests a game of surrendering their mobiles. Everyone has the license to read or listen to whatever message or video call that will come. What starts off as fun soon goes into a very murky territory. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Khel Khel Mein is Mudassar Aziz’s portrayal of sensitive issues without getting preachy. The movie dwells on teenage sex, infertility and homosexuality among others. All this is backed with strong humor particularly from Akshay Kumar.

Akshay Kumar plays Dr Rishabh. He is an expert at telling white lies. It is refreshing to see Akshay back in the humor zone, a genre which he has aced previously. The actor generates many chuckles with his perfect comic timing. Apart from the humor scenes Akshay also shines in the portion where he gives advice to the teenage daughter about taking things to the next level with her boyfriend. The scene is treated with a lot of maturity giving the movie some depth. Another scene that needs to be mentioned here is the one where Akshay gives a speech on how marriage is not an ownership but a partnership. It is very poignant.

Akshay Kumar as Dr Rishabh. He generates many chuckles with his perfect comic timing

Apart from marital problems the movie also briefly touches upon homosexuality through the character of Fardeen Khan’s Kabir. Initially the actor doesn’t seem to have much to do but he makes a striking impact in the scene where Kabir opens up on his sexual preferences and being removed as a cricket coach in an all-boys school. The management had feared that a gay coach is not good for the students.

Fardeen Khan makes a striking impact in the scene where Kabir opens up on his sexual preferences

Taapsee Pannu shines the best among the female leads

Taapsee Pannu shines the best among the female leads. The Punjabi twang is reminiscent of what the viewers have already seen in last year’s Dunki but still the actress shines bright as a homemaker desperate to have babies. Without her husband’s knowledge she is looking to have children through an infertility clinic. A particular mention must be made of the scene when she lambasts her husband on hiding an important report. Ammy Vik as a hotheaded Sardar also makes a strong impact. He is especially good in the scene where he reminisces about a past love and an inability to keep people happy.

Among the rest Aditya Seal and Pragya Jaiswal also get their moments to shine. Just like the characters of Taapsee and Ammy’s these two also have some dark secrets, Vani Kapoor as the writer though suffers from a sketchy characterization. Her track is half-baked. Her idea of the phone game comes across as scheming than fun, as a result the taunt of Akshay Kumar at one point makes the viewers side with him. Also, the scene where she tries to be a cool mom to Akshay Kumar’s daughter doesn’t have the desired impact.

Another slight issue with Khel Khel Mein is the gag involving an attempted suicide. The punch lines are hilarious, and the absurdity of the situation does make the viewers laugh but in the overall scheme of things the makers could have done away with this.

Keeping aside these small niggles Khel Khel Mein is easily one of the most enjoyable Akshay Kumar movie of the recent past. The film would have fared much better with a solo release date instead of getting sandwiched with Stree 2.

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Akshay Kumar and the need for reinvention

A rundown on how Akshay Kumar went from being a bankable star with numerous hit films to an actor struggling to get good openings.

Starting from the year 1991, Akshay Kumar aka “Khiladi Kumar” acted in over 100 films.

At the beginning of his career, Akshay was primarily known as an “Action Star” because of his physicality and fitness levels. The “Khiladi” tag was the result of the action sequences and this image has stayed with the actor to date.

However, thanks to acclaimed South Indian director Priyadarshan, the actor’s image took a huge turn with the film Hera Pheri (2000). In Hera Pheri, Akshay Kumar played a street-smart guy called Raju.

The film gave him ample scope to display his comic skills. The movie also had a couple of emotional scenes which he pulled off with ease.

Hera Pheri opened new doors for Akshay Kumar. The film did not get a good opening but emerged as a box-office success gradually.

It is considered to be one of the best comic films made in Hindi cinema. It was a remake of the Malayalam movie Ramji Rao Speaking (1989).

The combo of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan entertained the audiences further in the likes of Garam Masala (2006) and Bhagam Bhag (2005) — also a remake of the Malayalam classic Manichitrathazhu (1993).

In these films, Akshay Kumar raised many chuckles with his comic timing.

A special mention must be made of the scenes in Garam Masala, where his character juggles multiple girlfriends.

However, it wouldn’t be fair to categorise Akshay as just a comic actor.

More than a comedy actor

Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Waqt: The Race Against Time’. (X)

There are the likes of Aankhen (2002) and Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005), among others, where Akshay Kumar proved himself as a versatile actor.

In Aankhen, he played one of the blind men whom Amitabh Bachchan uses as a pawn to take revenge against the bank where he was working and humiliated.

The Bollywood actor got the nuances of the role spot on and was very impressive, particularly in the face-off with Bachchan.

In Waqt: The Race Against Time, the actor played a spoilt son who undergoes a metamorphosis the hard way. He was both goofy and also intense in equal portions.

Akshay Kumar as a social commentator

Akshay Kumar in ‘Padman’. (X)

There was also a period when Akshay Kumar found success with films dealing with social issues but with commercial ingredients. Case in point being Toilet: EK Prem Katha (2017), and Padman (2018).

What made Akshay’s performance in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha commendable is how he transforms himself from a son, who is scared of his orthodox father, to bringing a change in the mindset of an entire village. There is a visible effort in getting into the skin of the role.

Another movie worth mentioning in this category is R Balki’s Padman. It was about an entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganatham who made low-cost sanitary pads for women in rural areas.

The actor did a wonderful job of conveying the determination of a man who is mocked constantly and considered a madman by the people around him.

There are scenes in Padman that not many leading stars would have attempted. A case in point is the portion where Akshay’s character tests a sanitary pad on himself with disastrous results.

You also have a speech in the pre-climax at the United Nations, which is very moving.

An impressive Airlift

Akshay Kumar in ‘Airlift’. (X)

Apart from the above-mentioned ones, Akshay Kumar was also hugely impressive in the thriller drama Airlift (2016).

He was seen as a businessman who helped in the evacuation of Indians in Kuwait during the invasion of that country by Iraq’s supremo Saddam Hussain. This invasion is the beginning of the Gulf War.

Akshay’s character Ranjit Katyal starts as an arrogant businessman for whom profit is the only thing that matters. But soon, we see him vulnerable and helpful.

There are occasions where Ranjit is down and out but he still keeps going. Airlift is easily one of Akshay’s best performances.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Akshay Kumar was having a mostly dream run with hits upon hits.

In fact, the actor’s box office figures were much superior to Shah Rukh Khan who was going through a lean patch at that time. But all that changed drastically post-pandemic.

Malfunction of formula

Akshay Kumar in ‘Samrat Prithviraj’. (X)

The formula that worked so well for Akshay all those years has now come crashing down.

It is a well-known fact that the actor hops from one film set to another in a stipulated time. He likes having many releases in a year and method acting has never been his forte.

Akshay’s co-stars have often joked about it openly during movie promotions. Sure this strategy paid big dividends in the past, but now, it backfired with the actor becoming the butt of many jokes.

Certain jadedness came both in terms of script selection and also the actor’s attitude.

A good example of this is the movie Samrat Prithviraj (2022). It was clear while watching the film that the actor looked upon the project as just another film instead of getting into the skin of a very important historical character.

What he ought to have done was something like Hrithik Roshan in Jodha Akbar (2008).

The rumour has it that producer Aditya Chopra asked Akshay to grow a real moustache but Akshay refused to do it.

Even if you look at the movie Mission Raniganj (2023), there is no effort in getting into the headspace of Jaswanth Singh Gill — an engineer who risks his life getting the trapped miners out.

Even the Punjabi accent is more put on than anything else.

Latest failure

Akshay Kumar in ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’. (X)

But the most shocking of all is the recent Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024). In fact, the genre of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan fits perfectly on the radar of Akshay Kumar — a combination of action and comedy.

However, the Bollywood actor appears as a pale version of his Khiladi avatar.

In fact, Tiger Shroff was in much better form with some genuinely funny one-liners. At least he appeared to be enjoying himself, unlike Akshay, who was literally sleepwalking through the role.

This is a sad scenario because Akshay is a capable actor who has shown that he can deliver good performances.

It is high time that Akshay Kumar does some serious introspection both about the kind of films he is choosing and also his working pattern.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/akshay-kumar-and-the-need-for-reinvention-in-films

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Bade Miyan Chote Miyan: Action and a swashbuckling Prithviraj Sukumaran are the highlights of this Ali Abbas Zafar’s directorial

‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ isn’t quite an Eid feast, but still, it is moderately engaging.
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (Hindi), 11-04-2024, Action, Comedy, Thriller, 2 hours and 43 minutes, U/A, Theatre
  • Main Cast: Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Ronit Roy, Alaya F, Manushi Chillar, and Sonakshi Sinha
  • Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
  • Producer: Vaau Bhagnani, Jacky Bhagnani, and Himanshu Kishan Mehra
  • Music Director: Vishal Mishra
  • Cinematography: Marcin Laskawiec
  • Rating: 2.5/5
  • Published in: Southfirst

Action-based movies with patriotism are one of the favourite themes of mainstream Indian directors.

The storylines are simple, there is a deadly enemy who wants to cause harm to the nation and brave-hearted soldiers have to tackle him with lots of action-packed sequences.

Director Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan follows this formula to the hilt. the first half has some minor suspense regarding Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Kabir. But the rest of it is utterly formulaic.

Synopsis

A poster of ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’. (X)

Both Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff haven’t had the best time since the pandemic and the movie isn’t likely to change that although Tiger comes off much better here than his last two ventures.

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan focuses on two ex-soldiers — Rakesh aka Rocky (Akshay Kumar) and Firoz aka Freddy (Tiger Shroff). They are court-martialed for not following orders. However, they have the reputation of being the bravest officers.

Eight years later, Rocky and Firoz get back to tackle an enemy who wants to cause mayhem in the country with the help of AL.

This tech-savvy villain aims to create a situation where India will find itself in a war-like situation with its volatile neighbours. This is the story in brief.

Analysis

The first half of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan keeps you guessing about the antagonist’s motivations and why Kabir has so much anger towards Rakesh and Firoz. It also helps that the pace in this half is frantic with a lot of action thrown in.

Marcin Laskawiec’s cinematography goes well with the scale of the movie and the cinematographer deserves distinction marks for capturing the scale of a war-like situation.

The action sequences are also of a good standard, particularly for those who enjoy hand-to-hand combats and cars and choppers crashing in Rohit Shetty style.

The banter between Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff does have some funny moments, thanks to the one-liners of Tiger. For instance, Tiger gets the most fun repartees like the scene where he says, “Yeh aadmi hai ya dandruff, jaata hi nahi!”

The back story of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Kabir and the reason behind his angst has been well-written and enacted.

After playing a victim who undergoes a lot of suffering in Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life), the actor has a ball playing to the gallery in this one.

A major problem with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is the portions after the flashback of Kabir, a certain monotonousness creeps in.

The complex geo-political situation of India with Pakistan and China is merely used as a background with oversimplified solutions.

The film also suffers from a lack of strong female characters. The absence of an unnecessary romantic track is welcome but the female characters in Sultan (2016) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) were far better written.

Performances

Prithviraj Sukumaran plays the antagonist in ‘Bade Miyan Chota Miyan’. (X)

Tiger does a good job of portraying the suave and charming nature of Firoz.

Akshay Kumar, on the other hand, is mostly wasted except for the action bits.

Prithviraj Sukumaran makes for a delightful psychopath who has ambitious dreams.

Rakesh’s serious nature feels like an extension of Neeraj Pandey’s Baby (2015).

Manushi Chhillar lands lethal blows on her enemies, but beyond action, there isn’t much.

Alaya F irritates the audience with her comic timing.

Sonakshi Sinha repeats her “damsel in distress” act with a one-tone expression.

Verdict

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is strictly for those who like seeing larger-than-life stunts with a predictable storyline.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/bade-miyan-chote-miyan-movie-review

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OMG 2: A Compelling Social Drama That Makes You Laugh And Think

Amit Rai’s directorial is another noteworthy addition to the list of mainstream movies that discuss taboo subjects.

A good follow-up!
OMG 2 (Hindi)
  • Cast: Akshay Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi, Yami Gautam, and Pavan Malhotra
  • Writer-Director: Amit Rai
  • Producer: Vipul D Shah, and Ashwin Varde
  • Music: Sandesh Shandilya and Vikram Montrose
  • Runtime: 2 hours 36 minutes

Director Amit Rai’s OMG 2 is not only a good follow-up to the first part but also works as a standalone film.

In OMG-Oh My God (2012), writer-director Umesh Shukla took several digs at the so-called religious men who feed upon the fears of common folk across religions. There was a sharp commentary on all types of religious hypocrisies.

OMG 2 features a different protagonist this time — a Shiv Bhakt. But what remains the same is how it touches upon an important social topic.

Nevertheless, the sequel is a step ahead in many ways.

Synopsis

Kanti Sharan Mudgal (Pankaj Tripathi) runs a pooja shop near a temple. he is a diehard devotee of Lord Shiva and enjoys respect in his area.

His life turns upside down when his son Vivek (Aarush Sharma) gets admitted to the hospital due to exhaustion caused by excessive masturbation (the word used here is a “selfie”).

Things get more problematic when Vivek’s fellow students secretly shoot a video of him doing the act in the toilet and the video gets circulated.  This results in a lot of humiliation for both Vivek and the family.

So, Kanti Sharan decides to flee with his family. It is at this point that Akshay Kumar enters as God’s messenger in human form.

Much like the first film, here too, Akshay guides his protagonist. This time, it is about fighting for his son and not running away from problems.

Kanti Sharan realises that his son has been a victim of misinformation and misguidance. He drags the school authorities and a chemist among others to the court. Here he is pitted against a high-profile lawyer Kamini (Yami Gautam).

Pavan Malhotra plays the judge.

The rest of the story is about how Kanti Sharan brings out the importance of sex education through his arguments and whether Vivek becomes his normal self again.

Highlights sex education

The best part about OMG 2 is how Amit Rai normalises the importance of sex education without making it come across as awkward.

For example, there are scenes where Tripathi shows how the body parts of males and females should be taught in school. He uses the words penis and vagina as normal words. All this comes across as natural.

The film also does a good job of normalising discussions about physical intimacy. There is a progressive outlook that can be felt throughout.

Further, it smartly integrates ancient Indian texts which have references to homosexuality.

There is also a reference to the Kamasutra which Kanti Sharan uses at an important juncture to remind us how progressive the Hindu religion was in the past.

However, the bashing of Macaulay towards the end could have been avoided. It comes as too simplistic.

Commendable performances

What also works for the film are the scenes between Akshay Kumar and Pankaj Tripathi.

The scenes where Akshay imparts wisdom to Pankaj Tripathi bring a smile to your face.

Akshay Kumar plays his part with the right amount of divinity. He also does a Shiv Tandav with admirable ease.

Pankaj Tripathi as Kanti Sharan does complete justice to the arc of the protagonist. His character has several shades from a distraught father to becoming a revolutionary and the actor pulls it off with the finesse that you expect from him.

Yami Gautam as the menacing opponent is also in fine form. She brings in the required aggressiveness and holds her ground.

Pavan Malhotra as the judge has his moments, particularly in his reaction shots.

Verdict

In all, OMG 2 is another noteworthy addition to the list of mainstream movies that discuss taboo subjects.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Selfiee: Clash Between A Superstar And His Fan Keeps You Engrossed

Akshay & Emraan are a treat to watch!

Selfiee (Hindi)

  • Cast: Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Diana Penty, and Nushrratt Bharuccha; Mrunal Thakur and Yo Yo Honey Singh (special appearances)
  • Writer-Director: Raj Mehta
  • Producers: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Listin Stephen, Supriya Menon and Prithviraj Sukumaran
  • Music: Anu Malik, Tanishk Bagchi, and Yo Yo Honey Singh
  • Runtime: 2 hours 25 minutes

There is something magical about the bond that a fan shares with his\her favourite actor. Driving Licence, the 2021-released Malayalam film written by the late Sachy and directed by Lal Jr, was both entertaining and insightful on what happens if the fan takes on his favourite actor due to a misunderstanding.

It was also a brilliant take on the psyche of human nature. Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi’s Selfiee is an official remake of the Malayalam movie.

Interestingly, both Driving Licence and Selfiee have a lot of similarities with Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan. But in Fan, SRK’s Gaurav becomes a psycho who harms himself and also his idol. The war between the superstar and the fan was stretched endlessly with extreme violence.

However, in both Driving Licence and Selfiee, the treatment of the directors is far more mature with an amicable resolution at the end.

The story

Selfiee narrates the story of superstar Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar) who visits Bhopal for a shoot.

The film’s climax needs certain permissions which can only be granted if he has a valid driving licence. But Vijay Kumar loses his license and the new licence is yet to arrive.

A local politician, Vimala Tiwari (Meghana Malik) promises to get the new licence in two days. At the RTO office, she meets up with RTO inspector Om Prakash Aggarwal (Emraan Hashmi) who along with his son is a huge fan of Vijay Kumar. Indeed, their biggest dream is to click a selfie with their favourite actor.

As Vijay Kumar visits the RTO office at 7 AM the next day, the news gets leaked to the media. The superstar, who is already on an emotional edge due to personal issues, believes that Om Prakash alerted the media and he berates the latter in front of his colleagues and son.

Soon the news of Vijay Kumar not having a driving licence snowballs into a national issue. To make things worse, Om Prakash’s son gets hurt after a stone-throwing incident.

The RTO inspector assumes that it was all orchestrated by his idol Vijay Kumar. This leads to a huge battle between the superstar and his fan.

The rest of the story tells how this battle affects Vijay Kumar and how eventually things get reconciled.

The highlights

Director Raj Mehta and additional writer Rishabh Sharma retain the core of the original. But, at the same time, they make certain changes that help Selifee in a major way, particularly in the first half.

There are many potshots that Akshay sportingly takes on himself. For example, there is a scene where Vijay Kumar’s wife, played by Diana Penty, makes fun of her husband’s masoode-wali smile.

Similarly, a doctor advises him to do more classy films. The cherry on the cake though is the bit where Akshay Kumar takes a self-jibe at the number of films and brand advertisements that he has to do every year.

Raj Mehta also slips in a meta-reference to Vijay Kumar being a producer’s actor.

What adds even more to the fun factor is the presence of Abhimanyu Singh who plays Vijay Kumar’s contemporary. His character starts off his career at the same time as Vijay Kumar but there is a big difference in their statures now.

It is fun to watch Abhimanyu Singh trying his hand at physical comedy, given his general image. He lets his hair down and simply has a blast playing the jealous rival.

The interactions between Akshay and the local politician are another major highlight of the film.

Meghana Malik stands out with her impeccable comic timing. Her hunger for fame is relatable, given the political circus that we see in everyday life.

Emraan & Akshay are eye candies

Emraan Hashmi as Om Prakash finally gets a solid part after a long time. His transformation from a super fan to a nemesis, among other things, has been well etched out by both the director and writer.

In the beginning, Emraan doesn’t seem comfortable but he gets better as the film progresses. He shines particularly in the emotional bits.

The best thing about Akshay’s Vijay Kumar is the vulnerability beneath the entire swagger.

The actor does a good job of displaying not just the flamboyance of a superstar but also an equally good job of conveying the humanness beneath the stardom. This is easily the actor’s best performance in years.

Of the two leading ladies, Diana Penty lends a certain elegance to her part of a supportive wife who is a friend first and a spouse later. Her scenes with Akshay are filled with warmth.

Other technical crafts

The trouble with Selfiee starts midway through the second half.

The superstar versus fan moments could have done with more meat. The portions of Vijay Kumar taking the driving test feel a bit stretched.

The movie also takes a jibe at the phenomena of media trials. There is also a reference to the #BoycottBollywood movement. These are interesting scenes but they also get repetitive beyond a point.

Among the technicians, cinematographer Rajeev Ravi deserves appreciation for capturing the larger-than-life lifestyle of Vijay Kumar.

The music composed by Anu Malik and Co is not great but goes with the flow of the film. A special mention must be made of the opening song “Kudiyee Ni Teri” though.

Mrunal Thakur springs a pleasant surprise with her glamorous and hot avatar.

Verdict

In a nutshell, this Selfiee is worth a ride, particularly if you have ever been a fan of any actor.

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Ram Setu: More Adventure And A Younger Hero Would Have Been Better

Before the pandemic entered our lives Akshay was easily one of the most bankable stars in the Hindi Film Industry. The actor had created a brand for himself as a kind of nationalistic hero. Akshay expertly juggled between doing films where he saves the day and also slapstick comedies like the Housefull franchise. Raj Mehta’s Good news was an exception as Akshay’s Varun Batra was an elitist jerk. But since pandemic a lot has changed and Akshay’s brand of cinema has stopped working for people. Bachchan Pandey, Bell Bottom and Samrat Prithviraj are examples of this. Yes, Sooryavanshi was a big hit in 2021 but the film immensely benefited from the timing of its release and also from Rohit Shetty’s fan base.

2022 has been particularly a bad year for Akshay as nothing has worked for the actor. Ram Setu directed by Abhishek Sharma is similar to Nikhil’s Kartikeya 2. Both deal with important mythological characters. Kartikeya 2 was about the existence of Dwaraka and the historicity of Lord Krishna. Ram Setu on the other hand is about Lord Ram and the debate surrounding the bridge of Ram Setu. The film Ram Setu has an interesting premise which could have resulted in a complete edge of the seat thriller but the film doesn’t completely live up to its promise.

Ram Setu revolves around an atheist archaeologist Aryan Kulshrestha (Akshay Kumar). Aryan has been entrusted with the job of disproving the mythological origins of Ram Setu, the bridge between India and Sri Lanka described in Valmiki’s Ramayana. However upon further research Aryan comes to the conclusion that the structure may be actually man- made, implying that Lord Rama may be a historical person after all. Nushrratt Bharuccha plays Akshay’s wife. She is a strong believer in god from the start. Dr Sandra (Jacqueline Fernandez) is an environmental scientist. Senior actor Nassar plays the corrupt businessman. Last but not the least Satyadev plays the Lankan guide AP. He has a mysterious background which we don’t know till the end. This is the story in a nutshell.

Ram Setu works best when we see all the three protagonists in the thick of action. The scenes of Akshay and Co searching for historical evidence keeps you involved. You are curious to know about how Aryan changes from an atheist to a believer and how he will save the bridge.

The scenes which I particularly liked were the ones when the team goes on a trail to find Ravan’s Lanka. They have a certain thrill.

Special mention must also be made of the stunning underwater sequences. Director Abhishek Sharma does a wonderful job in capturing the grandeur of Ram Setu under the Indian Ocean. These shots look straight out of a Discovery documentary.

What also helps Ram Setu are the scenes of Satyadev with Akshay Kumar. Satyadev brings in the much needed energy with his charm and adds a layer of intrigue. He also generates some humor with his poked faced comedy.

Both the cinematography and the production design are also a treat to watch. They give a grand feel which adds to your viewing experience.

What pulls down Ram Setu is the casting of the protagonist. Akshay Kumar as the archeologist is a mixed bag. He is good as the atheist but becomes less interesting as the believer. One reason for that is we have seen Akshay do this in the past too. Also you get the feeling that a younger actor like Karthik Aryan who is light on his feet would have been better. This becomes even more apparent whenever the scenes of Akshay and Nushrratt come up. The significant age gap coupled with their inability to generate any warmth is a major put off.

We also don’t understand why Jacqueline Fernandez was cast as an environmental scientist. She looks beautiful as always but there is nothing that she does, except for mouthing some scientific terms.

The climax in the courtroom is way too elongated. The message is hammered in instead of being organically integrated. By the time the court declares that Ram Setu shouldn’t be demolished you feel thoroughly exhausted. In Kartikeya 2 you cheer for Nikhil when he is successful in his adventure but here there is no feeling of euphoria, just tiredness. As a result the revelation of Satyadev’s identity in the end doesn’t give the necessary high.

Final word: Ram Setu is definitely the best Akshay starrer in the recent past but that is not enough for the film to sail through. Watch Ram Setu if you are interested in mythology or if you want to see how Satyadev fares in his Hindi debut.

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Sooryavansi: Bollywood Finally Gets Its Big Ticket Entertainer

Out of all the industries Bollywood has been struggling to get a big hit since the revival of theaters. It has been a combination of several factors; you have had films like Chehre with niche content. On the other hand a big film like Radhe couldn’t meet the expectations of masses. Lot of hopes are pinned on Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavansi to revive Bollywood business  and the director doesn’t disappoint. Rohit Shetty’s films have never been about great plots, it is always about delivering entertainment to the masses whether that is Golmaal series or films like Singham and Simmba. Story wise Sooryavansi is pretty straight forward but what makes it click is the director’s treatment and the infectious energy of Akshay Kumar. After the underwhelming Lakshmi and Bell Bottom the actor is back in his elements. The cherry on the cake are the extended cameos of Ajay Devgan and Ranveer Singh. The scenes featuring the trio are a delight to watch. The film also gives a message on communal harmony which I will be talking about later.

Sooryavansi begins after 13 years of the 1993 bomb blasts in Mumbai, when a terrorist group is back in action and is planning another mission. DCP Veer Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar) is the head of the Mumbai Anti- Terrorism squad. He is assigned the task of finding their whereabouts and stopping the attacks. Akshay’s character has got a personal connection to the 1993 blasts as his parents had died in it. Director Rohit Shetty adds another personal layer with the character of Riya (An efficient Katrina Kaif). Both of them are on the verge of divorce. Rohit Shetty packs in Sooryavanshi’s personal life and also his camaraderie with the members of his ATS force. He weaves all these elements in a satisfactory way in the climax. Apart from the above mentioned actors, the film features a huge ensemble which consists of Jackie Shroff, Gulshan Grover, Kumud Mishra etc.

What really works for the film is how the director sketches the character of Akshay Kumar. You have elements of both intensity and also quirkiness, the intense part is taken from Ajay Devgan’s Singham and the quirky part is from Ranveer Singh’s Simmba. Akshay Kumar combines both these elements really well in his performance. He is intense when required but is equally adept at evoking laughter in the lighter scenes. A running gag in the film is about how Sooryavanshi keeps forgetting names. While the gag feels overused after a point it still delivers plenty of laughs. The most laughs comes in the climax where there are many in house jokes between the three cops. Both Ranveer and Ajay have a blast in their extended cameos.

The pace of the film is another asset. The tension is built up well and things get more intriguing in the second half. The editing for most part is fine but the climatic portions do feel stretched.

As I earlier said the film touches upon communal harmony. It also talks about Hindu-Muslim unity. The director’s understanding of religious dynamics hasn’t got the nuance which is required but it has to be said that it still makes an impact. There is a song called Hum Hindustani where some Muslims help Hindus in carrying the Ganesh idol. This happens amidst people running away when there is fear of bomb. The song is beautifully shot and is sure to make you emotional.

Actors like Jackie Shroff and Kumud Mishra have small parts but they make an impact in the screen time that they have got.

Sooryavanshi isn’t for those who are looking for something new. It glorifies cops like Singham and Simmba which is problematic. However, if you are looking for some mainstream entertainment you will in all probability like it.