Vikram Vedha

The duo of Pushkar and Gayathri have enthralled audiences in the South, first with their original smash hit Tamil film "Vikram Vedhan (2017)" and now most recently with the hit Amazon prime series "Suzhal (2022)". But to make a smooth transition into the tumultuous world of Bollywood is a mean ask but the two capable filmmakers pass the test with flying colours, delivering a faithful remake of the cult classic, enhanced by the unmistakeable swag of superstar Hrithik Roshan.

Roshan stars as the titular "Vedha" a ferocious gangster terrorizing the streets of Lucknow. Saif Ali Khan plays "Vikram", the trigger-happy encounter specialist cop leading the task force assigned with curbing the gangsters of the city. Although both actors don't the same range as the ace performers in the original film, namely National Award winner Vijay Sethupathi and R Madhavan, the directors smartly pivot the character to play to these actors' strengths. The confrontation sequences between the gangster and the cop are laced with mass and gravitas, with Hrithik especially excelling in the stunt sequences with his agility and panache.

The gritty, serpentine streets of Lucknow are depicted in painstaking detail as the makers transpose the impact that Chennai had in the original movie, to a North Indian context. The storyline sticks to the original but with Hrithik's version of Vedha coming across as wackier, more gung-ho and fanatical than the smoother, more reserved depiction by Vijay Sethupathi.

Bollywood remakes of South blockbusters seldom rise to meet the standards of their original versions. Ajay Devgn's "Drishyam (2015)" and Shahid Kapoor's "Kabir Singh (2019)" stand at one end of the spectrum, having delivered while most remakes end up in the trash pile, case in point being dismal efforts like "Force (2011)", "Rowdy Rathore (2012)" and "Bhaagi 2 (2018)". Thankfully, due to the deft direction of Pushkar-Gayathri and earnest performances from the two lead actors, "Vikram Vedha" ends up in the former category, as a faithful remake that also stands apart with its contextualized take on the Vikramaditya-Betaal folktale. A recommended watch in theatres!

An enthralling screenplay, a compelling script that at first introduces us to the traditional sides of right and wrong, the acts of black and white, but then it shrewdly puts us into a dilemma, a state of confusion where more contentious shades of grey take precedence and the uncertainties become prominent. The complex characters and their motivations add to the intrigue, making the audience question their own moral compass.

And this conundrum is exacerbated by some great action and a couple of titillating performances, particularly by Hrithik Roshan. The madness in his eyes, the calm on his face, and the unrivalled swag and style in his demeanour proved to be contagious, as he kept me completely captivated!

Vikram Vedha is beyond just a faithful remake. The makers deserve a standing ovation for delivering a perfect combination of a meaty mass and a class entertainer. If you have seen the original, this will surprise you with its twists and turns. The director duo Pushkar and Gayatri has done an excellent job again, after delivering a blockbuster Vikram Vedha in Tamil and one of the best thriller series Suzhal: The Vortex, they are back and given another impressive film to the Hindi audience.

The pace of the film in the first 20 minutes is a bit slow but the movie gathers its pace once Hrithik Roshan enters the screen and you won't be able to leave your seat when both the lead actors are on the screen. The second half is, even more, engaging with its taut screenplay. The dialogue, cinematography, and the climax are other highlights of the film.

The songs are just average. All the fight scenes are stylishly choreographed. Apart from the perfect direction and remarkable performance, the background score and writing are the film's biggest strengths. The intelligent writing surprises you at regular intervals.

The script has given equal importance to both the lead actors and does not let one overshadow the other. Hrithik Roshan has done complete justice to the character of Vedha and delivers outstanding performances. Saif Ali Khan also gave a noteworthy performance. Radhika Apte, Sharib Hashmi, Rohit Saraf, and other supporting casts have done a decent job.

Direction 4/5 Acting 3.5/5 Editing 3/5 Story 3.5/5 Screenplay 3.5/5.

Obviously we already know the story of the movie. Hats off to R Madhavan and Vijay Sethupati"s Tamil Blockbuster. Went to see Hindi version just to see Hrithik Roshan.

Hrithik Roshan just nailed his part, his screen presence was just out standing. Saif was also cool.

I was little disappointed by the songs, would have even better for hindi audience if songs were better.

7/10 for coping story as it is. Ending could have been better for a remake. Bollywood had the chance to rewrite the excellent blockbuster story to next level but they choose to be good copy maker then a better movie maker.

Overall it's a very good movie if you haven't seen the tamil version.

1. What an OUTSTANDING performance by both the lead actors Hrithik Roshan & Saif Ali Khan. Kudos to them!

2. Good story, average screenplay, bit slow paced but since its a thriller it will keep you hooked till the very end.

3. Killer BGM, one scene had super bad VfX ngl, average music but what amazing action scenes!!

4. Swag and acting is whistle podu worthy!! The way cinematography is done to capture slo-mo action sequence of Vikram & Vedha can serve as a lesson for budding film makers.

Definitely a theatre worthy watch!

5. In a nutshell, its a solid yes from me!! Not too amazing, nothing close to bad either. It oscillates somewhwere between very good and above average on the scale.