ashish1238

This is a movie that has all the trappings of an action movie from the late 80s to the mid 90s with a couple unique elements, mainly it's overall very dark theme with no respite in terms of lighter moments, no lead actress and a tacky production coupled with veteran actors that lend it a theatrical appeal. That said, this is no groundbreaking cinema and the director is someone who I guess has an 80s hangover in terms of screenplay and editing. Now, coming back to the core aspects of this enterprise- acting, action, screenplay and direction. Acting wise, it has a lineup of some really good actors and most of them do a decent job but it's Salman Khan that needs a mention here. To be clear, I don't consider him an actor until this day, but he somehow manages to do well here simply because he has minimal dialogue which works pretty well, so I'd call it a win for him. A special mention for Akhilendra Mishra who brings out evil in a way that feels theatrical and menacing spread over with sort of extended dialogue that at times feel like monologue and has a fleshed out character. Action is generic but bgm especially in the ultimate face off is well done. Screenplay is not great and editing is hasty at times but not terrible. Direction is sub-par overall but works in parts especially in creating an atmosphere that is ominous and signals a sense of impending doom. Music is okay but "Jahan kabhi dil ne khayi thokar.." is very good. All in all a decent watch for action fans and while I watched it in my early teens it has stayed with me ever since. I never donned my critic hat on at the time as I just wanted to enjoy movies but I felt I had to put my views for this one.

This is outdated, exploitative B cinema that tries to present itself as a glitzy, stylish action thriller. That said, now I don't want to get into the moral aspects of the movie as that's been talked about a lot and there is no point repeating it. And, while I generally don't take movies that seriously, esp, ones like these to teach us any thing remotely moral, I do find it to be really filthy and cringeworthy more than anything. It's distasteful. The movie also insults the viewer's intelligence with it's "anything goes as long as I can be loud and crass and have star actors" philosophy and in doing so fails miserably since the execution is pedestrian grade. Now, coming back to the cast, I have never considered Ranbir Kapoor to be a great actor, he has been good at times(Wake up Sid, Ajab Prem...) but mostly average. Anil Kapoor has nothing much to do and the female actors have been given roles that remind me of the movies from the 80s and 90s, dumb and pointless. Action, by the way is bad too if you carefully watch as it is over the top(still not a bad thing), highly choreographed, which makes it look fake and lacks any sense of urgency or doom. The director, who made an equally bogus and "seeking attention" movie Kabir Singh is an incompetent storyteller and thinks today's young audience actually relates to what he portrays in terms of relationships, abuse and treatment of women, both verbally and otherwise. It's suffice to say, he's delusional. All in all it's buffoonery on part of all those who took part in this excuse for a movie and a joke on the audience.

This is a movie with a generic plot but the format is what sets it apart. It's more like an artist reimagining a classic or a chef adding a new touch to an old recipe. It's tepid if you go by the storyline but the format which includes the cinematography, color tone and theatrical treatment was experimental as by no means the makers felt it would be a blockbuster. Watch it if you want to enjoy the making of a movie more than the movie alone. That said, the acting is pretty good all round except the actor playing Manisha's friend. Songs were catchy when they came out but lost their appeal over time, even though the picturization is again loaded with symbolism. An effort worth it's while overall if you are a movie buff.