Whether it be his breakthrough role in "Vicky Donor (2012)" or his bravery in picking up uncomfortable subjects that typical heroes in Bollywood shy away from such as in "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017)" (hero with erectile dysfunction) and "Bala (2019)" (balding hero), Ayushmann Khurrana has always managed to surprise audiences with his films. Just when one was starting to think that the star's career had hit a zenith and was on a downward spiral with recent flicks like "Anek (2022)" and "Doctor G (2022)" failing to make any impact at the box office, the virtuoso performer turns it up a notch with a film laced with razor-sharp wit and immense fun that is sure to entertain audiences across the spectrum.
Ayushmann stars as "Maanav Khurrana" a quintessential egotistical Bollywood hero with an overblown sense of self, a clear satire on the mainstream heroes of the Hindi industry. How the star gets enters into a bitter feud with a Haryana strongman politician "Bhurra" (played by an immense Jaideep Ahlawat) and the ensuing chaos forms the rest of the story. Director Anirudh Iyer threads the needle with the screenplay, finding the right balance between bone-crunching action and rib-tickling zingers to keep audiences hooked.
The script by Neeraj Yadav never lets up in the number of twists and turns it brings in during the chaotic journey of our two lead protagonists, with the excellent action choreography and stunts adding mass to the witty zingers and one-liners that form part of the cat and mouse chase. The storytelling and direction are so on-point that even the placement of an item number serves to move the narrative forward convincingly and without the tension and fun element dissipating. Ahlwat and Khurranna consistently one-up each other during their combination sequences, serving to elevate both their performances.
After a string of pedestrian mainstream misadventures and template remakes, Bollywood has really turned a corner in 2022 with wholly original entertainers like "Darlings", "Monica O My Darling", "Bhediya" and now "An Action Hero". One hopes that the top film industry in India finally understands audience exhaustion with constant remakes and films that tread the beaten path and invests more time and energy towards fresher and more disruptive scripts and storylines. Trust Ayushmann to lead the way in this direction-" An Action Hero" is a surefire must-watch in theatres!
Ayushmann stars as "Maanav Khurrana" a quintessential egotistical Bollywood hero with an overblown sense of self, a clear satire on the mainstream heroes of the Hindi industry. How the star gets enters into a bitter feud with a Haryana strongman politician "Bhurra" (played by an immense Jaideep Ahlawat) and the ensuing chaos forms the rest of the story. Director Anirudh Iyer threads the needle with the screenplay, finding the right balance between bone-crunching action and rib-tickling zingers to keep audiences hooked.
The script by Neeraj Yadav never lets up in the number of twists and turns it brings in during the chaotic journey of our two lead protagonists, with the excellent action choreography and stunts adding mass to the witty zingers and one-liners that form part of the cat and mouse chase. The storytelling and direction are so on-point that even the placement of an item number serves to move the narrative forward convincingly and without the tension and fun element dissipating. Ahlwat and Khurranna consistently one-up each other during their combination sequences, serving to elevate both their performances.
After a string of pedestrian mainstream misadventures and template remakes, Bollywood has really turned a corner in 2022 with wholly original entertainers like "Darlings", "Monica O My Darling", "Bhediya" and now "An Action Hero". One hopes that the top film industry in India finally understands audience exhaustion with constant remakes and films that tread the beaten path and invests more time and energy towards fresher and more disruptive scripts and storylines. Trust Ayushmann to lead the way in this direction-" An Action Hero" is a surefire must-watch in theatres!