3.5/5
Anirudh Iyer’s directorial debut features Ayushmann Khurrana as an arrogant superstar named Maanav, whom you absolutely hate. He lives in his own world, gets angry easily, and doesn’t care about other people’s feelings. And since he has a lot of money, he knows he can bribe anything, including murder. His world falls apart when he accidentally kills the younger brother of gangster turned politician Bhoora Solanki (Jaideep Ahlawat). Bhoora was more arrogant than Maanav, more ruthless and unafraid to kill anyone who stood in his way. Maanav fled to London thinking he would be safe there but Bhoora landed there and started a killing spree. Now, Maanav must become a real-life action hero to save his life.
The film is cleverly written. It served us very well. Insider pranks are a prank. The arrogance of a superstar is right. So does his attempt to be a method actor in an action movie. He does it again and again to get the look right, and directors and others will play along, like those who would oppose an action star. He was a monster whose ego was used to having everyone around him bow to his needs and was rudely shocked when real bullets started flying. He knew he couldn’t bribe his way out of trouble abroad. The media and its craving for TRP are made fun of in the film. The antics of some famous messengers are imitated and a montage of messengers and reporters goes crazy all day as the hunt for Maanav continues to divide you. The film industry is a fickle place and it shows how those around him abruptly cut ties when Maanav was portrayed by the media as a villain. The industry’s connection to the underworld is also covered.
Alongside the physical comedy and satire is the ego struggle between Maanav and Bhoora. The second could not understand how his wrestler brother could have been killed by a mere actor and he wanted to exact revenge by tearing the actor’s body from hand to hand. This obsession throws them both into impossible situations and sometimes they have to unwittingly team up to get out of them. Like a true Guy Ritchie movie, it introduces us to colorful character after character to capture our interest. The unlikely situations, wacky characters, and clever, witty dialogue make this movie a horrifying ride.
The film was shot in the style of Kaushal Shah and editor Nirad Khanolkar kept it fast paced. The action scenes are also filmed according to the imagination.
Both Jaideep Ahlawat and Ayushmann Khurrana play typical characters for toxic masculinity. Both were so convinced of their worldview that they had to hit hard to see what was right. The difference between them is that while Maanav learns from his mistakes and moves on, Bhoora refuses to do so. Both actors have done a lot of justice to their characters. Although Jaideep has played similar roles before, he is sure that he will bring something new to the film. So far, it has been harder for Ayushmann to play a character that is beyond his scope. He worked hard to change physically to fit the role and show body language. He gets into the role frame by frame and by the end of the movie convinces you that he will look great in action roles in the future.
Thanks to Anirudh Iyer for making a witty and clever film that keeps a healthy mix of satire, action and comedy to keep viewers entertained throughout. Cinematic freedom was definitely taken and the treatment was definitely over the top. But as long as people laugh, who will complain.
Trailer : An Action Hero
Archika Khurana, December 2, 2022, 3:42 a.m. IST
3.0/5
Action Hero Story: Maanav (Ayushmann Khurrana), a superstar Bollywood action hero and popular youth icon, is disgraced when he is caught up in a dramatic real-life incident that forces him to go on the run.
Action hero rating: Director Anirudh Iyer’s directorial debut delves into celebrity culture and the fickle side of fame. Most celebrities are vulnerable to public backlash and media challenges, and this is the main theme of this 132-minute action film. On the surface, ‘An Action Hero’ is a simple revenge story, but the script turns it into a twisted story about a superstar who finds himself in an extraordinary situation. It’s an interesting plot, and Iyer, who co-wrote the film with Neeraj Yadav, has a great grasp of the story.
The movie features Ayushmann Khurrana in a never-before-seen avatar. Contrary to his previous social-related dramas, here he plays Maanav, a critically acclaimed Bollywood action hero who always wears the title of star. Soon, Maanav loses track of reality, especially when the villain, Bhoora Solanki (Jaideep Ahlawat), City Councilor of Mandothi village (Haryana), blames the star for the mysterious death. hidden by his brother. As a result, they become immersed in a game of cat and mouse. Can the on-screen action hero stand his ground when the action takes place in real life?
It took Iyer a little while to set up the plot, most of the first half of the time spent doing that. However, the second half picks up the pace and becomes a full-blown action movie with some elements that keep you hooked. The problem is, the random characters introduced throughout the film don’t contribute much to the drama but only affect the length of the film.
It’s Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat showing off all the way, as they tie the film’s story together. Ayushmann has plenty of scope to portray the multi-layered character in his Maanav, an actor whose personality is strong, arrogant and pompous, yet vulnerable when fate forces him to live as a man. Ordinary man runs to save his life. He tries his best to make Maanav’s personality attractive. The actor’s physical transformation in the film is evident and lends credence to his action hero image. Jaideep’s performance and his Haryanvi voice are amazing. His character lacked depth, but he showed some of the funniest things seeti-maar fighting in the movie. There’s a degree of uncertainty in his actions stemming from the kindness of his personality, which adds fun to the scenes. There’s a good mix of comedy and action and some outstandingly funny dialogue.
The dance of Nora Fatehi and Malaika Arora in the cover versions of ‘Jehda Nasha‘ and ‘Aap Jaisa Koi,’ respectively, yielding the dose of the power-up factor. The background score adds to the movie in progress and sets the tone of the movie.
Not everything in the plot adds up and you wish the movie was tighter, but it has a fair amount of action and comedy backed up by good performances. What’s interesting about ‘An Action Hero’ isn’t in the story itself, but in seeing Ayushmann Khurrana transform into an action hero and flex (literally) on screen. So maybe, you can make a trip to the cinema.
