- Directed by Anirudh Iyer
- Written by Neeraj Yadav
- Story by Anirudh Iyer
- Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Aanand L. Rai
- Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Jaideep Ahlawat
- Cinematography: Kaushal Shah
- Edited by Ninad Khanolkar
- Music by Parag Chhabra, Sunny M. R.
- Release date:2 December 2022
- Running time:130 minutes
- Language: Hindi
- Genre: Action Comedy, Satire
- Rating:3/5
- (The aim and intention of my review is to critique and recommend while not revealing the whole story to enjoy the movie when seen. But minor details have been divulged for a proper review!)
Lights-camera-action. The action hero throws a punch, shoots
bullets, kicks butt, and does his own stunts. This is because the actor is not
just playing the part of an action hero, he is living it. When an incident occurs
for the hero to escape reel life to real life he has not escaped the baddies
chasing him.
An Action Hero is a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase between actor Manaav (Ayushman Khurana) and revenge-seeking small-town politician Bhoora Solanki (Jaideep Ahlawat). It has a well-written, fast-paced plot, comic wit, spunky dialog, punchy, sharp satire, and commentary.
The movie has incisive and acute observations about politics and politicians showing off power; the rich and affluent society’s expectations of Bollywood celebrities to dance to their tunes; obsession and entitlement of fans' beliefs that they are the makers of the actors’ celebrity status; underworld references; capriciousness of media who can make you from famous to infamous; satire of how media and TRP obsessed news channels and irritating TV anchors are weaponizing media, especially against Bollywood with the dig at the use of #BoycottBollywood for many recent movies.
Director Anirudh Iyer stages the Tom and Jerry kind of play between Khurana and Ahlawat. Where one is trying to kill his opponent, but also getting pally with him! Both the actors Khurana and Ahlawat have strong performances. Jaideep Ahlavat, with his fierce broody looks delivering comic dialogs or revealing unsureness of his revenge intent, was an excellent juxtaposition. Of the umpteen Bollywood action hero possibilities, Ayushman Khurana was perfectly chosen. He is buffed and fit, but importantly he is among the few actors who appear relatable and vulnerable, playing the part of an action hero very well in reel life and real life.
An interesting aspect you notice is this movie doesn’t have any females in the leading cast. Malika Arora is still her hot self in the reprised version of Nazia Hassan’s song Aap Jaisa Koi ….. Nora Fatehi features her sexy strut in Jehda Nasha as the numbers roll.
This action comedy is now on Netflix and is definitely worth a
watch.
