Yudhra

Yudhra (2024) : Movie Review -

Ravi Yudyawar's action drama Yudhra has proved again that not every action film with gore violence be "Animal" or "Kill." The action and violence aren't the only two materials that complete the film, but there are some things called the director's vision, passionate performances, and honest storytelling that fulfill the film's potential to prosper. Yudhra fails on every single front there. Siddhant Chaturvedi and Malavika Mohanan's action thriller turns out to be headless trash that you can hardly afford to watch.

Yudhra Rathore (Siddhant Chaturvedi) struggles with anger issues that have everything to do with his genetic trauma after his father and mother's accidental deaths. From childhood, he can't control his anger, and even his foster father can do nothing to stop him. Yudhra and his childhood friend, Nikhat (Malavika Mohanan), fall in love, but then Yudhra loses his temper yet again and is sent to prison. There, he learns the truth about his father's death and embarks on a mission to find the killer to seek revenge as well as help the nation's security. Will he be able to complete the mission?

The screenplay of Yudhra drags every 15 minutes because it hasn't got anything to hold the viewers. Every 15 minutes you have a useless scene that damages the tempo built by the previous 15 minutes, and then the same story repeats in the next interval. The first half goes into the introduction of messy characters that fail to make a connection with the audiences. Be it Yudhra, Nikhat, Firoz, or Shafiq, you don't feel attached to any of them, and they just keep wandering on the screen to grab your attention-all for zero results. The romance between Yudhra and Nikhat is terribly presented and is strictly for roadside romeos, but sadly it is portrayed by educated students belonging to medical and army streams. Wow, such stupidity! Unlike Kill, where the simplicity of the character drags you into the narrative even if it's set in a single place, Yudhra is far more diverse but extremely disturbing with the locations and characterizations.

Siddhant Chaturvedi grabbed everyone's attention with Gully Boy, and he was indeed very good there. But what's he doing after that? Or rather, how can you go so wrong after that? Bunty Aur Babli 2, Phone Bhoot, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, and now Yudhra, what's this? Bro, this is not what I want from you. Be more sensible with the choices because we have seen your potential in Gully Boy. Malavika Mohanan looks hot, and that seems to be the only compliment from my side, because acting and all, sorry, wrong number! Raghav Juyal fails to create the Kill magic here and how! Raj Arjun plays a deadly villain, Ram Kapoor is dated but decent, Gajraj Rao was okayish, and Shilpa Shukla is wasted.

On the technical front, Yudhra has a decent sound design and background score. The music is unnoticeable, the cinematography isn't good, and the editing is poor. 142 minutes for the story, which doesn't even deserve 42 minutes of your time, seriously? Either we need better stories or we need better editors who know how to engage audiences for two hours. Shridhar Raghavan has written average stories like "War" (2019) and "Pathaan" (2023) in recent times, which were uplifted by huge scale and the director's vision of larger-than-life cinema, but Yudhrat lacks that. Ravi Udyawar is not Siddharth Anand, nor does the film have any big superstars to survive. Ravi's outdated vision hampers Yudhra more than anything, and the production value also looks compromised. As a whole, it's a big mess, but more than that, it's close to a headache point. Please stay safe at home.

RATING - 3/10*

Despite stylish direction and good performances, Yudhra is let down by poor writing, forgettable music, and weak storytelling. It falls flat due to weak screenplay and a lack of coherence in its execution. Directed by Ravi Udyawar, the movie starts with promise but quickly devolves into a long, bumpy ride that leaves viewers dejected and exhausted by its 142-minute runtime. While the action is visually engaging, it can't save the lackluster script, which lacks depth and clarity.

The cast delivers commendable performances, with Siddhant Chaturvedi standing out as a convincing action hero. His physicality and commitment to the role are apparent. Malavika Mohanan delivers a fine performance as well, particularly in the action scenes where she shines. Raghav Juyal, while stronger in his previous roles in "KILL" and the thriller series "Gyaarah Gyaarah," plays a terrific villain here, even though the film's writing doesn't do him justice. Supporting actors like Gajraj Rao, Raj Arjun, and Ram Kapoor are solid in their respective roles.

It's bad. It's very bad. The story is super illogical. Twists are forced and extremely stupid. Action scenes are useless. The music is forgettable despite SEL and Javed Akhtar.

I don't know how the script/story was okayed by Excel. I have never felt this bad after watching this movie. Thank God I paid only 99 for this owing to National Cinema Day. Even 99 is a waste. Better to watch something on Netflix or Prime.

Only good thing is Raghav, who unfortunately has a very small screen time. Action scenes are also forced and obviously illogical. Sidhant is not a bad actor, but this role is just not for him. I wish he chooses a better script.

Despite stylish direction and good performances, Yudhra is let down by poor writing, forgettable music, and weak storytelling. It falls flat due to weak screenplay and a lack of coherence in its execution. Directed by Ravi Udyawar, the movie starts with promise but quickly devolves into a long, bumpy ride that leaves viewers dejected and exhausted by its 142-minute runtime. While the action is visually engaging, it can't save the lackluster script, which lacks depth and clarity.

The cast delivers commendable performances, with Siddhant Chaturvedi standing out as a convincing action hero. His physicality and commitment to the role are apparent. Malavika Mohanan delivers a fine performance as well, particularly in the action scenes where she shines. Raghav Juyal, while stronger in his previous roles in "KILL" and the thriller series "Gyaarah Gyaarah," plays a terrific villain here, even though the film's writing doesn't do him justice. Supporting actors like Gajraj Rao, Raj Arjun, and Ram Kapoor are solid in their respective roles.

The dialogue feels forced and the screenplay is equally weak, meandering aimlessly without a clear sense of direction or purpose. Unfortunately, the editing does little to remedy this, and tighter cuts could have significantly improved the flow of the story. The music is another letdown. Quite forgettable, the songs fail to leave any lasting impact and feel out of place. With poor music and a sluggish script, the film struggles to find its rhythm.

Direction 2.5/5 Acting 2.5/5 Dialogues 2/5 Story 1.5/5 Screenplay 1.5/5.

Siddhant Chaturvedi is a revelation in "Yudhra," proving that he's more than ready to lead an action-packed film. His commitment to the role is evident in every fight scene, from the intense hand-to-hand combat to the high-stakes chases. Malavika Mohanan brings warmth and emotion to balance the film's intensity, while Raghav Juyal surprises with his portrayal of a ruthless villain. The film excels in showcasing its actors, even when the storyline feels a bit predictable. This is a movie that will appeal to action fans who appreciate well-executed fight choreography and strong character moments.