An Action Hero

Anirudh Iyer takes a scenic route with simple satirical comedy and sensible action sequences along with well balanced screenplay keeping audience glued until climax... An interesting part is that he doesn't fear to expose media's puppetry show or Bollywood's underworld connection or dominant local political goons ,what else one need in mainstream movies .... When it comes to Zara hatke entertainment Anand L Rai plays an ample role be it direction or production,needs a Big round of applause... Breaking all the stereotypes of bollywood theory Ayushman doesn't fear to explore inspite "Anek" disaster this "Doctor G" manages to surprise audience in every aspects of film that falls flat to nepotism...Kudos to the true actor... Scripted by neeraj yadav the sudden twists and turns along with chaotic journey gives a new journey for ur weekend thirst for entertainment...

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!

I saw - An action hero, in the theatre. The movie was definitely engaging, but it is not a visual spectacle or stunning by any means to warrant a theatre watch. It would be a good OTT movie. So, for people thinking about watching it, I would suggest to wait for an OTT release.

I felt the movie had a Guy Ritchie feel to it, with all the gangesters and the black comedy. And it was pretty well executed as well. I am fully willing to let go of logic etc. In an action movie, IF, the characters and the plot is engaging enough. The problem with this movie is that both are very loosely written and shot. So, a lot of the idiosyncrasies, black comedy, lack of logic etc. Don't work at all since other than Ayushmann's character, you don't have a connection, feel or bond towards another character. This is a major drawback of the movie. Ayushmann has done well, the rest of the cast is pretty so so. Not a lot of laugh out moments, but it is an engaging movie and a timepass watch.

Now this is a good movie. Aayushmann Khurana was good in it, Jaideep Alahawat was good. The cinematography and locations were high quality. The BGM was still playing in my head after watching this film. It was bomb! But why did this film bomb? It's unfortunate that a film like this failed so badly at the BO. It's one of the better films in a line of bad films and remakes from Bolly in the year 2022.

The marketing team behind this should be avoided for future projects at all costs. Absolute bunch of clowns who let such a good film go unnoticed by the public.

It's tense, it's gripping, well directed, beautifully filmed and most importantly it is fresh. It pains to see good films fail and mediocre affairs *Cough* BB2 *Cough*, *Cough* D2 *Cough* become super hit.

Over the years, we have watched actioners in Bollywood consistently leaving much to be desired so much so that we concluded that this genre just comes with its limitations. An Action Hero breaks that myth. Billed as a slick-actioner, this film doesn't reduce itself to worshipping of shirtless male bodies, genre-contradicting slow-motion effects, non-sensically infused item numbers, melodrama, unfunny jokes or lazy writing clubbed with flying cars and blasting CGI. Right from the start, the director Anirudh Iyer takes the genre seriously and moves at a hyper pace almost giving the audience no time to absorb it. There are punches flying as fast as the punchlines and most, if not all, of them land with perfection. Even when An Action Hero concedes to the Bollywood remix dance number formula, it doesn't let go of its strong grasp with reality and its conviction for the story.

It's applaudable how An Action Hero manages to tread the fine line between being condescending towards its own audience and being satirical towards the public at large with absolute finesse. The film is filled with references to real incidents but they aren't done in a self-eulogising manner - of which Bollywood is a repeat offender - rather it is a self-aware attempt at storytelling often critiquing itself along the way. Its critique through hilarious parodying of the ridiculous TRP-hungry media, fickle public perception and the corrupt establishment works as smoothly as Ayushmann Khurrana in parkour scenes.

This is the most different role in Ayushmann's career and yet he slips into it with such ease that you'd forget that he's the same man commonly known as the torchbearer of social change in Bollywood. He delivers the charm of a star, the narcissism of a rich and famous man, the slick actions of a fighter and moral greyness of the protagonist with neatness. His screen presence is remarkable but his winning scene is definitely the one in the boat. Jaideep Ahlawat is a gem who doesn't slip up even once. His thuggish demeanor doesn't cease even in more toned down scenes.

The only complaint is that when the film pivots in the second half, it forgets to take the audience along with it. The jokes remain funny and the action, bordering on the jumpscare, continues to be slick but the narration becomes less engaging. The film then rides on the very able shoulders of its lead actors until the climax when it all comes together in one swift flick.

The film is entirely devoid of melodrama and filled with grey characters that the sanctimonious section of the masses would find hard to side and connect with. The film, thus, is a courageous attempt in a plethora of ways and calls for a necessary viewing. Go for it!