Thursday, December 31, 2020

Movie review: 'AK vs AK'

First time I am sharing my review of a Netflix-launched movie! Changing times but in regards to the visual content, this has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

With that said I am turning to what you are looking for. Firstly, this movie title is nothing but initials of Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap, just in case you are challenged in that respect. It begins on the back of a decade-long and still-simmering resentment between both actors. This picks up heavy steam in the media after they engage into a rather insulting interaction during a live TV programme.

Both are offended to the point of showing the other who he really is and what he can be. Anurag offers Anil a movie, the most dangerous hostage thriller in his words, with a plot that Anil absolutely cannot deny despite him being overly busy. The plot includes Anil searching for his real-life daughter Sonam who is kidnapped. Also, he must save her by sunrise without involving police or anyone else, and all his calls are to be placed on speaker phone. Lastly, in that limited time of ten hours whatever he does, wherever he goes, whoever he talks to would be filmed by Anurag’s assistant. No retakes. No lights. One camera (always on). All actions.

To add music to the mystery, this has popped up on Anil’s birthday night. He has to evade proper answers to frequent calls from Harsh (his son) to get home sooner and from Anand (his son-in-law) to check up on Sonam’s whereabouts. Anil zooms past one location to the other, running through streets to find some leads to reach Sonam. Both AKs roam around the roads of Mumbai in the late hours of night. By the morning, they are sorted in a way that I don’t want to spell out how.

I found some of the portions of the movie a little, only a little, stretchy. But in most parts, the story moves along quite well. Vikramaditya Motwane does a good job in knitting this together while engaging the audience well. Performance wise, Harsh takes this as a redeemer and gives his best which also is well noted. Sonam is only for a mute cameo with disturbed facial expressions. Anurag is very good with his expressions and delivery of his villainy lines. To me, the movie rested on the sturdy shoulders of Anil Kapoor.

With the strict eye of a school principal our sensor board has never allowed our actors to spew cuss words in a way they normally do. Especially the kids and adults of 80s and 90s who have carried a typical image of Anil Kapoor would love to see him in a different character. Here the senior AK would not only rattle out Hindi slangs like a pro but also break into his iconic Lakhan dance on a public demand even while he is being screwed.

This movie has made me watch Anil the actor I hadn’t known thus far. For a change, this time he may have wanted his audience to say for him: Jhakaas!

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