Bachchhan Paandey review: Akshay Kumar, Kriti Sanon’s film is a classic villain-turned-hero story

3/5

Myra (Kriti Sanon) is a struggling filmmaker. Her movie will only be funded when she makes a movie about a gangster. That's when she comes across Bachchhan Paandey (Akshay Kumar)'s story and his terror.

Bachchhan Paandey develops a sense of fear within the first few seconds of the beginning. Music plays a huge role in that. Akshay Kumar's mini entries are all worth it and hyped just in the right amount.

All that shines is gold, and here, they are bullets. Kriti Sanon's entry as Myra is good, but she has been playing the same tune ever since she either tries to get hyper or pretends to be upset.

The first few minutes are nothing but a yawn with the forced sob story. The lip-syncing is also not to the point, and it only makes you feel like walking out of the theatre already!

When Akshay is re-introduced, this time through a vintage car and suspenseful music, it builds his character and takes it to a whole new level. His role, however, is mediocre. While he should be scarier than anyone around him, Abhimanyu Singh almost steals the show from him.

The title song is the first track in the movie, and it works well since it introduces Bachchhan Paandey as a deadly man. However, the song is never-ending and disturbs the flow of the film. His switch from deadly to sensitive brings in a pleasant surprise. It shows that, of course, Bachchhan Paandey is a badass, but he is still only human.

Akshay's character improves to a great extent after he meets Myra. Finally, the movie comes to action, and how!

Just as you are still recovering from the title song, the makers add another song to the story. Not that it doesn’t take the plot forward, but a song could've been avoided to convey what it did. Songs generally don't do well for a character like Bachchhan Paandey, and here it is simply bizarre.

The movie manages to make even slow-motion scenes effective. However, there are also moments when the film appears almost pretentious.

Akshay goes almost shirtless in many scenes, and he doesn't flaunt his six-pack abs but his flab. This makes the gangsters more realistic. His dancing while wearing a vest is as real as it gets.

Pendulum (Abhimanyu) is deadly, as always. He is also a die-hard romantic, which takes the story to a new level.

Prateik Babbar tries hard and impresses, but only to some extent. His character is also bizarre. There is a cute angle, his love is called Smita (which is also the name of his late mother). His role or character doesn't come as a surprise, even when the makers intended to give him a surprise angle.

Snehal Dabi doesn't have a huge role in the movie. However, he is one of the perfect castings for the film.

Saharsh Shukla is comical in his first scene. It is not something you see for the first time but still works. He also has a bizarre story, but it works well given that it is comic too.

Arshad Warsi's entry as Vishu is just as good as Akshay's, better even, considering his comedy is on point. He comes as comic relief when Bachchhan Paandey creates fear.

Sanjay Mishra is funny too, but he has a smaller role as compared to the other actors. Nonetheless, he plays a powerful character.

The second half of the film gets fun. Arshad's scene, in particular, is sure to make you laugh. He has a bigger role in the second half.

Jacqueline Fernandez, as Bachchhan's girlfriend Sophie, also makes her entry in the second half. She speaks the UP language and nails it. Apart from that, the actress is her usual self.

The romance between Bachchhan and Sophie is cute. The makers have made Sophie and Myra similar, especially in their hairstyle. Of course, there is no surprise in that since they were the leading female characters at one point (Myra in the first half, Sophie in the second).

Gaurav Chopra has a cameo appearance in the film, and he performs the role well. He is impressive as a baddie who almost gave Bachchhan a run for his money (or here, rather love).

Pankaj Tripathi as Bhavesh Sir is such a sight right from the minute he enters! He is a colourful character who is impressive from the first scene. The character is so adorable and is apt as a Guruji.

The film takes a twist, one that also doesn't come as a huge surprise. So many surprises, one after another, it is almost surreal and unbelievable.

This movie is the classic villain-turned-hero story. It comes as no surprise considering the way Bachchhan Paandey was built up. The special, which celebrates 70 years of Nadiadwala's home production, ends on a perfect note, giving a life update on all the characters today.

Bachchhan Paandey is not unpredictable. Every step of the movie gives you hints about what will happen. Akshay is good as an actor, and the other supporting actors (except Kriti and Jacqueline) also range between good and great. The concept of the film is not something that should be promoted. It is very close to the movie mafia, which people are fighting to stop. Nonetheless, the movie is entertaining in the second half. If you are an Akshay fan or love Pankaj Tripathi or Arshad Warsi, then this movie is for you. Otherwise, go watch The Kashmir Files again.