Sooryavanshi keeps you on edge for the sheer joy of watching that over-the-top action with an engaging and gripping screenplay but patchy.
This cop action saga is narrated by Ajay Devgn, who reminds us of the several terror attacks which Mumbai has encountered since the 1993 serial blasts to the 2008 terror attack on several landmark locations in Mumbai, including The Taj Mahal Palace and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). The film story unfolds as the biggest attack is yet to happen in the city, as some sleeper cells from Lashkar have been activated, and it is found that 600 kilos of RDX leftover from 1993 serial attacks are being used for the purpose.
Thirteen years later, when the same terrorist group is back in action and planning another mission, DCP Veer Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar), the head of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad, is assigned the task of finding their whereabouts and stopping the attacks. Sooryavanshi is not a three-hero film as the posters and trailers might try to make you believe. It's an out-and-out Akshay Kumar action film with special appearances from Ajay Devgn, who plays Singham, and Ranveer Singh, who plays Simmba in the last 30 minutes. These 30 minutes is the film's highlight with its high-octane action, cars getting blown up. Some stunning hand combat choreography has taken the movie to a new level, and the action-hero trio can be seen in their best form.
Sooryavanshi, managing his family issues with wife Riya (Katrina Kaif), investigates the missing RDX, which they get a leak about. With help from his old colleagues Simmba, Singham and his senior Kabir Shroff (Jaaved Jaaferi), Sooryavanshi races against the time, hoping to stop the ticking bomb avoiding a lethal disaster.
With hardcore masala films, it's easy to assume that you can leave your brain at home and just enjoy the experience. But with a film like Sooryavanshi that introduces countless characters on the screen, one after the other, you need to be your alert self and join. Sooryavanshi isn't driven by a great script. Neither does it have any extraordinary suspense that could bring nail-biting moments. Yet, it keeps you on edge for the sheer joy of watching that over-the-top action.
With the cross-border plot, the film revolves around the concept of revenge. While the story itself plays it safe, the action is risky throughout. The film gives you visual delight in most of the action sequences, which have been shot with almost perfection. The first half could have been trimmed with good editing, but the second half holds you till the end. It is fast-paced, and the second half is when all the tension builds up, and things get more intriguing. The screenplay is engaging and gripping but patchy. The dialogues could not leave a lasting impact.
Akshay Kumar delivers a blockbuster performance since this genre belongs to him. With his power-packed action, Akshay justifies his super cop character. Apart from many physical encounters, there are several high drama stunts with cars, bikes and helicopters as Akshay Kumar displays his known action skills and catches the entire screen view. Overall, it's an Akshay show with his star power and screen presence shadowing everything else on the screen. Katrina Kaif looks stunning on-screen, and her sensual moves in the iconic song 'Tip Tip Barsa Paani' is undoubtedly clap-worthy, but we could not forget the original song and its classic picturization. However, the story does not give much scope to Katrina's character and her acting skills; still, we find her convincing as a loving wife and a doting mom.
There is a great lineup of supporting cast including joint commissioner played by Javed Jaaferi, the mastermind behind Mumbai blasts, Bilal (Kumud Mishra) and Lashkar chief Omar Hafiz (Jackie Shroff) and his sons played by Abhimanyu Singh and Mrunal Jain live their part well. Gulshan Grover, Nikitin Dheer and Sikander Kher have small yet crucial roles.
Rohit Shetty has tactfully expanded his cop universe over the years, a kind of innovation in Indian Cinema. After the Singham series and then Simba, now storms in Sooryavanshi amidst much drama and action. Sooryavanshi's character was subtly announced towards the end of Simmba and has all the elements of entertainment expected from a Rohit Shetty film.
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