Movie Review: Ajay Devgn’s Baadshaho, So Much Goldmaal

Here's the latest update from the world of Bollywood. We bet you wouldn't want to miss this. Read on for details... Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi are watchable. The rest of this heist caper isn’t

46862 Reads |  

Movie Review: Ajay Devgn’s Baadshaho, So Much Goldmaal
two stars

Heist makes waste. Right? So cut to unshaven men, dolled-up women and an army officer exhibiting his bare chest as if it was an artwork. Ms Sunny Leone pops up for a wriggle fest (ah, the item numbah). And there are rumble-tumbles on a train and an armoured truck goes kaboom, all adding up to doom baraabar doom.

However, if a retro-ishtyle stunt-crammed plot-pourri still holds you in a thrall, zoom right into Baadshaho, directed by Milan Luthria in the company of the bombastic  writer Rajat Arora. Disclosing an agenda for action galore rather than  (methinks) for political commentary, Luthria saab hauls you back to the Emergency era, 1975 when the erstwhile royal luminaries were raided and arrested for possessing wealth at the detriment of the country’s wealth.

 ajay devgn emraan hashmi esha gupta in baadshaho

A Still From Baadshaho

Ah, you hit the fingernail on your head. Evidently, the B’shaho flick  tocks-‘n’- ticks back to the arrest and incaceration of Maharani Gayatri Devi for five months, it is believed at the behest of Mrs Indira Gandhi. But chhodo kal ki baatein. Let’s look at the travails of Maharani Geetanjali Devi (an expressionless Ileana D’Cruz if you please) as depicted in the fictional jamboree of bullets-pyromaniacal explosions, chases and derring-do’s-and-don’ts, unspooling at the multiplexes right now.

Over, then, to the main object of desire: that truck laden with so much yellow metal, that it would rival Mackenna’s Gold. The booty has been force-loaded from the Devi’s Rajasthan Mahal to be transported – where else but Delhi, the seat of draconian governance? Stop!

 ileana dcruz and ajay devgn in baadsaho
A Romantic Scene From Baadshaho

The Devi has her fans and recruits, after all, captained by a man in pitch black called Bhawani (Ajay Devgn), flanked by Daliya a mercenary roustabout (Emraan Hashmi with surma lined eyes), a safecracker (Sanjay Mishraji), not to forget the beleaguered Maharani’s glam bestie (Esha Gupta). Uh huh.

Groanwhile, the bare chest of an officer (Vidyutt Jammwal) must foil these B’shahos. Can he? Will he? Frankly, with so much violence, overwritten wisecracks, desert stetches, camel-inhabited vistas and menacing close-ups of the golden guys and girls, the outcome stetches on till goldom come. Really, it’s all about loving your Sona darling.

 emraan hashmi and sunny leone in baadshaho
Emraan Hashmi And Sunny Leone In Baadshaho

Rajat Arora strives to make every sentence uttered a crunch-munch-punchline. Says the intense Bhawani bhai, “The character of gold can’t spoil my character.” Wazzat? Then there’s Mr Surma stating, “Sona nahin milega toh sone ko bhi nahin milega”, roughly translatable, “If we don’t get the gold, we don’t get to sleep either.” Snore! And the cherry on the heavyweight kilos of cake, is, “Pehle karo, phir daro.” Meaning, “First do,  then get scared.” Must try out that piece of advice. Thanks.

Continuity lapses show up, especially in the stunt scenes. The editor seemed to have crammed in as much footage filmed as possible to account for a 145-minuter. On the upside, Sunita Radia’s cinematography is consistently rigorous and visually appealing.

 vidyut jamwal and ileana drcuz in baadshaho
Vidyut Jammwal And Ileana D'Cruz In Baadshaho

Inevitably, the screenplay (or whatever there is of it) is designed to spotlight Ajay Devgn, who breezes through the Action Jackson role as effortlessly as driving auto-pilot. Emraan Hashmi (naturally, he’s allocated the raunchy tangobaazi with Ms Leone) does steal a scene or two with tongue-in-cheek candour. As for the rest of the cast, they’re just about endurable since no special acting skills are required.

Bang-bang, bone crunching, somersaulting feats, you like? Then, okay try this B’shaaho if you must. Or else, take a chill pill at home sweet home.




Image Source: youtube/tseries & instagram/baadshaho