Bachchhan Pandey Review: Paisa Vasool Delight For Akshay Kumar Fans With Kriti Sanon, Arshad Warsi And Pankaj Tripathi Promising a Good Time

The dialogue is hilarious, particularly in the first half, and some clever adjustments have been incorporated to ensure Bachchhan Paandey keeps the core while developing its own identity.

Bachchhan Pandey Review: Bachchhan Paandey represents Akshay Kumar’s comeback to the big screen after Sooryavanshi, a film that re-ignited the box office amid the film industry’s most trying moment, namely when restrictions were eased during the COVID-19 pandemic’s second wave. Is this celebrity able to recreate the same magic with his latest theatrical production, which stars Kriti Sanon, Arshad Warsi, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Pankaj Tripathi? There’s also a link to Sooryavanshi, with director Farhad Samji serving as one of the film’s dialogue writers. In all honesty, Bachchhan Paandey isn’t even close to Akshay Kumar’s previous film, but that’s not to say it doesn’t have its moments or isn’t worth a trip to the theatre.

Synopsis of the film:

After a producer rejects her script, Myra Devekar (Kriti Sanon) reaches Bhagwa to make a film on notorious gangster Bachchhan Paandey (Akshay Kumar) with local resident and her industry buddy, Vishu (Arshad Warsi), for company. No prizes for guessing that it turns out to be a far rougher ride than she had imagined.

What worked for us?

First things first, Bachchhan Paandey has enough going for it to entertain both those who’ve watched the 2014 Tamil original, Jigarthanda, as well as first-time viewers. Second things second, it’s a paisa-vasool treat (at least till the interval point for now) for Akshay Kumar fans as the actor takes on his coolest role since 2012’s Rowdy Rathore, and goes no-holds-barred with his swag while also subtly reminding discerning movie-buffs what a fine actor he is with his diction and body language. Kriti Sanon, too, adds another meaty role and credible performance to her enviably growing repertoire while Arshad Warsi, as always, doesn’t surprise us one bit with his effortless coming timing. Jacqueline Fernandez, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhimanyu Singh, Saharsh Kumar Shukla, Sanjay Mishra, and Prateik Babbar are all also on the money.

The dialogues are a hoot, more so in the first half, and some smart changes have been infused to ensure Bachchhan Paandey retains the essence of its source material while forging its own identity, which is always a tough job for remakes, so kudos to the makers for that – the deviation from the serious tone to a dark comedy is more than welcome, particularly for the family audience during a festive release, as is the added backstory. Keeping the infectious background score though was a good choice. Charu Shree Roy’s editing keeps the narrative snappy, Gavemic U. Ary’s camerawork captures the rustic flavour to the T and the production values are as polished as one would expect from a Sajid Nadiadwala production. Two songs, Saare Bolo Bewafa and Meri Jaan, also stand out.

What didn’t?

For a gangster movie, there’s a distinct lack of action scenes or even some remotely deadly sequences, which is a glaring issue since the Bachchhan Paandey had clearly promised the same. Moreover, while funny, there was scope for more humour, with several of the punchlines and comic scenarios falling flat in the second half, which is also when the screenplay and direction both take a hit. Remove Pankaj Tripathi from the second half and there’s nothing to take home. Also, when Farhad Samji, Sahid Nadiadwala, and their co-writers had incorporated certain refreshing changes in their adaptation, why not change the climax, which is one of the weakest aspects of Jigarthanda?

Verdict:

Bachchhan Paandey is a paisa-vasool delight for Akshay Kumar fans, as the actor is in full ‘Rowdy Rathore’ mode, flaunting his swag while also discreetly reminding us with his diction and body language what a brilliant actor he is. Kriti Sanon, Arshad Warsi, Pankaj Tripathi, and the rest of the actors all having a good time, but the film isn’t quite as much of a Holi celebration as the trailer promised, especially for neutral audiences, with the second half falling short of the first. The good news is that it manages to capture the essence of the Tamil original, Jigarthanda, while still forging its own individuality.

Rating: 3/5