Vikram Vedha Review: Hrithik Roshan And Saif Ali Khan's Action Thriller Is Top Notch

While Hrithik does take the centre stage at times, even Saif Ali Khan does not lag behind in making his screen presence felt with his balanced depiction of emotions.

New Delhi: What does one expect from a two hero film? Well of course, lots of action and masala. Having said that, this week's release 'Vikram Vedha' starring Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan fits perfectly well into the category of a two hero film that has high-octane action and gripping masala, enough to keep the audience entertained till the very end of the film.

'Vikram Vedha' is the remake of its Tamil version by the same name. The original film was also directed by duo Pushkar and Gayathri and starred R Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles. Set in the backdrops of Kanpur and Lucknow, this neo-noir action thriller delights the audience with its well-crafted story that gives the protagonists the opportunity to delve into their characters with utmost finesse.

The film starts with Saif Ali Khan as Vikram, a top rank officer of the Lucknow Police Special Task Force, hunting down Vedha's allies in a deserted, dilapidated building, with his team. After a scrappy thirty minutes that goes into developing Vedha's background and the STF team thatching a plan to nab him, the audience waits with bated breath to catch a glimpse of the crude gangster. Hrithik Roshan takes the centre stage when he makes a stellar entry as Vedha Betaal, making his wait absolutely worthwhile.

The movie gains a pulsating momentum when Vikram and Vedha come face-to-face, with the latter making the former question his ideologies of right and wrong and blurring the line between the two. The storytelling technique that derives its roots from 'Betaal Pachchisi', not only elevates the narrative but also gives an insight into the thought process of Vikram, who only believes in things that are absolutely white or absolutely black, nothing in the grey region.

Pushkar and Gayathri, who have both written and directed the film, make sure that the characters of Vikram and Vedha do not overshadow each other at any point of time. While Hrithik does take the centre stage at times, even Saif Ali Khan does not lag behind in making his screen presence felt with his balanced depiction of emotions.

With Saif and Hrithik doing full justice to their roles as Vikram and Vedha, the other important characters also leave no stone unturned in making a mark for themselves and adding up to the entertainment quotient. Radhika Apte and Rohit Saraf are earnest in the screen space allotted to them. The one character that blows the minds is Sharib Hashmi as Babloo Bhaiya. The actor's role has been crafted well, giving the opportunity to portray his versatility. Despite being a side character, he takes the centre stage with his performance in the sequences allotted to him.

Coming to the technical aspects of the film, Manoj Muntashir and B.A.Fida have done a tremendous job in making the dialogues catchy with apt use of one-liners. The cinematograpgy and the tonality of the film does justice to the action thriller by giving a rusty touch to Vedha's character as the rugged gangster and Vikram as the swanky svelte cop. The action sequences are well-choreographed and thrilling. Though it gets a tad bit stretched at some places, it overall adds to the narrative making the audience relish the experience of watching the two handsome hunks engage in some ruthless action. The streets and cuisines of Lucknow and Kanpur add up to the visuals.

The one thing that disappoints is the background score of 'Vikram Vedha'. Although the song 'Bande' is infused with some spirit, the dance number 'Alcoholia' is totally uncalled for, that absolutely plays no role in the progression of the film's plot. Also, the tacky choreography does not do any justice in using Hrithik's exemplary dancing skills. There are also a few things that needed a little more attention for example: Saif and Radhika's love story, the circumstances that led to Vedha's rise as a powerful gangster and Shatak and Chanda's love story.

Overall, 'Vikram Vedha' is a complete masala entertainer with apt amount of action, drama and thought-provoking introspection. Thriving in high-octane action, it's a delight to watch Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan on the big screen after a long time. The film loaded with power-packed performance by two of the most suave looking actors definitely deserves a watch in theatres.