Language : Hindi
Release date: 30 September 2022
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Radhika Apte
Directed by: Pushkar-Gayatri
Produced by: YNOT Studios,Friday Filmworks,Reliance Entertainment,T-Series Films,Jio Studios,Theme Studios
Music by: Sam CS, Vishal shekhar
Cinematography :PS Vinod
Edited by :Richard Kevin

Vikram Vedha is a neo-noir action thriller film written-directed by Pushkar–Gayathri, based on their 2017 Tamil film of the same name and also inspired by the Indian folktale Baital Pachisi. The film is jointly produced by YNOT Studios, Jio Studios, Theme Studios, T-Series Films, Friday Filmworks, and Reliance Entertainment. It stars Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan in title roles with Radhika Apte, Rohit Saraf and Yogita Bihani in supporting roles. It tells the story of an honest cop Vikram, who sets out to track down and kill a dreaded gangster named Vedha.

What works

Generally, the term “well-crafted film” refers to a film that has been made well, but in the case of Vikram Vedha, it also refers to the script. Pushkar and Gayathri have taken King Vikramadityan and the Vedhalam’s conceit and built an elaborate puzzle, setting their story in the cops and gangsters genre.

The strength of ‘Vikram Vedha‘ lies first and foremost in the outstanding performances of Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan, followed by the dialogues that are strewn throughout the screenplay, posing pertinent questions about good and evil and the choices one makes in situations to which everyone can relate. Pushkar and Gayathri‘s reverse chronology screenplay and attention to the smallest detail keep the audience guessing until the killer payoff at the climax.

Pushkar Gayathri‘s vision has been beautifully captured on film by cinematographer P.S. Vinod, music director Sam C.S, and editor Richard Kevin. It’s been a long time since a writer –director has set out to make a movie with a deep rooted theme and conveyed it without a glitch and the husband and wife deserve the crown.

What not works

The thing that holds the film back compared to the original is the casting. Apart from Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan and Radhika Apte, the supporting cast did not make an impact and their performances were below average. The fact that Vishal Shekhar‘s songs could not make a big impact is also a drawback compared to the original.

Surprisingly, some of the important scenes from the original have either not been included or edited out. That was not the case with the original film. Another thing that you notice while watching this is that it has a slightly polished look to it. In the original film, the backdrop was represented in the most authentic manner.

Bottomline

Well-designed commercial entertainer with multiple twists and turns!!