Akshay Kumar's latest movie is a mixed bag. On one hand, it features his trademark comedy that fans have come to love and expect. However, on the other hand, there's a sense of deja vu that permeates the film. The script seems to have been copy-pasted from previous movies, with some tweaks that end up making certain things worse than the original.
If you're looking for a movie to watch during your bathroom breaks, this might be a good choice. The songs are a good time to take a break, too.
But should you watch it? Well, that depends. If you haven't seen the original movie, "Driving License," then you might enjoy some of the scenes. However, if you have seen it, then you might find the similarities a bit too much.
The movie has a runtime of 143 minutes, which is an interesting number. It ironically denotes 'I Love You,' but this is not going to be a love story with a happy ending. Despite this, the movie still manages to pack in a lot of action, drama, and comedy, with a good amount of perplexity and burstiness to keep you entertained.
As the opening credits of the movie rolled, we were all treated to a recorded message from Akshay Kumar, where he expressed his gratitude to his fans and acknowledged that he owes his success to them. However, he also hinted at the possibility of disappointing a significant chunk of his followers with his latest film. The story follows Vijay Kumar (played by Akshay Kumar), a megastar who is adored by his fans, including RTO Inspector Om Prakash Agarwal (Emraan Hashmi), who's love for Vijay is often labeled as 'bhakti,' meaning devotion.
In the movie, Vijay requests a driving license for a particular car-based scene, and Om Prakash hopes to take a harmless selfie with his favourite star. However, things take an unexpected turn when Vijay arrives at the RTO office. The plot revolves around a cat-and-mouse game played between the 'Khiladi' and the 'Anari,' and the story's primary focus is on the motive behind their actions.
The movie is packed with surprising twists and turns that keep the audience engaged, and the characters' actions and intentions are shrouded in mystery. The combination of Akshay Kumar's star power and Emraan Hashmi's acting chops makes for a compelling watch. With its clever plot and captivating characters, the movie is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Review of Selfiee: Script Evaluation
Mehta's writer Rishhabh Sharrma takes on the challenge of adapting and modifying Lal Jr's Malayalam film Driving License for Akshay Kumar's Hindi remake, with Prithviraj Sukumaran leading the way. It may seem crazy, but hear me out. The film's comical relief comes from Akki cracking self-deprecating jokes, so why not take it one step further? Why limit the story to just the source material available beforehand when you can joke about Akki's commitment to do millions of projects every year, his 'masoode' ruining his smile, and even make a doctor criticize his 'massy' script sense?
Why not make it a story about someone who forgets to renew their passport and struggles to renew it due to their dual citizenship (India and Canada, perhaps)? Why not completely redesign the project while retaining the narrative's soul of a public war between a superstar and their die-hard fan? It's easy to pen, but difficult to execute. However, isn't that the same as remaking an already-loved movie?
Rajeev Ravi, Anurag Kashyap's guy (Dev D, Gangs of Wasseypur), keeps it simple with the cinematography. Besides a few routine action sequences, there's not much to boast about how the film looks. Ritesh Soni's editing doesn't help either, causing the second half to fade away.
Selfiee Movie Review: Star Performance
Akshay Kumar's lucky number 9 is a recurring theme in his character Vijay's obsession with Cars sporting numbers like 4545 or 0909, and even his driving license form bears the address '27' Pali Hill. The film's self-deprecatory humor almost feels like Akshay is breaking the fourth wall to address the viewers. However, despite his effortless performance, the dragging narrative fails to elevate the film. Akshay does deliver a few genuinely funny lines, but it falls short of the mark.
Emraan Hashmi's character Om's star-worshipping is underdeveloped and does not create a strong enough emotional connection with the audience, especially non-fans. Om's transformation from a hardcore fan to a failed father to a revengeful RTO Inspector fails to evoke any emotions other than "please end this already."
Nushrratt Bharuccha and Diana Penty's roles as the respective housewives of Emraan and Akshay lack depth and purpose in the film other than to keep their husbands from messing up. The extremely fit and talented Mahesh Thakur barely gets any screen time, leaving one puzzled as to how such a gifted actor was not given meaty jokes to work with. Abhimanyu Singh's character writing is witty, leading to some hilarious scenes, but the best performance comes from Meghna Malik's character 'Corporator,' whose natural performance brings out the best in the character. Kusha Kapila's presence is barely noticeable, yet again.
Critique of the Selfie Film: Directing and Music
Raj Mehta's skills as a filmmaker are best showcased when he adheres to the original scripts. While his comedic pieces are imbued with his unique touch, his attempt at a generic plot falls short. To be more specific, Mehta struggles to handle the spicy, 'masala' portions of Vijay Kumar's script, but excels at directing the gut-busting scenes of Superstar Suraj, portrayed brilliantly by Abhimanyu Singh.
Despite a collaborative effort from big names like Tanishk Bagchi, Yo Yo Honey Singh, The PropheC, Lijo George, DJ Chetas, Vikram Montrose, Aditya Yadav, Tarun, and even Anu Malik for the Main Khiladi Tu Anari remake, not a single track manages to make it onto my playlist for more than a week. Even The PropheC's hit song, Vibe, falls short in the film version due to its attempt at a forced hook line. In contrast, the original song starts with the hook line, immediately capturing the listener's attention and delivering an early high that the film version fails to replicate.
Critique of the selfie film The Last Word
When it comes to evaluating the merits of Selfiee, one cannot help but acknowledge the film's faithfulness to its source material. However, this same faithfulness also represents one of the movie's potential shortcomings. In fact, it is precisely when Selfiee deviates from its original source material that it truly shines.
To truly capitalize on its potential, Selfiee needed to undergo a complete transformation, both in terms of its outward appearance and its underlying substance. Only then could the film realize its full potential and offer audiences a truly unique and captivating viewing experience.
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