Critics’ Verdict: Sonakshi Is Good But ‘Akira’ Lacks Punch

Critics react to Sonakshi Sinha’s new release ‘Akira’.

Sonakshi Sinha in and as Akira.

Film: Akira
Director: AR Murugadoss
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, Konkona Sensharma

Excerpts from reviews of Akira

The main defect with Akira directed by the Ghajiniwala A R Murugadoss, is that it just doesn’t have an even remotely original story. Undeniably, Sonakshi is the film’s backbone and strives to be as kickass as is humanly possible. She’s impressive and physically rigorous. As for Anurag Kashyap, equipped with a diabolical grin and a factory full of weedy cigarettes, he does ooze oodles of menace effectively. Bottomwhine: Unless you’re in the mood to watch Sonakshi Sinha doing her Action Jackson number, you will be forgiven for taking off for a long walk in a park, the beachside, anywhere but to a multiplex. That’ll be easier on the nerves.

<b>Khalid Mohamed (Spotboye.com)</b>

Sonakshi Sinha does a good job working the limitations of her role, but she alone cannot help this film from falling into a sinkhole. Right from the beginning, director A R Murugadoss provides warning signals: a female using her fists cannot go scot-free. She has to be seen suffering, otherwise how will the mass audience flock to the film? So if Akira stands up to acid-throwing bullies, we are meant to rightfully applaud her, but that applause is quickly tempered by her having to be disciplined: first in a remand home and then in a ‘mental’ asylum. And for a female protagonist to be bloody but unbowed, and be the last woman standing? That will take some doing: this watered-down female version Ghajini is not that film.

<b>Shubhra Gupta (Indianexpress.com)</b>

Despite the build-up, <em>Akira</em> is hardly an Indian <em>Kill Bill</em> and its heroine is no Uma Thurman. The poorly directed action scenes number a handful, with most of the 139-minute running time devoted to contrivances and convolutions that do not do justice to an interesting premise. Sonakshi Sinha does a decent job in the emotional scenes, but the movie needed somebody faster and stronger to kick higher.

<b>Nandini Ramnath (Scroll.in)</b>