Those who haven’t seen the Tamil original will definitely have more fun watching Vikram Vedha, but even if you are well-acquainted with the plot the movie will make you sit up and take notice. Helmed by the same makers, the film shows us how a remake can really come into its own.
Vikram Vedha is inspired by the Indian folklore Baital Pachisi. Just like the astute King in the story our man Vikram (Saif Ali Khan), an upright and brave police officer, must find his way out through the maze of riddles and questions that Vedha (Hritik Roshan), a dreaded criminal, throws his way.
Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan in and as 'Vikram Vedha'.
(Photo Courtesy: YouTube)
Vikram and Vedha come face-to-face thrice, and each time a new perspective and a different layer is added. The husband -wife director duo Pushkar-Gayathri’s smartest decision is to trust Hritik and Saif to carry the weight of the proceedings .
As bullets ricochet off, what stops Vikram Vedha from becoming a run-of-the-mill car and mouse chase is the brilliant screenplay that prompts us to reflect on deeper questions of morality, good and evil.
Every encounter between Vikram and Vedha, therefore, not just nudges the narrative into a more engaging angle but also makes it goddamn hard for us to look away from the screen.
Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi were great in the Tamil OG, but Saif and Hrithik bring in their own swag and star power to their roles. When they are on screen we miss no one else. This probably makes the other characters appear blurry and not as clearly fleshed-out, but if you are as talented as Sharib Hashmi you still stand out!
The setting in this Hindi version is Uttar Pradesh, and PS Vinod‘s cinematography brings out the earthy flavour efficiently.
Sam C.S’s background score might sometimes drown the dialogues, but overall it helps keep the proceedings buoyant.
Hritik and Saif seem to be really enjoying themselves. It’s their self-assured presence that keeps us hooked even when the pacing falters or the film seems too stretched for its own good.
Our rating: 3.5 Quints out of 5
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