VIBE Review: Kunal Kemmu’s Espionage Comedy Is A Campy, Chaotic Full-On Vibe

VIBE- In theatres

Cast: Kunal Kemmu, Sparsh Shrivastava, Preity Zinta and others

Directed By: Kunal Kemmu

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Some films want you to sit up and take notice. Vibe simply wants you to sit back, laugh and go along for the ride. And honestly, that is exactly where Kunal Kemmu’s latest directorial outing finds its groove. After Madgaon Express, Kemmu returns with another film that wears its madness proudly, only this time he swaps three confused boys for two gloriously unqualified men, adds a national emergency, a terrorist plot and a little espionage, and somehow makes the whole thing feel like a house party that accidentally turned into a spy mission.

Even before the story begins, Kemmu is already playing with the audience. The film's slate of brand and media partners becomes part of the joke, followed by cheeky commentary around special appearances and the film itself. It is a small touch, but it immediately tells you what kind of ride you have signed up for. This isn't a film that takes itself too seriously, and neither does its filmmaker.

Kunal Kemmu knows exactly where his comedy lives

At the heart of Vibe are Bhagirath aka Bugs (Sparsh Shrivastava), a software developer who appears to have been manufactured in a tech-office lab, and Hardik (Kunal Kemmu), his old friend who has just returned from rehab following a drug overdose. One is methodical, awkward and by-the-book. The other is basically chaos with a pulse.

When Hardik joins Bugs' company and encounters Kareena (Vanshika Dhir), his romantic pursuit of her quickly becomes a comedy track of its own. But things take a sharp turn when they discover that Kareena is actually Huma Sayed and has links to a dangerous terrorist. Suddenly, these two ordinary men are pulled into the orbit of Madam H (Preity Zinta), who needs them to gather information and help avert a major threat.

The beauty of the setup is that Kemmu doesn't suddenly transform them into Tiger-style super-agents. They remain the same idiots who were barely equipped to handle their own lives. And that becomes the joke.

The screenplay is particularly sharp in the first half. There is slapstick, situational comedy, wordplay, random references, physical gags and one-liners flying around with such confidence that you barely get time to recover from one joke before another arrives. The humour doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes it is hidden in a reaction, a pause or one tiny physical detail.

Take the romantic kiss involving Harshit and Kareena. Hardik lifting his leg during the moment is such an absurd little addition that it becomes funnier precisely because nobody makes a big deal about it. That is Kemmu's strength as a writer. He understands that comedy isn't always about the punchline. Sometimes, the punchline is the way someone stands, looks or reacts.

The first half is a riot, the second takes a detour

The training sequence, where Bugs and Hardik are prepared for their Bangkok mission, is one of the film's biggest comic highlights. Watching these two attempt to become national-level operatives is less Mission: Impossible and more Mission: Please Don't Break Your Own Bones. The falls, punches, flips and spectacular failures turn the sequence into pure physical comedy.

The first half understands this world beautifully. It is irreverent, self-aware and unapologetically campy. The second half, however, changes gears. Once the duo reaches Bangkok following Huma's funeral invitation from her brother, a wanted terrorist, Vibe leans more heavily into the espionage and national-emergency portions of its plot. The stakes rise, but the comedy becomes slightly less consistent.

It isn't that the dramatic portions don't work. They simply don't possess the same effortless rhythm as the first half. The film occasionally feels caught between wanting to be a full-blown spy thriller and wanting to remain the madcap comedy it started as.

Kunal and Sparsh are the real Vibe

Kemmu is completely in his element as Hardik. His comic timing is instinctive, and he delivers even the most ridiculous lines with such casual confidence that the humour rarely feels forced. There is also a lovely meta quality to the film, with references ranging from Taare Zameen Par to Gangs of Wasseypur and Huma Qureshi, among other pop-culture nudges.

But the biggest surprise is how well Kemmu and Sparsh Shrivastava work together. Their friendship doesn't feel manufactured for the screenplay. There is an easy rhythm between them, with the bromance moving between ridiculous, affectionate and unexpectedly vulnerable. You genuinely enjoy spending time with these two. Sparsh, meanwhile, once again proves how naturally he can switch between the awkward techie, comic foil and someone thrown into increasingly dangerous situations.

Vanshika Dhir makes a promising debut. She has a rawness that works in her favour and possesses an easy screen presence. There is enough here to make you curious about what she does next.

Preity Zinta brings star presence to Madam H, but the character doesn't always feel completely in sync with her performance. Her dialogue delivery and diction occasionally feel slightly laboured, particularly when the role demands a tough, controlled espionage persona. The supporting cast, meanwhile, fits comfortably into the film's eccentric universe.

A mass entertainer that knows its own flavour

What makes Vibe work is that Kemmu doesn't seem interested in proving that he can make a serious spy film. He wants to make his spy film.

And that difference matters.

There are enough sleek agents, impossible missions and macho super-spies in Hindi cinema. Vibe takes the genre and throws two regular, underqualified guys into it. The result is messy, silly, colourful and occasionally surprisingly heartfelt.

Kemmu is, quite literally, the master of his own game here. His writing, direction, performance and understanding of comic rhythm all come from the same creative universe. When the film stays there, it is an absolute blast.

The Verdict

Vibe is campy, chaotic, funny and unapologetically desi. It may lose some steam when the espionage takes centre stage, but when it is firing on all cylinders, it delivers exactly what its title promises. It's the kind of mass entertainer where you don't ask too many questions. You just grab the popcorn and enjoy the madness.