Baadshaho Reviews and Box Office thread

Thursday, 31 August 2017

First things first: Baadshaho, Ajay Devgn's thriller-heist outing, is mercifully not another Shivay. The action is more believable, and the film has a core plot giving room for most characters to stand on their feet.

As a heist movie, Baadshaho works adequately, and lends justice to its original premise, based on the real-life mystery relating to the missing wealth of a royal family that lost its moorings in post-Independent India.

Baadshaho is also true to the milieu of director Milan Luthria. After exploring the seedy underbelly of Mumbai (in Once Upon a Time in Mumbai), hetakes his tested craft to Rajasthan, and plants his favourite actors Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashimi on a chase that is replete with deceit, treachery and double-crossing.

With writer Rajat Arora, the name behind many interesting films (including Luthria's The Dirty Picture), Baadshaho, however, could have been stronger and punchier if only it resisted its urge for unneeded heroism and repetitive punch-line delivery from practically everyone in the cast.

We have Devgan going on about how life is all about four days and today is his fourth, while Hashimi has to chip in the story of his friend, who gets into trouble all the time, and well, dies.

But for its silliness in the dialogue-department, Baadshaho finds its bearings as it gets into heist mode. Things start rather slow as we are introduced to Gitanjali (Ileana D'Cruz), a newly crowned princess, imprisoned for not declaring her hidden wealth - and her wealth is confiscated.

Now, as she tells the police, her saviour will come. That is Bhawani Singh (Devgn) her former bodyguard, who swears his life and word upon her. Assembling a lock-cracker (Sanjay Mishra), a side-kick - tattooed, in cheap T-shirts and a lady's man - Dalia (Hashimi) and a friend of Gitanjali, Sanjana (Esha Gupta), Bhawani sets out to steal the wealth being secretly carted away to a politician Sanjeev (with an actor who has uncanny resemblance to Sanjay Gandhi). The four have to fight an army officer Sheher Singh (Vidyut Jamwal), and what unfolds, including the many sudden twists, make for Baadshaho.

Set in the infamous Emergency period, the film subtly reminds of the 'sterlisation' drive orchestrated by the government, and has a brilliant moment when Gitanjali comes across the ire of the common folks from a woman struggling under a merciless sun. This is not a film about the Emergency era and naturally, the plight of the people is not the focus. But a bit more depth, as Luthria gave to his Mumbai stories and The Dirty Picture, could have taken Baadshaho to a higher level.

In addition to some compelling action, also on the plus side is the real-life mystery of the wealth that is intelligently handled; there are no filmy 'usual' resolves to the conflict, which again is a bold move. The boldest is how Luthria and Devgn give screen space for all - Vidyut Jamwal, for example; he often steals the scene. Every actor does justice to his/her roles.

Stronger writing with less of the repetitive lines, firmer editing, and more realistic approach to the central narrative without the predictable invincibility of the protagonists could have madeBaadshaho a more compelling film. For now, it is strictly time-pass.

Baadshaho

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashimi, Ileana D'Cruz

Directed by Milan Luthria

Now playing at theatres in the UAE

Rating: 2.5/5

Baadshaho had a decent start of around 25-30%. The opening of the film is similar to Toilet Ek Prem Katha at multiplexes but better in single screens but that does not necessarily mean a better opening day than Toilet Ek Prem Katha as the collections of that film shot up in the evening at multiplexes and this being an action film that is not likley. Though with a big holiday for Eid tomorrow it could help the evening collections. The opening of the film is better than Shivaay though that film opened with another major release and was a pre Diwali release and the budget of the film is also less than that film. The best opening is in Rajasthan probably due to the setting of the film and next best was UP.

There is the holiday for Eid tomorrow which should help though Saturday is probably not the best day to have the holiday as its a good day for the box offie and you really want a holiday on either Friday or another working day. The fate of the film will depend on how the multiplexes of the big A centres like Jaipur, Nagpur, Surat etc fair.

Shubh Mangal Saavdhan is a low opening of 10-15% which is expected for a film with no popular faces but it is slightly better than Bareilly Ki Barfi as occupancy is same but Shubh Mangal Saavdhan has a wider release so it could do a slightly higher number than Bareilly Ki Barfi but it wont be much. Considering the competition of Baadshaho this is not bad but its going to come down to that Monday having to be at the level of Friday to get a good run. The weekend is not an issue as far as growth is concerned because from this level it is sure to grow and on top there is Eid on Saturday but Monday is the acid test.