Bade Miyan Chote Miyan

Story: When a powerful enemy threatens to destroy India with his technological prowess, two soldiers must use their tact and uninhibited strength to save the day.

Review: Captain Rakesh aka Rocky (Akshay Kumar) and Captain Firoz aka Freddy (Tiger Shroff) are the best assets of the Indian army. They are brave, honest and unapologetically patriotic. However, they are also a bit uncontrolled and defiant. But, when it comes to tackling an imminent threat from an enemy within, there’s no one else who can be trusted. India’s future is in jeopardy because of a tech-savvy villain, who is about to unleash an AI-powered mayhem on the country that can lead to a war-like situation with its volatile neighbours. It can also destroy India’s financial and defence capabilities. It’s a clear and present danger and for our men in uniform, it’s a race against time.

‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ gets down to business right from the very first scene that begins with the film’s antagonist, instead of its protagonists. We know that the stakes are high as co-writer and director Ali Abbas Zafar does well in building up the suspense around it. The first half is packed with a frantic pace, adrenaline-pumping action and fun banter between Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. It’s pedestrian humour but the punches work in forging good chemistry between the two actors. Like when Tiger’s character constantly takes a jibe at Akshay’s age and ignorance about the Gen-Z stuff or when Akshay gets back to him by taking a swipe at his acting skills. It’s done well and blends seamlessly with their character traits. Tiger’s brooding handsome looks and chiselled body enhance his screen presence and he more than holds on to his own against Akshay Kumar. Unlike most high octane actioners, this testosterone charged film actually ends up giving its leading ladies well-defined roles and important tasks. Manushi Chiller as Captain Misha is brilliant in landing lethal blows to the bad guys. Alaya F as the nerdy Dr Pam is also quite a hoot. The young actress shows spark with her near-perfect comic timing. Prithviraj Sukumaran as Kabir is way too sophisticated to be a menacing anti-hero. Sonakshi Sinha doesn’t have much to do in her special appearance as Captian Priya.

The narrative is powered by a masssive build-up in the first half and an unpredictable twist at the interval that raises expectations from the second half. But it pales in comparison. Logic takes a beating and we see an over-simplified solution to an apocalyptic problem. The complex geo-political situation between India, Pakistan and China is used as a backdrop and a reason to fire up some heavy patriotic lines. However, it’s the relentless action and innovative stunts that remain consistently top-notch. Marcin Laskawiec’s cinematography successfully captures the scale of a war-like situation and constant tension, which is quite relatable, in the times we live in. The thumping musical score by Vishal Mishra is refreshing, especially the song ‘Mast Malang’. The excessive usage of computer graphics during stunts, explosions and car chases is interspersed well within the scenes.

Director Ali Abbas Zafar, who is known for giving explosive entertainers like the ‘Tiger’ series, once again displays his expertise in the genre. ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ goes out all guns blazing to make for an entertaining potboiler with heart-pounding action, cheeky humour and barely a dull moment.