CAST: Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Alaya F, Sonakshi Sinha, Manushi Chhillar and Ronit Roy

DIRECTOR: Ali Abbas Zafar

The action sequences in “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan,” directed and co-written by Ali Abbas Zafar, have reached a new level of tedious repetition. The film is overloaded with bombastic action scenes that crowd out any other elements. It’s a parade of cliches, clones, and chaos, each element vying to outshine the others in a setting where over-the-top is the standard.

Akshay Kumar, playing the titular Bade Miyan, Captain Firoz alias Freddy, momentarily reflects on his long-standing career during a confrontation with the villain, a rogue scientist-entrepreneur played by Prithviraj Sukumaran. Freddy declares, “Iss khel ke sabse purane khiladi hum hain” (I am the oldest player in this game), but his once fresh antics now feel stale and ineffective.

Despite its shortcomings, “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan” relies heavily on the charisma of its stars to compensate for a weak script and a noticeable lack of depth. Captain Freddy, overly confident, tries to convince his younger partner, Captain Rakesh alias Rocky (played by Tiger Shroff), of his indispensability. Rocky, however, refuses to be underestimated, maintaining his own approach—quick and assertive.

“Bade Miyan Chote Miyan” epitomizes the fast and furious style, yet it’s also disappointingly shallow. The film rushes from one hectic action scene to the next without pausing for breath, loosely connecting major confrontations with contrived and weak plot devices.

The screen is a blur of action with bullets whizzing, bombs detonating, and vehicles, including choppers and tanks, engulfed in flames. This relentless barrage of spectacle is so overwhelming that it dulls the mind, making one question if any thought was given to the film’s intellectual creation.

The plot itself is remarkably thin. Freddy and Rocky, two expert soldiers, are court-martialed and expelled from the Army for insubordination. The reasons behind their dismissal are murky and only become clear later in the movie. Meanwhile, Freddy is seen working in an oil mine in a desert, and Rocky is depicted fighting a fire and saving a trapped cat in Delhi.

Before delving into their dismissal, the film showcases an extended action sequence to establish why Freddy and Rocky are renowned as formidable extraction experts. In this scene, India’s ambassador to Kabul, along with his family, is held hostage by terrorists. Mounted on their horses, Freddy and Rocky storm the camp with precision.

By the time their mission concludes, they have completely demolished the hideout. As they depart, they also eliminate a notorious terrorist leader who had managed to evade the CIA for years.

Eight years after this event, the narrative pulls Freddy and Rocky back into intense action. The villain, initially seen in the opening scene behind a metallic mask during an ambush on an Army convoy, threatens to unleash a devastating new weapon against India.

Major Azad (played by Ronit Roy), the boss of Freddy and Rocky, remains convinced that they are still the best in the field. However, an old acquaintance of theirs thinks otherwise, leading to the introduction of clones in the story. The film itself is a lackluster imitation of numerous action movies featuring a villain intent on world destruction.

The narrative often references nation, uniform, and conscience—the three ideals that true soldiers steadfastly uphold. The Army leadership asserts, “We will achieve victory but will not forsake our guiding principles.” Yet, the film leans more towards gimmickry than genuine intellect, equipping the antagonist with Artificial Intelligence to propose creating brain-controlled, indestructible soldiers to combat brainwashed terrorists. When his plans are foiled, he resolves to make a statement.

In a domain largely dominated by men, Captain Misha (played by Manushi Chhillar) stands out, engaging in several action sequences to establish her prowess. Later in the film, another female character, Paminder “Pam” Bawa (played by Alaya F), the quintessential nerd masquerading as a simpleton, is introduced to decipher complex computer codes.

Sonakshi Sinha also makes a notable extended cameo as a senior Army officer who steps beyond her duties, volunteering for a risky experiment to protect the nation from a looming threat.

The movie strains to inject humor into its narrative, though it hardly seems necessary. The irony of an aspiring blockbuster, touted as a marvel to the genre yet meandering haphazardly, is humor enough in itself.

A scene that perfectly encapsulates this attempt at comedy occurs when Pam and Rocky head to Waterloo Station for a perilous mission. While on the move, Pam applies the finishing touches to her makeup. Rocky, puzzled, asks if they are going to a party. Pam’s reply, “If I die, I want to be sure I’m looking good,” serves as a prime example of the film’s approach to humor.

The male leads in “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan” laboriously navigate the film, while Prithviraj Sukumaran makes a futile effort to render the absurd plot tolerable. Sonakshi, Manushi, and Alaya, unfortunately, serve more as decorative elements than substantive characters.

The film lacks any element that could be considered redeeming. Watching it is an unrelenting ordeal. Even fans of Akshay and Tiger might want to reconsider before viewing.