'Bhuj' review: This multi-starrer movie fails to soar, gets 1.5/5
Bhuj: The Pride of India dropped on Disney+ Hotstar today. This much-awaited war film stars multiple actors, such as Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Pranitha Subhash, Ammy Virk, Nora Fatehi and Sharad Kelkar. Its director and writer, Abhishek Dudhaiya, who has made over 20 TV shows, has indeed treated Bhuj as a soap opera. This movie fails to soar. Here's our review.
When India won the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
It's based on the 1971 Indo-Pak war (popularly known as Bangladesh Liberation War), when Pakistan attacked 11 Indian air stations under Operation Chengiz Khan. As 14 bombs destroyed Bhuj's IAF (Indian Air Force) strip, squadron leader Vijay Karnik (played by Devgn), with the help of villagers, had rebuilt the airbase within 72 hours. India ended up winning the crucial war.
Dialogues are either melodramatic or lackadaisical
In the trailer, you hear Devgn saying, "Agar Taj Mahal pyaar ki nishaani hai toh Hindustan tere baap ki kahaani hai." Know that this is not a one-off dialogue. Such melodramatic lines come in every five minutes - when the characters are not delivering these over-the-top statements, you find them quoting plain facts. The movie states war facts, as if it's a documentary.
Some actors did leave mark with their performances
Makers have roped in multiple actors, but couldn't manage their screen-time. Except for Devgn and Virk, others have been allotted just 20-25 minutes. But they left a mark in their unique style. Virk's acting, Kelkar's voice and Dutt's look are impressive, while Sinha and Devgn are just fine. Special mention to Fatehi, who didn't win the acting battle, but her action sequences are praiseworthy.
The movie lacks consistency, some parts are hurried
Other than overdramatic dialogues and poor screenplay, the movie was unevenly paced, and lacked the right emotions. It seems the director was in a hurry to finish it, as no particular scene is shown properly. The visuals/VFX could have been much better. The only positive aspects are the star cast and its background score. Verdict: 1.5 stars.
