'Bhaiyya Ji' review: Manoj Bajpayee starrer is unbearably, unbelievably bad
The '80 called. They want their movie back. It baffles me why Manoj Bajpayee would choose an outdated and antiquated film like Bhaiyya Ji to mark his 100th cinematic outing. Rough and unbelievably dreary, it's a desperate attempt to cash in on the action madness dominating Indian cinema. However, the film is tactless and stale, and its two-hour-plus runtime only aggravates the matter.
The world has moved ahead, but this film is stuck
The story, which is at least two decades past its expiration date, goes like this: Vedant is mercilessly charred to death by Abhimanyu, a rich spoiled brat and the son of Chandrabhaan Singh, who exercises immense power locally. Soon after, Vedant's brother Ramcharan aka Bhaiyya Ji takes it upon himself to exact revenge, and the film plays out like an endless cat-and-mouse chase.
Why, Bajpayee, why?
Through this project, Bajpayee wished to establish himself as a "Desi Superstar," but this is a colossal miss from the actor who gave us Satya, Kaun, and GOW. For all his effort in the dialogue delivery and the action scenes, there's zilch that he can do to salvage this ship that begins to sink from the first scene and absolutely drowns by the interval.
Nobody has any personality here; everyone is a caricature
When the villains are introduced, the screenplay ensures that we hate them from the first time we meet them. They kill people in cold blood, force their victims to change their statements, and run over animals and people just for fun. In a nutshell, they are nothing more than caricatures and director Apoorv Singh Karki has lent them no personality. He couldn't care less.
Could have been socially relevant, but doesn't have enough creativity
The film is going for a social commentary on the distribuion of power and how the scales will always be tilted to one side, but all that nuance is completely battered and lost in the film's headache-inducing execution. Caring for Vedant is impossible becase we know nothing about him, and Bhaiyya Ji is always treated as a myth, not simply a living, breathing human.
Slow-mos need to be retired, perhaps
Nothing ever happens normally in this film. Not a chance. Bhaiyya Ji doesn't simply walk, he walks at 0.75x repeatedly; people don't simply communicate, they talk in sermons, and every action sequence is not simply a scene but must be a failed spectacle. Marinated in disbelief, melodrama, and over-the-top theatrics, it's a sorry, tacky attempt at recreating the world of Mirzapur.
No cohesion or semblance of normalcy
I am all for suspension of disbelief, but logic dies multiple deaths in this movie, the humor is jarring and awkward, and the supporting characters exist for the sake of it. Vipin Sharma is absolutely wasted in a role that could have existed both as satirical and comic relief, and the makers have no idea what to do with anyone's arc except Bajpayee's.
Stay away from this film; gets 1/5 stars
I never thought that a Bajpayee film would leave such a sour taste in my mouth, but Bhaiyya Ji did the unthinkable. Some films are derailed after a few enjoyable scenes, but BJ doesn't even try, instead leaving everything to Bajpayee. The film is too much in love with its protagonist and too little in love with everything else. Avoid it like the plague.
