Yodha (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – After terrorists hijack a passenger plane, an off-duty soldier aboard devises a strategy to defeat the hijackers and ensure the passengers’ survival when the engine fails.

My Take – It’s never a good sign when a particular film keeps getting pushed from its release date over a span of three years, showing a rather lack of confidence in the final product.

Such a case was hinted at when Karan Johar‘s Dharma Productions and Shashank Khaitan‘s Mentor Disciple Entertainment kept announcing a new date every few months for their hijack thriller lead by Sidharth Malhotra, who following his roles in Shershaah (2021), Mission Majnu (2023) and the Prime Video series, Indian Police Force (2024), seems determined to establish himself as an action hero.

But now finally released, in a surprising turn of events, the film manages to actually deliver the promised adrenaline-fueled ride through the skies.

Marking the directorial debut of Sagar Ambre (also the writer) and Pushkar Ojha, who are known for their work in the YRF Spy Universe, the film is indeed a twisted and highly-engaging journey filled with a whirlwind of action sequences that are both exhilarating and surprisingly fresh.

Sure, the narrative utilizes some familiar genre tropes and shares some resemblance with a certain Liam Neeson led 2014 thriller, but thankfully, it is injected with a whole new level of energy that keeps you invested throughout.

Despite being amassed as a mass action thriller, the plot even attempts nuance by throwing in a few twists and turns along the way. Some of which land, some don’t. However, it helps that the film is heavily depend on Sidharth Malhotra‘s charm and performance. Coupled that with an over-the-top climax, the film manages to solidify its place as a must-watch for pure action junkies.

Beginning in 2003, the story follows Arun Katyal (Sidharth Malhotra), an Indian solider, who inspired by his father, Major Surender Katyal (Ronit Roy), and determination to carry on his legacy, joins the Yodha Task Force. However, his fortunes begin to plummet, when he is unable to successfully sabotage a hijack.

Though the government negotiates and brings back the passengers, the terrorist still end up killing Arun’s main escort, a top nuclear scientist. Blamed and suspended indefinitely for failing the critical mission, insubordination among other things, Arun sees his Special Forces branch shut down and all his teammates lose their jobs.

Something which takes a toll on his mental state and his marriage to Priyamvada “Priya” Katyal (Raashii Khanna), a joint security who works for the current government.

A few years later, now working as an Air Marshall, Arun find himself on board a hijacked flight under mysterious circumstances. With a significant event taking place which would improve the political relationship between both India and Pakistan at the same time, Arun employs the help of flight attendant Laila (Disha Patani) and trainee pilot Tanya (Kritika Bharadwaj), to figure out and stop whoever, with whatever means necessary.

Without a doubt, director duo Sagar Ambre and Pushkar Ojha catch the beat of the genre perfectly. Focusing less on unnecessary love tracks and backstories, they cut straight to the drama. The film thrives on a breakneck pace. Each scene throws you right into the heart of the action, eschewing lulls and propelling you forward.

The directors are masters at building suspense, with each plot twist ratcheting up the tension, and drawing us into the tense atmosphere of the aircraft, where the majority of the action unfolds.

The film remains heavy on its action and they are the best part of the film as it should be. The action sequences performed inside the flight are breathtaking. Hand-to-hand combat scenes have an upper hand over bullet wars. Sunil Rodrigues and Craig Macrae continue their fine run as action directors.

They build everything around their star’s grounded style and barely use any slo-mo, a welcome change for an Indian film. A brutal, quick fight in the bathroom being a highlight. Along with the stunning, chaotic sequence where Arun battles the now-revealed terrorist as the plane shudders through turbulence and they’re tossed around the cabin. While it indulges in familiar territory, particularly in the second half, the relentless pacing simply mostly lets things pass.

Indeed, the film is a showcase for Sidharth Malhotra to establish his status as an action hero. Using his charming on-screen presence to hold attention, Sidharth delivers a commendable performance, particularly in the action sequences.

The always charming Raashii Khanna is gracefully resilient and shares excellent chemistry with Sidharth. Disha Patani comes as a surprise package. Proving there’s a lot more to her than her pretty face and appealing presence.

Tanuj Virwani and Kritika Bharadwaj add strong support, while Sunny Hinduja delivers a confident portrayal. On the whole, ‘Yodha’ is a thrilling rollercoaster of action and thrills acting as a perfect escapism from the mundane routine.