Bhaiyya Ji (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – A man who stands up for his family and seeks revenge for the wrongs done towards his loved ones.

My Take – Indeed, there is no denying of the fact that Manoj Bajpayee, who rose and resurrected with two all-time classics of gangster cinema- Satya (1998) and Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), is the most talented Indian actor of his generation. An absolutely stellar performer who loves to underplay and revel in bringing out the subtleties of the characters he plays.

And yet for reasons unknown at times he chooses to star in some obnoxious ventures (for example 2008’s Money Hai Toh Honey Hai) that affect this creditably as an artist, unfortunately with his latest doing the same.

For his 100th film, Bajpayee, who also co-produces here, goes into full massy action mode and gets the typical Bhojpuri and Telugu hero treatment as a larger-than-life persona, served with much melodrama.

Yet, despite having the potential to become an intriguing revenge saga, the film is marred with an outdated and over the top treatment, resulting in a crass low-budget feature that is trying too hard to punch above its weight, only to get bogged down by its pedestrian writing, amateurish direction, and clichés galore.

Surprising, considering co-writer and director Apoorv Singh Karki and Bajpayee earlier paired up for the courtroom drama, Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai (2023), one of last year’s best films.

Yes, Manoj Bajpayee seems to be relishing in his titular role. With plenty of slow-motion shots and stylish action scenes, the seasoned actor used the opportunity to embody a charismatic action hero like his peers. As he would typically be cast as a villain in such kind of films. However, even an actor of his caliber isn’t enough to save this mess.

The story follows Ram Charan Tripathi (Manoj Bajpayee), a middle aged man, who amidst his wedding festivities, with Mithali (Zoya Hussain), somewhere in Bihar, is keenly awaiting the arrival of Vedant (Akash Makhija), his younger step brother, who has been studying in Delhi for some time. Only to unfortunately receive news that Vedant has been killed in an accident.

However, when he reaches Delhi to inquire and gather his remains, Ram Charan is traumatized to learn that his baby brother was yet another victim of Abhimanyu Singh (Jatin Goswami), the no-good and blood-thirsty son of Chandrabhan Singh (Suvinder Vicky), a very influential warlord.

Forcing him to drop his pacifist persona and once again become Bhaiyya Ji, a violent and ruthless vigilante, who took an oath of non-violence after losing his father to a gang war, and to exact revenge on the arrogant father-son duo.

What follows are clashes, more clashes, and then some more. The intentions are loud and clear but the outcome is disappointing because director Karki who showed immense promise in his debut feature falters in putting his vision on the final print. In his bid to give the commercial tropes a somewhat realistic touch, the mayhem turns into a mishmash.

The film adopts the South Indian mass hero prototype and has almost the same tone. But the treatment, the over-the-top dialogues, and the slow-motion shots, lack authenticity.

The claptrap that the film promises are all reduced to caricature and cacophony. And of course, then there are the issues with editing and pacing, particularly in the second half, which feels patchy, repetitive, and disjointed.

Revenge dramas runs on a regular supply of genuine emotion, but here everything is so outlandish that even the most emotional scenes might crack you up. To make matters worse, the titular character is unable to create that level of fear to land.

For someone touted to be Robin Hood’s father, and hyped up for his ferocious tales, there’s very little shown to prove his worth. Instead, he rather appears to be a common man, just at the wrong place at the wrong time, with a few decent fighting skills. He appears as a weak personality who is dependent on his fiancée’s shooting skills to save him several times.

Performances wise, Manoj Bajpayee embraces the mediocrity of the script in all its glory. He plays the titular character with a sense of abandonment needed to make it believable. The much underrated Zoya Hussain adds depth to the film with her sniper skills and drama.

The magnificent Suvinder Vicky is reduced to a caricature, while Jatin Goswami is getting stale in a role he has already played multiple times. Vipin Sharma provides the much needed comic relief. On the whole, ‘Bhaiyya Ji’ is an outdated and cliché-ridden action drama that wastes an excellent Manoj Bajpayee.