Agni (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – In a city plagued by a strange rise in fires, fireman Vithal and his policeman brother-in-law Samit reluctantly team up to solve the escalating crisis. Battling personal conflicts, they race against time to crack the case and save Mumbai.

My Take – Though policemen continue to remain the main focus of filmmakers, who leave no stone unturned to celebrate their bravura, usually with complete defiance of physics laws, this latest from director Rahul Dholakia (Parzania, Raees), turns much deserves attention towards firefighters and opens a window into the lives of men and women who bravely keep us out of the fury, but whose services are never duly acknowledged by the system and society.

Filled with both warm and chilling moments, the Prime Video release attempts to spotlight their sacrifices in a story that combines mystery, action, and family drama.

But while Excel Entertainment deserves credit for backing such a project, unfortunately the execution, held together by a paint-by-numbers script, leaves a lot to be desired.

Mainly as director Dholakia and his co-writer Vijay Maurya (Chillar Party) seem more interested in playing by the rules of genre filmmaking than getting into the causes of fires in a city like Mumbai, the flouting of fire safety rules, the corruption and political apathy. Even the addition of a subpar mystery and elements of police up-manship to evoke sympathy for firefighters feels forced and acts more of a hindrance to the narrative.

Sure, the final product makes for a decent one-time watch that sheds light on the unsung heroes among us, but one can’t help but ponder how it left so much room for better impact.

The story follows Vitthalrao Dhonduba Surve (Pratik Gandhi), the chief of a Mumbai fire station, who on a daily basis leads his band of firefighters from the front, as they go about dousing fires in congested buildings. Though he is content with his family life, which comprises of his wife Rukmini (Sai Tamhankar) and young son Amar (Kabir Shah), friction arrives only when they seem to be more drawn by the comparatively luxurious life of her brother, Samit Sawant (Divyenndu), an ace and cocky cop, and his wife (Sakhi Gokhale).

Mainly, as Vithal believes that his means of income are not all above-board, leading to open hostility between the two. Adding to their troubled relationship is a series of mysterious fires that grip the city. While, Samit is convinced that all the recent fires are caused by the usual carelessness. But at the same time, Vithal and his colleague Avni (Saiyami Kher) have reasons to believe in the involvement of a mysterious arsonist.

Despite a runtime of 122 minutes, the film is never in a rush to get things done. The central theme revolves around the bravery of firefighters and the challenges they face due to a lack of civic sense among citizens. This is poignantly depicted through scenes highlighting the thanklessness of their job and the indifference of higher-ups like politicians to their sacrifices.

Despite these hurdles, the firefighters remain unwavering in their commitment. The film also sheds light on fire safety hazards and citizens’ crucial role in preventing such disasters. But while screenplay is engaging, the story and script fall short of their potential. The conspiracy, involving a builder’s assassination and a rival’s role, starts on a promising note but loses focus as this aspect of the story meanders.

Also, the lack of a proper backstory for Vitthal and Samit’s animosity weakens their dynamic, and the uneven pacing often detracts from a wholesome experience. Add to that the thriller and far-fetched revenge aspect that is added on. For one, the staging is incredibly corny. Forget the tacky exposition scenes of the person involved, the screenplay goes out of its way to make Vitthal the underdog and prove his instincts correct.

This means that much of the film rests on the identity and uncovering of this villain. It’s a self-defeating path the script chooses. Thankfully, each time the film loses steam, an adrenaline-filled fire sequence quickly elevates the narrative. The firefighting scenes are well-executed and visually captivating. We see how high the stakes are when a few characters lose their lives in the line of duty: there’s nothing romantic about third degree burns. We see the commitment that these heroes have to their jobs, even as they rail against a system which doesn’t give them the support they need.

Performance wise, Pratik Gandhi shines as the chief fireman, torn between his duty and his desire to earn the admiration of his young son, who instead idolizes his super cop uncle. Divyenndu is pretty good as the self-serving cop, but his character is underutilized and lacks a proper character arc.

Sayami Kher impresses as the firebrand only visible female firefighter of the station who is determined to uncover the truth behind the arson. Jitendra Joshi quietly makes his presence felt with a nuanced turn. Sai Tamhankar and Udit Arora lend able support. On the whole, ‘Agni’ is visually effective dramatic thriller that could have worked better with a more compelling script.