Badass Ravikumar (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – The Xpose franchise now goes to the next level with Himesh Reshammiya doing a spin-off from his iconic character Ravi Kumar from his hit film ‘The Xpose’ as an action musical entertainer, in which he is up against 10 sensational villains.

My Take – Though for the past decade or so Himesh Reshammiya has pretty much dominated the music side of the Hindi film industry with many popular soundtracks and songs, particularly with his trademark nasal singing. But for some reason the talented composer has remained determined to leave his mark in the acting department too.

Surprising, considering how with the exception of his dismissal yet successful big screen debut in 2007’s Aap Kaa Surroor – The Moviee – The Real Luv Story (Yup! That’s the real title), all his features have either fared poorly with critics and audiences or have been below average grossers at best.

But owing to an unabashed trailer and viral song previews, his latest starrer, which also acts as a spin-off to the 2014 film The Xpose, is all set to become Reshammiya’s biggest career opener. Mainly as the 80s-style entertainer, helmed by feature debutante Keith Gomes, embraces the flamboyance of decades old cinema and acts as a love letter to over-the-top Bollywood excess.

Drenched in melodrama, the resulting film is a complete assault on your senses that mixes insane action, quirky dialogues, and unintentionally hilarious sequences into an absurd plot centered on a hero dripping with unshakable confidence and unlit cigarette in his mouth. It is the epitome of pure Bollywood masala, it knows that, and is simply determined to celebrate it.

Sure, the plot is thin and riddled with plot holes, yet it never tries to be anything more than a ridiculous ride that leaves you laughing and cringing, especially as it dives headfirst into its outrageous fictional world, filled with larger-than-life characters, and a narrative that takes a backseat to the thrills.

It helps that as the lead, Himesh Reshammiya fully commits to his role, bringing a performance that’s larger-than-life, blend with cheesy one-liners and a level of seriousness that somehow makes it all the more hilariously absurd. Making this the perfect watch for someone looking to enjoy chaos and excess in both the best & worst way possible.

Set in 1989, the story follows Ravi Kumar (Himesh Reshammiya), a fearless and unconventional Indian cop who refuses to play by the rules, and is determined to eradicate corruption and take down all the evil in the world by any means possible. Often suspended for his politically incorrect methods, for his latest assignment, he is unofficially sent to Muscat, with his trusted sidekick (Sanjay Mishra), to capture his connected uncle (Rajesh Sharma) and retrieve a camera reel containing sensitive information about India.

However, once there he finds himself going up again Carlos Pedro Panther (Prabhu Deva), a feared don who has been hired by Syed Bashir (Manish Wadhwa), to help Pakistan gain access to India’s top military secrets.

Right from the first frame, the film announces itself to be the epitome of over-the-top cinema that takes its wild and chaotic narrative to insane heights never forgetting to embrace madness at every turn. There’s no room for grey in here. Either people are too good or simply just bad. Gun-wielding working women are femme fatales. While the saree-clad ones are too naive to do anything.

Adding to the chaos is an awkwardly forced love triangle between Ravi and two sisters, Laila (Kirti Kulhari) and Madhubala (Simona J). However, the subplot is so absurdly placed that it just doesn’t work. The story line itself is mostly an afterthought, with a series of events that make little sense, but who cares when you’re watching a roller-coaster of epic proportions, right?

The self-awareness in the film is what makes it so enjoyable. The dialogues are a masterclass in melodrama, packing in punchlines and one-liners that are so over-the-top, they become the heart and soul of this quirky narrative. They are delivered with such drama that you’ll be laughing one minute and cheering the next.

The action is an exaggerated mix of every action-packed Bollywood trope imaginable, where the laws of physics don’t apply and the VFX poor, but the fun factor remains off the charts. The music is exactly what you’d expect from Himesh Reshammiya musical. Catchy as ever, with beats that have you moving even as the film spins further into the realm of absurdity.

Then of course, there is Himesh Reshammiya, in his iconic portrayal of Ravi Kumar, who delivers a performance so electrifying that it makes one question everything. He embraces the absurdity of the character with open arms, throwing himself into every scene with such commitment that you can’t help but be drawn into his chaotic world.

Prabhu Deva offers amusement with his flashy red suit and golden shoes. Known primarily for his unparalleled dance skills and direction, he proves his versatility by embodying the menacing yet charismatic don. Like most new actresses paired opposite Reshammiya, Simona J is not given the opportunity to do anything but look charming.

Meanwhile, the ensemble cast which includes the likes of Sanjay Mishra, Johnny Lever, Kirti Kulhari, Sunny Leone, Manish Wadhwa, Rajesh Sharma, Anil George, Saurabh Sachdeva, and Prashant Narayanan are mostly underutilized. On the whole, ‘Badass Ravikumar‘ is a bold, no-holds-barred spectacle that delivers exactly what it promises, an unapologetically over-the-top, masala-filled rollercoaster that thrives on sheer absurdity and entertainment.