New Delhi: Masala and commercial cinemas have been the bread and butter for a significant percentage of actors in the entertainment industry. From blockbusters down South to the action thrillers of Bollywood, the audience has rushed to the theatres to watch the magic unfold with less plot, more action and lots of melodrama. Traditionally, makers lock a holiday season for such massy releases, but then comes Apoorv Singh Karki, delivering a masala entertainer like Bhaiyya Ji amidst the heat wave of May.
What’s surprising is that Bhaiyya Ji is a hit despite being predictable.
Bhaiyya Ji’s storyline
The film is about Ram Charan (played by Manoj Bajpayee), the Bhaiyya Ji of Bihar and his beloved step-brother Vedant (played by Akash Makhija). After 10 years of waiting, Ram is finally set to marry his ladylove (played by Zoya Hussain) and the whole village is celebrating the union. But tragedy strikes him when he is informed about his younger brother’s accident. A worried Bhaiyya Ji rushes to Delhi’s police station only to find out his brother has passed away.
Arriving at the mortuary, Ram gets to know out that Vedant’s body has mistakenly been sent to the crematorium where we are introduced to the villains of the story, Chandrabhan (played by Suvinder Vicky) and his son Abhimanyu (played by Jatin Goswami). The father-son kicks Vedant’s body inside the burning chamber while he is still unconscious and breathing.
When Ram reaches the crematorium, Chandrabhan has already left with his son. Bhaiyaa Ji is devastated as memories of his brother flash in front of his eyes. Like a father carrying the ashes of his young son, Ram reaches his village only to get scolded by his Chhoti Amma (stepmother) for treating her son as an outsider and letting him die.
Bhaiyya Ji review: Vengeance is mine and I shall repay
A guilt-stricken Ram is on his way to seek revenge to free Vedant’s soul. Just when we see the backstory of Bhaiyya Ji unfold from being the ultimate gangster of the state controlling politicians and overthrowing mafias to promising his dying father never to choose violence and take care of his family instead. Now, Bhaiyaa Ji is back in form and swears to kill Abhimanyu.
In this film, Vengeance is Bhaiyya Ji’s and he will make Abhimanyu and Chandrabhan repay it.
Emotions amidst the action
What sets Bhaiyya Ji apart from the other commercial entertainers is the emotional side of the lead. Manoj Bajpayee nails the high-octane action in this meathead softener. He embodies the essence of an elder brother who speaks through his shovel when it comes to retribution. Speaking about Zoya Hussain, she’s not just a showpiece to wail in the background and is a woman with agency. Watching her fight in the climax alongside Manoj is mind-blowing because it is just unexpected for a female lead to not shake a leg but pick up a riffle.
Zoya is the ultimate heroine in Bhaiyya Ji. Suvinder and Jatin will make you absolutely hate their characters to the core. But even after being dark and vile, they aren’t as memorable. Neither is their screen time as powerful.
The supporting cast includes Vipin Sharma who plays the inspector who informs Bhaiyya Ji of Vedant’s demise. Well, fans of the cult classic Gangs of Wasseypur will definitely get some amount of nostalgia. In the sequence when Bhaiyya Ji interrogates Vipin’s character, one instantly gets reminded of the scene when Ramadhir Singh catches the lie spewed by Ehsaan Qureshi in GOW. Maybe this is what iconic roles do to you!
Music and dialogues: Adding flavour to the Masala
Surprisingly, Bhaiyya Ji also lacks your dumb WhatsApp jokes and has some bearable dialogue deliveries. The comic timing does not feel forced and rather comes smooth, leaving you clapping and laughing at the same time. The background score is top-notch and gives all the feels. Several scenes are bound to make you teary-eyed, all thanks to the larger-than-life vibe created by the tracks. An hour into the film, Manoj makes a grand entry as Bhaiyya Ji with Baagh Ka Kareja playing in the background.
And it is needless to say, that one must watch this film in the theatres to take in the masala film experience.
Where’s the flaw?
Coming to the weaker aspects of the film, Bhaiyya Ji is too predictable. It is a revenge story about an elder brother who is on his way to seek retaliation for his younger one’s death. The action sequences seem over the top and feels like all of it was inspired by every other Tamil or Telugu blockbuster. Additionally, the plot should’ve focused a little more on the bond the two brothers shared. It would’ve added up to the film’s glory. Little flashbacks here and there in the film weren’t enough to connect much to Akash’s character. His role is a bit too brief. The screenplay is slow and at points feels dragged. The cinematography is completely action-centric and at does feels repeated.
In conclusion, watch Manoj Bajpayee’s Bhaiyya Ji to enjoy a massy film with a good plot.
Garda udaa diya!
Manoj Bajpayee and Zoya Hussain starrer full movie review & ratings: After giving us iconic characters like Bhikhu Mhatre and Sardar Khan, Manoj Bajpayee is back as a gangster in Bhaiyya Ji. However, this time it is massy with over-the-top action sequences. What’s surprising is that Bhaiyya Ji hits the right notes despite being predictable! Movie Review Entertainment News: Latest Bollywood, Hollywood News, South Cinema, Celebrity Gossip Today, Latest Movie News
