MUMBAI: Let's face it: Hindi cinema hasn't really had a marquee hijack movie to its credit, with Neerja being the only standout and Bell Bottom a distant second. The former though was more of a human drama. We've been bereft of tense, high-altitude actioners a la Air Force One, Executive Decision, Con Air, The Delta Force, and so on... Finally, we can proudly lay claim to one in the same vein courtesy Sidharth Malhotra, Raashii Khanna, and Disha Patani starrer Yodha.
This is hands down the best and certainly the most tense Hindi film on a hijack scenario till date, with twists, action, thrills, and suspense that leave you gasping and at the edge of your seat. It's like Air Force One meets Executive Decision (two of the best hijack movies ever) in full desi style, with the molten mountain lava of chocolate that's Sidhart Malhotra going full throttle. He's fully loaded, full of charisma, brings boundless charm and machismo as a leading man, and makes for endless eye-candy from first frame to last. Yodha could well be his big ticket to huge stardom, especially in the mass belt.
Two big, unexpected twists that spring out of nowhere further elevate the film. It helps a lot that Disha Patani is up to the task, playing a perfect foil to Malhotra onboard the flight, and holding her own in the action scenes with him. Of course, one can't not rave about the action in Yodha without praising action directors Craig Macrae (no surprise as he was also the action director of Pathaan) and Sunil Rodrigues as much as one can't get over the jolting twists and watertight script sans fawning over Sagar Amber's screenplay or the polished camerawork, without making a note of cinematographer Jishnu Bhattacharjee.
For a change, the editing, too, is on point in a Hindi film, and it was much-needed, too, from Shivkumar V. Panicker, given that this type of movie could've fallen flat if he hadn't upped his game. Tanuj Virwani, Sunny Hinduja, and the rest of the cast also do what's needed of them while Sid goes about wreaking havoc on all that's bad in the world.
Honestly, the only weak links here are Raashii Khanna (not really her fault as she's a good actor saddled with a slightly half-baked role) and some of the technical flight jargon to make up for some of the plot holes, leading to a few illogical scenarios. They're nothing to fret about though as the film is so giddily entertaining, so brazenly hell-bent on giving you a good time, that you more than willingly overlook such flaws.
The best part about Yodha is how Sagar Ambre and Pushkar Ojha set everything up, incorporating not more than three action scenes in the first half, playing with suspense and suspicion, ratcheting the tension to a crescendo in the second half, adding human emotions when needed, and then unleashing mayhem toward the last 30-40 minutes or so. They also shrewdly make their hero vulnerable despite his brawn, which makes Sidharth Malhotra all the more sexy. The John Abrahams and Tiger Shroffs of our part of the woods, and their Directors, need to take note of how this makes for a nigh perfect blueprint for an action movie, something that Hollywood has been following since eons, even with the likes of intimidating figures like Eastwood, Wayne, Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Damme, Willis, Lundgren, Seagal, Diesel, and Momoa.
4/5 stars
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