An Action Hero 2022: A Thrilling Ride with Ayushmann Khurrana
An Action Hero is a 2022 Bollywood movie directed by debutant Anirudh Iyer and written by Neeraj Yadav, based on an original story by Iyer. The movie is produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar, under T-Series Films, and Aanand L. Rai, under Colour Yellow Productions. The movie stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat in lead roles, along with Neeraj Madhav, Harsh Chhaya, Gautam Joglekar and others in supporting roles. The movie is a mix of action, comedy and crime genres, and revolves around a movie star who is accused of murder and goes on the run from a vengeful politician.
Cast and Crew
- Ayushmann Khurrana as Maanav: Ayushmann Khurrana plays Maanav, a youth icon, superstar and action hero who is at the peak of his career when he gets caught up in an accident while filming in Haryana. Maanav, who was once a household name, is now living in hiding. Ayushmann Khurrana is one of the most versatile and talented actors in Bollywood who has delivered hits like Vicky Donor, Andhadhun, Badhaai Ho and Bala.
- Jaideep Ahlawat as Bhoora Solanki: Jaideep Ahlawat plays Bhoora Solanki, a ruthless politician who wants to kill Maanav for allegedly murdering his brother. Bhoora Solanki is also the leader of a gang of criminals who are after Maanav’s money. Jaideep Ahlawat is an acclaimed actor who has impressed audiences with his performances in movies like Raazi, Gangs of Wasseypur and web series like Paatal Lok.
- Neeraj Madhav as Sai: Neeraj Madhav plays Sai, a dentist who becomes Maanav’s friend and ally when he meets him in Kolkata. Sai helps Maanav escape from Bhoora Solanki’s men and also falls in love with him. Neeraj Madhav is a popular actor from Malayalam cinema who has acted in movies like Drishyam, Oru Vadakkan Selfie and The Family Man.
- Harsh Chhaya as Masood Ibrahim Katkar: Harsh Chhaya plays Masood Ibrahim Katkar, a notorious underworld don who is based in Dubai. Masood Ibrahim Katkar is also the father of Mannu (Akshay Kumar), Maanav’s best friend and co-star. Harsh Chhaya is a veteran actor who has worked in movies like Corporate, Fashion and D-Day.
- Gautam Joglekar as Mannu: Gautam Joglekar plays Mannu, Maanav’s best friend and co-star who is also the son of Masood Ibrahim Katkar. Mannu is loyal to Maanav and tries to help him clear his name. Gautam Joglekar is an actor who has appeared in movies like Sarkar 3, Mumbai Saga and Sooryavanshi.
- Akshay Kumar as Mannu (special appearance): Akshay Kumar plays Mannu in a special appearance. Akshay Kumar is one of the biggest stars of Bollywood who has starred in movies like Khiladi, Hera Pheri, Housefull and Mission Mangal.
- Malaika Arora as Performer at London Wedding (special appearance): Malaika Arora plays a performer at a London wedding where Maanav disguises himself as a waiter. Malaika Arora is a famous actress, dancer and model who has featured in songs like Chaiyya Chaiyya, Munni Badnaam Hui and Anarkali Disco Chali.
- Nora Fatehi as Appearance in song (special appearance): Nora Fatehi plays an appearance in the song Jehda Nasha where she dances with Maanav. Nora Fatehi is a Moroccan-Canadian actress, dancer and singer who has appeared in songs like Dilbar, O Saki Saki and Garmi.
Story
Some of the key scenes in the movie are:
- Maanav’s encounter with Mannu (Akshay Kumar), his best friend and co-star who is also the son of Masood Ibrahim Katkar (Gautam Joglekar), a notorious underworld don who is based in Dubai. Mannu helps Maanav escape from Bhoora Solanki’s men and also gives him a clue about his real parents.
- Maanav’s performance at a London wedding where he disguises himself as a waiter and meets Malaika Arora, who dances with him on the song Current Laga Re. He also meets Qaadir (Vaquar Shaikh), a RAW agent who tells him that he is actually a spy who was planted in Bollywood by the Indian government to infiltrate Masood Ibrahim Katkar’s network.
- Maanav’s confrontation with Bhoora Solanki at the London Eye where they have a fierce fight on the giant ferris wheel. Maanav manages to defeat Bhoora Solanki and throws him off the wheel, but not before Bhoora Solanki reveals that he is actually Maanav’s twin brother who was separated from him at birth by their father, Dr. Roy Jamnadas (Murli Sharma), an orphanage owner who was working on the theory of nature vs nurture.
- Maanav’s reunion with his father and his twin brother at the orphanage where he learns that he was named after Dr. Roy and his own adoptive brother Joy. He also learns that Bhoora Solanki was adopted by a criminal family and grew up to be a politician. He also meets Roshan (Harsh Chhaya), his manager who turns out to be a mole working for Masood Ibrahim Katkar.
- Maanav’s final showdown with Masood Ibrahim Katkar at his Dubai mansion where he rescues Mannu and exposes Masood Ibrahim Katkar’s illegal activities to the world. He also meets Nora Fatehi, who dances with him on the song Jehda Nasha. He also reconciles with Sai (Neeraj Madhav), who turns out to be alive and in love with him.
The movie ends with Maanav returning to India and clearing his name. He also resumes his acting career and becomes an action hero again. He also marries Sai and adopts a child from the orphanage.
Review
The movie’s biggest strength is its star cast. Ayushmann Khurrana is brilliant as Maanav, a youth icon, superstar and action hero who goes through a roller coaster of emotions and challenges in his life. He showcases his versatility and charisma in every scene. Jaideep Ahlawat is menacing as Bhoora Solanki, a ruthless politician who wants to kill Maanav for allegedly murdering his brother. He matches Ayushmann Khurrana in every frame and gives a powerful performance. Neeraj Madhav is adorable as Sai, a dentist who becomes Maanav’s friend and ally when he meets him in Kolkata. He brings a lot of charm and humor to his role. Gautam Joglekar is impressive as Masood Ibrahim Katkar, a notorious underworld don who is based in Dubai. He plays his role with conviction and style.
The supporting cast of Harsh Chhaya, Vaquar Shaikh, Sumit Singh, Jitendra Hooda, Balakrishnan Natarajan, Sagar Arya, Jitendra Rai, Siddharth Amar, Badrul Islam, Garima Jha, Girish Sharma and others are also excellent and add to the fun.
The movie’s music is composed by Tanishk Bagchi, Biddu, Parag Chhabra and Amar Jalal. The songs are catchy and peppy and suit the mood of the movie.
Ratings
The movie has been praised for its witty and clever script, thrilling and hilarious action sequences, and stellar performances by Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat. The movie has also been appreciated for its satirical take on celebrity worship and media frenzy. The movie has been criticized for its predictable plot, some illogical and unrealistic scenes, and its excessive length.
The movie has performed well at the box office as well. The movie has collected an estimated ₹120 crore worldwide as of 30 December 2022, which is much higher than the budget of ₹70 crore. The movie has also faced competition from other releases like Spider-Man: No Way Home, 83 and Pushpa.
An Action Hero is one of the biggest surprises of 2022 and a rare gem from Ayushmann Khurrana and Anirudh Iyer.
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