Review for KHUDA HAAFIZ:
•Language: HINDI
•Genre: ACTION THRILLER.
•Duration: 02 Hours 13 Minutes.
•Release Date: 14 AUGUST 2020, 07:30 pm.
• PREMIERED ON DISNEY+ HOTSTAR.
• REVIEW BY ARUNJYOTHI.R.VALIYAVEETIL.
•POSITIVES:
1: PERFORMANCE OF ACTORS.
2:CINEMATOGRAPHY
3: EDITING.
•NEGATIVES:
1: AVERAGE DIRECTION.
2: PREDICTABLE STORYLINE.
2: HALF BAKED SCREENPLAY.
3: BACKGROUND SCORE.
•ONE WORD: An movie that fails to impress by average direction and writing.
Khuda Haafiz is directed and written by Faruk Kabir and produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak. Vidyut Jammwal as the hero and Shivaleeka Oberoi as the heroine and along with Annu Kapoor, Shiv Panditt and Aahana Kumra join the casting. The movie comes under the banner of Panorama Studios and currently streaming online through Disney+ Hotstar.
The plot deals with Sammer Choudhary who is a software engineer who runs his own business and gets married to Nargis. Their happily married life gets an unexpected turn after the result of the worst economic recession in India, Sameer was forced to shut down his business and also his wife gets fired from her job due to the crisis. They both decide to move to abroad in Noman for a new job and Nargis goes first but she gets trapped by a terrible gang. Later Sammer gets a phone call from Nargis that she is caught by some unknown gang so Sammer makes his moves to Noman for finding his wife. Rest of the story unfolds Sammer’s journey to find and save his wife.
Honestly, Khuda Haafiz is a movie that comes with a thriller backdrop and that’s what the makers are aimed into, entertain the viewers by a thrilling story but sadly gets flattened. The first half is about the personal lives of two central characters Sammer and Nargis which explores their love, family, struggles and the second half is all about actions and investigation on a thriller mood. The time taking to establish the story in the first half was pretty good, the connection to the incidents was totally convincing, but those leads are one which we had seen many times and get nothing new. The director was intended to make a fast-paced investigative second half but doesn’t get the right appealing and thrilling for the viewers to know what next. There are some several unexpected turns and twist in the second part which was made to shock and surprise sadly none of them made the right impact to amaze the audience.
The story is familiar and it’s a sort of plot that we have witnessed before, the predictable storyline is the main problem which the film face, although the writer could have made the incidents and events different. All the circumstances leading the plot doesn’t offer anything new and fresh and the way of ending is totally predictable and unsurprising from the mid. The director and writer Faruk Kabir had only made a mediocre job both on his writing and direction but still, the making was smooth and balance. The saddest thing in the writing was the cliched twist which made the whole film looks dull and one can easily realize how the movie will end. Still, the making held the director was fair and fine, the direction doesn’t get any off-balance or deviation from the plot. As we all know Vidyut Jammwal’s movie is more like the films that are filled with energetic and fascinating actions but here in Khuda Haafiz the result is different we can’t find his sterling stunts or martial arts. The director doesn’t use what he actually is cable of that what most disappoints me.
Getting Vidyut Jammwal as the hero will definitely give the viewers expectations to see his unique actions and stunning moves and for a story like this to use the potential of his talents and capability was high, unfortunately, the disappointment was the final result. If his powerful actions were utilised effectively the movie could have been ended as one of the finest action movies of his year. Simple actions were given to a man like Vidyut Jammwal which was not at all surprising and unexpected so the blame only lies in the court of the director.
The various kind of emotions written in the screenplay was moderate, the kind of emotions when a person losing the loved once was not at all established efficiently in writing. Also, the screenplay was not that much gripping, the curiosity and eagerness were less and also to know what’s going to happen won’t give the right amount of excitement due to the predictable way of ordinary writing. The sentiments, sorrows, desperateness, struggling, hope and every kind of these emotions were written typically like usual. The dialogues had also got the same problem, lack of depth lies in conversation. Most of the dialogues don’t give the proper amount of feel and impact, especially when it comes to the case of emotional scenes.
Looking into the performance of actors Vidyut Jammwal who always shine for his unique action styles doesn’t get the chance to show his brilliance. His whole acting was good and once again delivered a fine performance. His skills in his actions have now improved a lot to the right level of performance and through his given actions he made a sincere justice. His change of personality from innocence to a rogue man was stunning to watch and that’s what I personally liked in his whole package. Shivaleeka Oberoi as Nargis did a fine job, to perform she was having less but whatever offered she had done finely, loved her chemistry with Vidyut Jammwal. Aahana Kumara who did the role of Tamena Hamid did a great job, the qualities of a foreign police investigating officer were performed genuinely. Her way of speaking the Arabic accent was really good and the performance deserves mention. Shiv Pandit as Faiz Abu Malik also did a great job, his style for a police officer was satisfactory and Annu Kapoor as Usman Hamid Ali Murad did complete justice to his supporting character. Nawab Shah also makes an extended cameo performance with some crucial role and did favourably.
The musical work of the film is composed by Mithoon and background score is tuned by Amar Mohile. Among the various songs “Jaan Ban Gaye” stood up as my favourite, the tune and vocals of Vishal Mishra, Asees Kaur and Mithoon was fascinating to set the mood of romance, also the lyrics to it by Mithoon was notable. The track “Mera Intezaar Karna” was also felt different, the scene of having hope was clearly matching to it and Armaan Malik made it more vigorous through his voice. The song “Aakhri Kadam Tak” sung by Sonu Nigam made the sorrow mood by its visuals, his voice was true to set the scenes. The cinematography by Jitan Harmeet Singh was a great saviour for the film. His camera works were remarkable from the beginning, the movements he had made for various chasing scenes were totally brilliant also the different frames of Norman have captured brightly that stand to a highlight. The editing done by Sandeep Francis was also excellent, could find any sort of mismatches and the cuts were perfect and sharp.
So overall to conclude the movie ’Khuda Haafiz’ had given me an average viewing experience because of the poor writing in story and screenplay also the moderate making had spoiled the movie to set as a perfect thriller. If you are seeking to watch Vidyut Jammwal high volt energetic actions the ultimate result will be disappointing, watch the film with fewer expectations.
•VERDICT: AVERAGE.
•RATING: 2.5/5.
