'Anek' review: Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer's agenda overshadowed by weak storytelling
Ayushmann Khurrana's Anek finally hit theaters on Friday. The political action thriller debates the subjective concept of peace while addressing the regional divide and the plight of those who live in the North East. With a strong narrative at heart, the Anubhav Sinha directorial attempted to focus on these sensitive issues but ended up losing the plot to a confusing storyline. Here's our review.
Khurrana plays an undercover cop Joshua aka Aman, who's on a mission to execute a peace accord with Tiger Sangha, the head of a resistance militant group in the North East. His challenge is to persuade Sangha, whose sole aim is to separate his entire region from India's map. On this mission, Joshua meets Aido (Andrea Kevichusa), who is shown as his love interest.
Sinha's film does a good job of mirroring the undercurrents of tension and discrimination faced by people in the North East. From kids getting gunned down by rebels, civilians getting manipulated into joining armed groups, and drug abuse among teenagers, to racial prejudice, Anek elaborates it all brilliantly. It also uses a simple, non-glamorous performance and follows the course of a typical action thriller.
The issue with films based on sensitive topics is that there is a fine line that deems it preachy or patriotic, and this one seems to be the former. Anek starts off with one main issue and soon branches into many other problems while trying to draw parallels to them all. Staying true to the title here? The continuous monologs feel like moral schooling.
Moreover, being an action film, Anek doesn't really pack many satisfying action sequences. The intensity and seriousness of a surgical strike are stripped away and are anything but believable or engrossing. The film misses out on its script too as it lacks the adrenaline rush and the emotions of combat. There are no heavy-duty punchlines or any enthusiasm that gets the adrenaline rushing.
As for Aido's character, you don't feel the connection. The chemistry between Aido and Joshua lacks romance in every possible sense. Kumud Mishra and Manoj Pahwa don't leave much of an impression as political diplomats. Khurrana too tries to give his best to the action genre, but here's hoping he does better next time. The film could have also used some better music compositions.
The representation of real events is commendable; so is the authenticity in terms of casting actors from the North East. It all adds a genuine touch to the film's context. The cinematography is well executed with brilliant but limited shots of the Seven Sister States. Overall, Anek is a decent attempt at an action film and religiously puts its agenda forward. Verdict: 2/5 stars.
