Movie Review : Aazaan

Leave alone Bollywood biggies, in spite of having absolutely no popular names from the film fraternity, Aazaan has some serious big bucks riding on it! Surprising? Well, Sachiin Joshi is one lucky man! After failed attempts of launching him in South Indian films, the Joshi family is now trying their luck in Bollywood. Big amounts of moolah have not only gone in the making of the film but also in its marketing campaign. From television channels and outdoor hoardings to railway stations and entertainment websites; Aazaan is everywhere! Despite no star attraction, the film has also created a strong buzz thanks to the controversies surrounding its title and the mention of 'China' being part of a conspiracy theory against India. So, does Aazaan live up to its shocking investment and hype? Hell no!

One of the top 5 economies of the world, India has a population of around 1.6 billion people. What if this very population was used as a weapon against India itself? As science and technology breaks new grounds, the face of global terrorism gets ugly. One person who personifies this in his ambitions, intelligence and absolute amorality is Doctor, an Ex-CIA agent and the father of modern biological warfare. Doctor's grand plan for India begins with the sensational bombings at the peace festival in Germany. The second step in India's destruction is his heinous plan to spread the dreaded Ebola virus amongst the general public. He is backed by a powerful nation, which is deeply interested in the absolute of India. One of the most unlikely candidates is pitted against the unscrupulous Doctor – Aazaan Khan, a young upright army officer working for RAW (India's Research and Analysis Wing). With a mixed lineage of Afghan and India parents, as part of his duties, Aazaan gets drawn in to the murky world of espionage only to find his younger brother a suspected terrorist. He stands in the way of Doctor's plans to destroy India. What unfolds is a fast of one man's determination of saving his country against all odds of human defiance...

As far as technicalities are concerned, Aazaan surprisingly matches up to international standards. The film looks absolutely stunning. Aazaan has been shot in some of the most exotic locations in the world – France, Germany, Poland, Thailand, South Africa, Hong Kong, etc.; only if the story of the film was also given equal importance. Aazaan starts off on a very interesting note. However, 30 minutes down the line you're literally lost! The action sequences are brilliant, however, the inclusion of a major action sequence after every 10 minutes make the scenes look forced. Even the love story between Sachiin and Candice seems to be included for the heck of a romantic angle. The unnecessary flashbacks seem to irritate after a point.The main villain of the film – Doctor – is hardly there in a few scenes. The film lacks a basic storyline. Too many situations and complications are jumbled up to be made into one story. The film seems to be treated merely as a medium to show the beautiful locales, and amazing action sequences; making the story of the film a mere formality the makers have complied with. Hence, in spite of its international look, this film fails to grab one's attention at any point except the initial 5 minutes.

After Aap Ka Suroor, Aazaan is Prashant Chadha's second directorial venture. In spite of having a brilliant technical support, Prashant fails to interest the audiences. Screenplay by Shubha Swarup is also puzzling. There are several 'WTF is happening!' moments. Dialogues by Shubha Swarup once again are amateurish. It's the cinematography by Axel Fischer which is the sole winner! He is the main hero of the film. There's just one word for it – Bravo! Sachiin Joshi can't act. Before investing all the big bucks into a mega budget launch, Sachiin should have considered investing some of it in acting classes. Being the lead hero, he has only 5 – 6 dialogues in the film. Certainly, that's the only intelligent work done by the dialogue writer – giving Sachiin minimal lines. No star power, no good looks, poor dialogue delivery, poor acting skills – Sachiin has a lot to work on! Candice Boucher is used for just some glamour quotient. However, she's decent in her bit. Aarya Babbar is first-rate. Alyy Khan is fantastic. Ravi Kissen irritates; his dialogue delivery takes me back to the 90's. Rest of the cast including Dalip Tahil, Sachin Khedekar, Samy Gharbi, Vijayendra Ghatge, Sarita Chowdhury, Amber Rose Revah and Neet Mohan get no scope at all.

verall, Aazaan is the perfect example of a brilliant technical team being letdown by a faulty script. The lack of any acting skill or star power of the lead hero Sachiin Joshi adds to its problems. In short, this senseless action flick must be avoided. Aazaan keeps saying "Mere sar pe allah ka haath hai". Well, he really needs it for this film!

Rating: * 1/2
Author: Rishitu Amarnani