Sanak review

If you're a Vidyut Jammwal fan, then check out Sanak, else his latest outing fails to impress in every department except for action, observes Namrata Thakker.

Vidyut Jammwal's latest outing fails to impress in every department except for action.

There is no denying the fact that Vidyut is a terrific action hero and can easily kick up a storm with his sleek moves and power pack punches. That's exactly what he does in his new movie Sanak, directed by Kanishk Varma.

The film mainly revolves around his character, Vivaan Ahuja, who is desperate to save his wife Anshika (Rukmini Maitra) trapped in a hostage situation inside a hospital.

Racing against time, Vivaan takes matters into his own hands and goes after the baddies one-by-one while showcasing his mixed martial art skills. Yes, he's a MMA trainer who single-handedly kills all the goons before the police even enters the hospital.

Story wise, Sanak is very predictable and full of cliches. There's no surprise element throughout the movie despite being called an action thriller. Also, some of the things just don't make sense at all.

For example, the heroine undergoes a complex heart surgery as she suffers from a rare genetic disorder. But not once in the movie does she look like a patient or someone who is recovering after a operation.

In fact, she even gets into the action mode during the climax scene for a bit. Then, there's a kid who knows all about machine guns and even defuses a bomb when the police fails to do so. Bizarre, right? Not to forget, most of the baddies shown in the movie are foreigners because only they can match up to to Vidyut's action calibre. So why not?

Coming to the star cast, Vidyut obviously shines in the movie courtesy his martial arts skills. However, he needs to buck up a little more when it comes to acting. Rukmini Maitra gives a forgettable performance and Neha Dhupia as ACP Jayati Bhargav has hardly anything to offer in the movie.

The makers could have given a meaty role to Dhupia, but they fail to capitalise on her talent. Chandan Roy Sanyal plays the villain and though he fits the part perfectly, you don't get to see him in action much and that's disappointing.

Overall, Sanak is an action movie that's been made to showcase Vidyut's talent. And while it's a delight to see the actor pack a few punches and beat up the goons in his signature style, it would have been better if the film had an engaging story. Or for that matter just a simple, logical story.

Also, the makers could have upped the production values and made a more stylish looking film to appease the audience but even that's lacking.

So the question is -- should you watch the film? Well, if you're a Vidyut fan or want to watch some amazing fight sequences then by all means check out Sanak on Disney+ Hotstar.

Sanak streams on Disney+Hotstar.