Amazon MGM Studios and Drongo Films’ Vibe (A) is the story of two bosom pals who are forced to join a secret service agency and deal with a group of terrorists.
Hardik (Kunal Kemmu) and Bhagirath (Sparsh Shrivastava) are close friends. They work in the same tech company. Bhagirath is a tech wizard. Hardik falls in love with a co-worker, Kareena (Vanshika Dhir). Life couldn’t be better for Hardik, or so it seems. But before he knows it, Hardik is asked to join a secret service agency headed by Madame H (Preity Zinta). The agency wants intel information about the sinister plans of a terrorist, Abu Al Sayeed (Hiten Paintal), who is seemingly planning an attack on India. The secret service agency enlists the support of Hardik and soon thereafter, of Bhagirath too. Are Hardik and Bhagirath able to help the agency they are working for and, by implication, India? If so, how? If not, what happens to them?
Kunal Kemmu has written a story which takes the path of humour and comedy in the first half, but changes tracks to technology and terrorism after interval. His screenplay is entertaining while it is laced with humour and fun, but it loses its spark once the track is changed. The drama after interval becomes more serious and although there are comic elements in the second half too, they aren’t very funny. The electric shocks track of the first half is hilarious. Similarly, there are quite a few extremely funny scenes and sequences in the pre-interval part. The drama, with a more serious bent after interval, may be fairly engaging but it is not too entertaining. The climax looks a bit too simplistic. Kunal Kemmu’s dialogues are excellent, more so when they are humour-laced.
Preity Zinta plays Madame H with understanding and convincingly. She has looked the character. Kunal Kemmu is superb as Hardik. His sense of comic timing is excellent. Sparsh Shrivastava performs wonderfully as Bhagirath. His acting is natural. Vanshika Dhir looks pretty and enacts the role of Kareena with conviction. Salem Kali lends decent support as Abid. Yashpal Sharma and Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ are both fairly nice as Madame H’s deputies, Rawal and Bansi respectively. They get limited scope. Hiten Paintal (as Abu Al Sayeed) and Mark Bennington (as Badshah Al Sayeed) do as desired. Sharmila Tagore adds star value in a tiny role as the home minister. Pradeep Kabra (as the bald man interrogating Hardik), Uorfi Javed (in a guest appearance as Dr. Chanchal), Rajesh Krishnan (in a guest appearance as Bhagirath’s boss), Akshat Jain (as the hung computer person), Prasad Athale (as Shetty anna), Sameer Trimbakkar (as the lie detector trainer), Aaditya Kulshreshth (in a guest appearance as the guy working with Hardik in the tech company), Arjun ‘Sumit’ Dwivedi (as the combat floor trainer), Gaurav Sikri (as the gun range trainer), Jameel Choudhary (as the gym trainer), Amit Dhamija (as the black Mercedes driver), and the others make their marks in supporting roles.
Kunal Kemmu’s direction is very good, technically and otherwise too. However, he should’ve guarded against changing tracks so dramatically after interval. Music is pleasing. The Raaton mein aana song (composed by Amit Trivedi) and the Aisi meri vibe song (by Kanishka Pal) are the best numbers. The other songs — Rafta rafta, ‘Underdog’ and Sipahi ek by Amit Trivedi; Baadshah by Kunal Kemmu, Bharath, Raghav Mittal and Ashutosh Anand — are quite good. Lyrics (Kumaar, Shubh Khillari, Irfana and Kunal Kemmu) go well with the mood of the film. Song picturisations (Vijay A. Ganguly for Raaton mein aana; Rahul Shetty for Aisi meri vibe) are eye-pleasing. John Stewart Eduri’s background music is quite nice. Kaushal Shah’s cinematography is good. Parvez Shaikh’s action and stunt scenes are reasonably well choreographed. Prachi Deshpande’s production designing is proper. Editing (by Anand Subaya and Sanjay Shrirang Ingle) is sharp.
On the whole, Vibe has an entertaining first half but it changes tracks after interval so that it has a routine second half. Its unusual title (‘Vibe’ is an English word which is not commonly used by Hindi-speaking people) is also a minus point. It will, therefore, do below-average business at the ticket windows. Only a section of the youngsters in major cities will find the film interesting.
Released on 18-9-’26 at Inox (daily 5 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay thru PVR Inox Pictures. Publicity: fair. Opening: dull. …….Also released all over. Opening was below the mark at most of the places.
