Click https://bit.ly/komal263 if the above video does not autoplay.
Netflix’s AK Vs AK (rating: 16+) is a thriller. It is the story of a film director (Anurag Kashyap) seeking revenge on a top Bollywood star (Anil Kapoor) by kidnapping his daughter (Sonam Kapoor) and then shooting on camera the star’s crazy efforts to save his daughter in the limited time he has.
Film director Anurag Kashyap has Sonam kidnapped in the evening. He soon informs Anil Kapoor and asks him to rescue her before the next morning’s sun rises. The rules of Anurag Kashyap’s sinister game are: Anil Kapoor can’t take the help of the police or anyone else, will have to talk on speaker phone only, and everything from then on will be captured on camera. What happens thereafter forms the crux of the drama.
The story (penned by Avinash Sampath) is real in the sense that the two principal characters are played by themselves and so are the other characters. So, Anil Kapoor’s daughter in the film is Sonam Kapoor, his son is Harshvardhan Kapoor, his brother is Boney Kapoor, his secretary is his real-life secretary, Jalal, etc. It has been shot also as if it is shot in real time.
The concept itself is quite unique and very interesting. The story has been intelligently penned. Frankly, a badly-written story just wouldn’t work in a concept like this. Kudos to Sampath for his concept and story. The screenplay, written jointly by Avinash Sampath and Vikramaditya Motwane, is spell-binding and keeps the audiences on the edge of their seats. The drama has so many turns and twists that the viewers are unable to be distracted for even a moment. The pace of the screenplay is phenomenal. The twist towards the end is terrific. Of course, the drama is more class-appealing than mass-appealing but having said that, it must be added that the OTT audience, which thirsts for different content, will love this. Anurag Kashyap’s dialogues are superb, full of four-letter words in Hindi and English. Frankly, once the viewers get into the mood of the film (and that happens no sooner it starts) than they realise that the dialogues without the swear words would’ve diluted the impact of the drama.
Anil Kapoor gets into the skin of the character and shines as himself. He is a terrific actor and he gives proof of his genius once again in this film. Anurag Kashyap does an outstanding job. He acts with so much conviction that it is difficult to imagine anybody else in the role. Sonam Kapoor has a brief role and is good. In her appearance on the stage, she looks gorgeous. Harshvardhan Kapoor is natural. He utters the countless four-letter words in his dialogues, with such flourish that it makes his youthful character only more believable. Boney Kapoor springs a surprise by being camera-friendly and not at all camera-conscious. He leaves a fine mark. Yogita Bihani (as the cameraperson) lends good support. Pawan Singh makes his presence felt in the role of taxi driver Javed. Jalal and the others lend natural support.
Vikramaditya Motwane’s direction is terrific. His narrative style complements the script beautifully. Not only has he kept the pace perfect but he has also succeeded in not letting the audience’s interest dip anywhere. Alokananda Dasgupta’s music is appealing. The song in the rolling titles is very entertaining. Swapnil Sonawane’s cinematography deserves distinction marks. Bunty Bhansali’s editing is super-sharp.
On the whole, AK Vs AK may be a class-appealing fare but it is a fabulous film. It deserves the highest praise for its concept, narration and absolutely brilliant performances.
Released on 24-12-’20 on Netflix.