Bholaa Movie Review: He smears himself in ash at the drop of a hat. He can wield the trident with effortless ease. He can decimate the goons like it is a walk in the park. Ajay Devgn is back doing what he does best. And while he is absolutely gorgeous as the sinister, baddie bashing, truck driving, ash-smearing Bholaa, at the end of 2-hours-and-23-minutes, I am left conflicted.
Bholaa: The Premise
Do not get me wrong, Bholaa is an absolute entertainer, with both Tabu’s IPS Diana Joseph and Ajay Devgn’s eponymous character delivering a stunning performance. Here is Bholaa, a just-released prisoner, who is finally going home after 10 years to meet his daughter for the first time, when he is pulled into the vortex of a larger-than-life controversy by Diana, who is both trying to save the lives of 40 high ranking police officers and bring an underworld kingpin down. Unbeknownst to her, the underworld kingpin’s brother Aswathama (Deepak Dobriyal) has placed a bounty on her head, turning what was supposed to be a rescue mission, into a full-fledged battle for survival, Mad-Max style.
Bholaa: A Review
Ajay Devgn directorial Bholaa is a tale in layers. At the surface, it is a battle for survival. But as the skirmishes progress, Bholaa also becomes a study in characters. It seems each clash with the villains help shed another layer off the eponymous character, giving the audience a deeper insight into his backstory leading up to the present moment. But here is where the film falters as well. While excellent in its action sequences and use of tropes, it seems that the sequential turn of events is tied together by a paper-thin plot.
The sub-plot involving Bholaa and his daughter, who patiently waits for an unknown person (him) to come meet her at the orphanage, lends to the character a subtle dimension of emotive quality, but could have been better fleshed out had the turn of events been a bit varied, a bit more brooding. For what mars Bholaa, is its use of the Hero archetype/trope. Do our Bollywood heroes always need to triumph? Can they not turn larger than the character/ film itself?
Bholaa: Acting
There can be no complaints when it comes to Ajay Devgn’s acting in Bholaa. Ajay owns the character – effortlessly slipping into an action avatar. Tabu’s take on IPS Diana is equally enthralling. Her act as the tough cop battling injuries while trying to save her fellow officers and gaslighting Bholaa into doing her bidding is what keeps the narrative flowing. The easy chemistry between the two stars, make up for much of the lax plot development. Equally good is Deepak Dobriyal’s Aswathama, who is menacing in his villainy, but is ultimately a victim to an anti-climactic ending.
Bholaa: In conclusion
Ajay Devgn, Tabu starrer Bholaa is an engaging watch, if one can get over its obviously slapdash plot. The film plays out like a bildungsroman, both externally (in the way the entirety of the movie is tied into a journey) as well as internally (the way Bholaa’s character develops) and is accentuated by some excellent fight sequences. In all honesty, Bholaa is actually an enjoyable watch, if you can keep aside your internal critique. And if you can’t, you will be left like me, who appreciated the effort, but was left conflicted, once the credits rolled in. Saving grace you ask? Abhishek Bachchan.
