AK VS AK REVIEW
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane
Starring: Anil Kapoor, Anurag Kashyap, Yogita Bihani & Sonam Kapoor
Written by: Avinash Sampath & Vikramaditya Motwane
Dialogue: Anurag Kashyap
Streaming On: Netflix
AK VS AK is the story of a rivalry between a renowned actor and director. Anurag Kashyap (Anurag Kashyap) and Anil Kapoor (Anil Kapoor) have been invited for a discussion about films and cinema in India. Before the discussion began, both met each other backstage. They are also accompanied by Yogita (Yogita Bihani) who is making a documentary of sorts on the life of Anurag Kashyap, and is recording everything on her camera. There, Anil expresses his wish to work with Anurga who finds it hard to believe as Anil had previously rejected his offers twice. When the show begins, both of them start taking jibes at each other and things slowly keep escalating. Anil accidently spills water on his shoes and Anurag assumes that he did it on purpose and throws water on Anil’s face. The whole thing is captured on camera and it goes viral everywhere. As a result, Anurag is shunned from the industry and even actors backed out of his films. Anurag is saddened and taken aback because of the cold shoulder received from the industry. This is when Yogita gives Anurag an idea, which he loves and immediately sets the plan in motion. He goes to meet Anil at film city. After ignoring him for a good amount of time, Anil calls him in his vanity van where Anurag somehow narrates a script to him, despite Anil’s refusal to work with him. He tells him the story which is that a lazy filmmaker kidnaps the actor-daughter of an industry legend and that actor has 12 hours to find his daughter. Anil initially laughs it off but then Anurag proves it to him that Sonam Kapoor has been kidnapped. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
The idea behind the story can definitely be termed as crazy as well as inventive. But the film AK VS AK has been too inconsistent to be a great one. Yes, the film is surely to be watched at least once, but there are certain things that just don’t work in its favour. The film has its moments but there are very few of them and such a story, every scene has to be momentous. Sometimes one is able to overlook a few flaws but this is not one of those films. Yes, this has been an entertaining film but all the while, one couldn’t help but think it could have been much better.
Technically, the film has been brilliant, minus the writing part. This was both expected and unexpected at the same time. One expects a Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap (albeit he was in front of the camera) film to be technically astute and it certainly was but at the same time writing was not upto their usual standards. the thing is the writing has been decent but the disappointment is higher because one expects a lot more from them and that’s the bar they’ve set. Swapnil Sonawane’s cinematographer (additional cinematography by Yogita Bihani) has been exceptional. Editing by Bunty Bhansali is good although just one complaint is that the film’s runtime could have been shorter. The music is fine, although the film would have fared better without the songs. The background score was good. Production design and costume design had been very authentic and straight out of life, as it should have been.
Talking about performances, the film well and truly belongs to Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kaashyap. Anil has been as great as he has always been. He is truly a joy to watch. He naturally commands such a wonderful screen presence too and that’s his strongest trait as an actor. Anurag Kashyap gives a terrific performance too. For most part of the film his work seems effortless. The rest of the cast offer good support.
Director Vikramaditya Motwane delivers an entertaining film but there was a lot more that could have been done.