Rating : ⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Genre: Drama
Year: 2023
Running time: 2 hours 23 minutes
Director: Raj Mehta
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Diana Penty, Nusrat Bharucha, Meghna Malik
Kid rating: G
Selfiee is another remake of a South-Indian original. And it suffers from the same over-done-ness that dogs a lot of such “Southie-inspired” films.
Honestly, the premise wasn’t bad – as in there actually was a story. And it goes thusly : superstar Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar) happens to need a driving license. The Regional Transport Office Inspector responsible for the license, Om Prakash Agarwal (Emran Hashmi), is a big fan and takes this opportunity to request a quick meeting with the star, after which the license will be handed over, sans a test or any inconvenience to the big man.
However, a misunderstanding at the meeting cause the men to separate as enemies, and Inspector Agarwal now requires Vijay to actually take the test as per the law, like any other common citizen. When news of this debacle gets out, a media feeding frenzy ensues. Social media personalities and news anchors jump into the fray, hoping to make the most of this controversy. Both men are strong-willed and sure of their righteousness. Which one will give?
Akshay Kumar films are generally a little bombastic – apart from Padman I can’t actually recall a subtle Akshay film. He is in full form here as superstar Vijay, and the film also imbues him with “heroisms”. His character is well-defined for the most part, except for the crucial scene which pivots the film. In that scene, Vijay Kumar, a reasonable, level-headed, family man is suddenly so outraged at a fan’s behavior that without waiting to ascertain the fan’s fault, he proceeds to loudly and volubly excoriate the man in front of a crowd. An earlier scene does try to justify his outburst; I didn’t buy it though.
Emraan Hashmi play Inspector Agarwal quite well, although his character is rather emotional as well (his distress is more justifiable). Nusrat Bharucha plays his wife Minty and Diana Penty is Vijay Kumar’s wife. The film is about the two men; the women are mere supporters/onlookers.
Interesting that the entire story is based on rule-flouting. Indeed, it appears to be the norm to have laws only for the common man – no one even bats an eyelid at having the superstar just handed his license, without a test! The whole film is based on an ego-clash, the “gifting” of a license to a rich, influential man seems to not be a problem at all.
When I hear Southie-remake, I also hear loud and overdone. The pathos, the betrayal, the sadness – all the emotion that could have moved a viewer is so underscored, so milked beyond any notions of believability, that it makes the entire scenario unpalatable. This film is no different – Om Prakash is no ordinary fan, he is the most ardent of fans – Vijay Kumar is his god. His disillusionment with his hero is no minor squabble, it is a major event, generating news and public outrage, affecting work, life and family and causing him unending emotional distress (recall the “overdone-ness” I was hinting about).
Selfiee was just meh.
Kidwise: Clean.
