Aiyaari - A well-intentioned film with promise


Two upright officers – Manoj Bajpayee and Sidharth Malhotra – of the Indian Army are at loggerheads with each other after viewing corruption in the armed forces differently. The latter turns rogue, resulting in the former going against his protégé before he lets out some secrets. Both were inducted into a special unit by the Army chief for their competence, but are now under the scanner due to various developments that take place. 

 Neeraj Pandey’s Aiyaari is a well-intentioned film with good performances by its star cast. Like some of his previous movies, this too is a hard-hitting commentary on the ugly reality at various levels, including in the government and the Army. This one, in particular, focuses on the nefarious dealings while striking arms deals, the Uri attack as well as the Adarsh scam. The problem, however, in tackling so many issues is that it does not focus on any one aggressively. It meanders and touches upon various aspects, thereby affecting the flow and pace of the film. 

 The cat-and-mouse chase, usually associated with Pandey’s films, is missing and the length of the film feels too much because of its tardy pace at various intervals. Had these aspects been looked into, it would have been an even better film. Yet, it’s a decent movie and addresses the many ills in society in an interesting fashion. 

 Among the highlights of Aiyaari is Bajpayee’s presence. He leads from the front and delivers a performance that is by now expected of him. His character has been defined well and given some good dialogues. Malhotra looks supremely stylish as an Army officer and even on other occasions when he’s not in uniform. Very few actors look as good as him on screen. He even puts in a competent performance although his part could have been etched in a more robust fashion. However, what’s commendable is that he’s attempting something new with each film of his when he can easily stick to doing the Judwaas like some of his contemporaries. 

 Other members of the cast don’t have much to do and the music is largely absent. Sunidhi Chauhan’s Le Dooba is melodious, but seems like a forced addition. 

 Aiyaari has a lot of promise, but somehow something appears missing that could have made it superb. Yet, Pandey has made an honest film on a subject that few attempt to portray on screen. And he’s succeeded fairly well. 

 - Kunal Purandare 

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