A heist gone wrong: muddled logic and a botched climax waste a capable cast.
Verdict tier Unfavorable, most critics didn't like it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for Baadshaho is overwhelmingly negative, with the majority of reviewers awarding scores in the 20-40 range. Critics most commonly faulted the film's incoherent narrative, lack of logic, and weak screenplay, with several pointing to a particularly poor climax. A handful of reviewers acknowledged the film's action sequences and the screen presence of its lead actors as minor saving graces, though even these concessions were heavily qualified. The consensus is that despite a potentially interesting heist premise, the execution is a significant failure that leaves little reason to recommend the film.
2 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 21 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyFrom the papers
Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
Because it's the old masala entertainment genre, we sit back and enjoy a few familiar guilty pleasures — the item song (Sunny Leone shaking it), the 'seeti-maar' dialogues (the deep-seated misogyny in a few make you cringe, even as you hear, without a shred of surprise, bunches of young men guffawing), the cheerful absence of logic (what's that), and coherent plot points.
Top critic
Film review ·
One is sure that there will be takers for this piece of cinematic tripe, but the audience deserves better. There can be no two ways about that.
Film review ·
If entertainment with elements like thrills and action is your cup of tea, go for it. Otherwise, stay away from this rollercoaster of drama sprinkled with action. Accordingly, this smooth ride with an abrupt finish will lead you to gratification, or to nowhere.
Film review ·
f you're an action junkie who has no loyalty to any particular actor, this could be your big-ticket ride.
Film review ·
Overall, the film is an opportunity lost, despite Ajay Devgn's aura, Emraan Hashmi's charisma and Ileana D'Cruz's great performance, it's a botched up job at best.
Film review ·
The action drama definitely has an interesting premise, but execution of the plot turns out to be the big hurdle.
Film review ·
The climax is the weakest portion of the whole film. An open ending for a heist film is just weird. Unless you are a huge Ajay Devgn fan, you can skip this one.
Film review ·
The screenplay of Baadshaho is unduly non-linear and includes indulgent scenes like one of police torture. Baadshaho's finale unfolds in a sandstorm and is the one scene that is visually arresting, though the story loses itself somewhere within the vortex.
Film review ·
BAADSHAHO (meaning Emperor/King in Hindi) may not be the promised 'King' size action drama but we hope the chautha (read fourth) collaboration of Milan Luthria and Ajay Devgn turns out to be the last disappointment from Milan Luthria who has churned out entertainment, entertainment and entertainment starting from KACHCHE DHAAGE, TAXI NO. 9211, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI & DIRTY PICTURE. We hope Milan Luthria starts entertaining us DOBAARA (again) in near future.
Film review ·
Baadshaho has too many ordinarily written characters jostling for whistle-worthy one-liners for 136-minutes. Eventually they run short of the steam and Baadshaho becomes a rehashed '90s story with some gloss and a lot of disappointment.
Film review ·
There's absolutely no dearth of glossiness in the Milan Luthria directorial but then, there's nothing else noteworthy in the film.
Film review ·
Considering that the film has been marketed as an 'Ajay Devgn- Emraan Hashmi' starrer (the duo whose camaraderie meant fireworks on the silver screen), Baadshaho will have viewers watching it purely for the same, with an expectations of being treated with the duo's one liners. The film, which is expected to do good business during the weekend because of the aforementioned factors, will really have to prove itself in the acid test during the week which follows.
Film review ·
Far from an exciting film that would have me glued to my seat, this one made me look for the nearest exit to run. Instead of Baadshaho, one could well call it 'Bhaag jao'.
Film review ·
The story of Baadshaho is that of the heist in the desert, where everyone double-crosses each other and by the end you wish they were all dead in the cross-firing.
Film review ·
So pretentious and hammy are the actors it would be an insult to good taste to call them actors
Film review ·
The nonstop action is a distraction for a lack of narrative. Luthria's great truck robbery is a thriller without thrills.
Film review ·
High on machoism and low on logic or reason, Baadshaho unfortunately remains a BAD SHOW.
Film review ·
Things get truly down and dirty towards the end. Which is to say the concluding 20 minutes of Baadshaho are so hazy and dusty, I found myself mentally vacuum cleaning the screen. I wish to do the same to the memory of this movie.
Film review ·
The thing is there doesn't seem to be a single tangible plot point that seems to make sense in the entire scheme of things. The protagonist's manipulations seem contrived and superfluous. And despite, the dialoguebaazi and the Bollywood masala, the end product is bland and completely forgettable.
Film review ·
Baadshaho is too routine a fare to impress the audience. It will entail losses to the distributors. Business in single-screen cinemas in the first weekend will be fair (also owing to Eid holiday today (Sept. 2)) but business in multiplexes will be below the mark.
Film review ·
Baadshaho may not be a smart film, but it's a reasonably savvy daft one, inventive enough to revisit a key event from multiple perspectives and silly enough to have Mishra pick a safe in horse blinkers. You don't go in expecting much of a film that promises Sunny Leone bathing in a barrel. You don't receive much either, but you're grateful for the scraps.
From our readers
7 ratings · user score 6.3
a perfect blend of action and romance with shots of comedy. Ajay is favourite among mass and this movie is a treat for them.Emraan has also done justice to his role.
perfect entertainer . Ajay is super fantestic.
Nice move from a good direction. Ajay looks good in this movie. Overall Good movie.
Average. Good : entertaining dialogues, Decent direction , performances weakness : quite predictable , faulty script , below par editing
When there's a heist involved you at least expect some detailing in the reconnaissance, the execution, or the escape plan. In Baadshaho, there is no plan let alone the detailing. A bunch of lowbrow goons try to steal an army van filled with gold in the middle of a highway. The gang is conveniently self-sufficient, as with most heist films, and are made to face few solvable hurdles on the way. Watching Baadshaho is like reading through a robbery plan sketched by a 10-year-old for a history class, considering this is set in 1975 when India was under Emergency. Even though director Milan Luthria introduces conflicts in the show, thanks to a dismal Vidyut Jamwal, the narrative never gets out of the limbo which is characterized by unnecessary songs and cringe-worthy dialogues. Ajay Devgn pulls off a decent show but Emraan Hashmi looks like he belongs to the other side of the fence with his lady Esha Gupta. They are more interested in romance or what succeeds that than the actual robbery or its execution. Ileana D'Cruz annoys. With gun shots that never hit their target and two odd twists in the middle that put M Night Shyamalan into shame, Baadshaho only has a glamorous container and a stylish name. Watch Italian Job (2003) one more time and forget they ever made this. TN.
Credits
Ajay Devgn
Ileana D'Cruzgitanjali
Emraan Hashmidalia
Esha GuptaSanjana
Vidyut JammwalSeher
Sanjai MishraTikla
Sharad Kelkar
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