TheReviewMonk is back — critic reviews for Indian cinema, aggregated. Read our story →

TheReviewMonk
Blank backdrop

Blank

3 May 2019Hindi1h 51m
ActionDrama
out of 10
Unfavorablemost critics didn't like it
Monk Score · 13 scored reviews · 3 not rated

A lazy, Islamophobic thriller that wastes even Karan Kapadia's debut.

Verdict tier Unfavorable, most critics didn't like it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Karan Kapadia's debut performance
  • Criticised: Islamophobic stereotyping and messaging

Audience

User score 3.0 out of 10 from 1 rating, not enough ratings for a verdict yet
Read 1 audience review ↓

Not streaming in India

Top cast

Full cast & crew

Critic consensus

What 16 critics are saying

Critical reception for Blank is largely negative, with most reviewers finding it a dull, generic thriller that fails to make an impact despite its action-oriented premise. A handful of critics noted Sunny Deol's screen presence and Karan Kapadia's debut as modest bright spots, though even these were qualified with reservations. The film drew pointed criticism for reinforcing Islamophobic stereotypes through its portrayal of Muslim characters, with multiple reviewers explicitly calling out its 'bad Muslim' narrative. Common structural complaints included an overstretched runtime, a borrowed and far-fetched plot, and an overreliance on Sunny Deol at the expense of other performers.

How the 13 scores spread

3 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 16 critic reviews · may contain errors

Report inaccuracy

From the papers

Critic reviews (16)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    NDTV

    Film review ·

    Karanvir, Ishita get their moments in the sun but are not allowed any shots at cornering the limelight. That privilege is reserved for Sunny-Karan.

  2. Top critic

    Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    Sunny Deol keeps things watchable, though it is a bit odd to see those legendary, larger-than-life hands pulling coloured string across an FBI-style board of suspects. It gives the sense of a majestic jungle cat forced to play with yarn.

  3. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    Blank which emphasizes its over-used thrust - Islamic 'aatankwaad' threatening the unity and integrity of 'akhand' Bharat - comes off as far too generic

  4. Top critic

    Film Companion

    Film review ·

    When you decide on a title like Blank, you must make sure that your film is exactly the opposite. Otherwise you unwittingly end up providing ammunition for critics and viewers. You remember Paul Verhoeven's deliciously awful film about Las Vegas strippers called Showgirls.  New Yorker critic Anthony Lane had written in his review that the title is "not so much a noun as an imperative".  Here too Blank isn't merely an adjective, it's an entire sensibility. Which, as you can imagine, makes for a pretty dull movie.

  5. Bollywood Hungama

    Film review ·

    BLANK is well directed and performed and is based on the relatable events of terrorism. Sunny Deol's fans will love him in an action packed role after a long time. At the box office, it will be an average fare!

  6. FilmiBeat

    Film review ·

    If you are looking for a glimpse of Sunny Deol's angry man going full throttle on action then Blank could cheer you up a bit. The rest wouldn't miss much by skipping it.

  7. Firstpost

    Film review ·

    Blank is a hit-and-miss. It is a great debut for Karan Kapadia though, who despite the presence of a seasoned actor in Sunny Deol, stands out as the star of the film.

  8. Sify

    Film review ·

    Action-packed and exciting but far-fetched...The crux of the drama hinges on a plot which appears borrowed from B-grade potboilers of the 1980s

  9. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    The movie has flashes of promise but just as many, if not more, moments of amateur execution. There's also a special track called Ali Ali, featuring Akshay Kumar. Thankfully, it plays during the end credits and doesn't really add to plentiful woes of the film.

  14. Rediff

    Film review ·

    As is mandatory in Bollywood these days, Blank too insists on painting a ferocious Muslim imagery of bushy beards, severe kohl-eyes and chequered scarfs spewing distorted religious ideology to impressionable young minds

  16. The Hindu

    Film review ·

    Despite the vendetta twist in the end, Blank eventually doesn't rise above being a stilted "bad Muslim" narrative. It's yet another film that plays on Islamophobia and it does say a lot that it comes with the backing of the BJP candidate from Gurdaspur (who plays the clean-handed ATS chief) and the Canadian journalist specialising in doing non-political interviews (who does a special end credits song, titled Ali ali).

From our readers

Audience reviews (1)

1 rating · user score 3.0

  1. Tejas NairSept 2019
    3/10

    Blank is the type of movie that shows why a decent story needs a slightly more decent filmmaking (direction, writing, and performances) to come out as something that is remotely watchable for even the average audience, regardless of its theme and the X-factor. TN.

    Report

Credits

Cast & crew

Cast

Screenplay

Producer

You may also like

Hindi films like Blank

TMDB

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.