Even those who can’t second guess the outcome, the climax is convenient and inane. The emotional depth and the complex character behaviour that engages you through the first half are slavishly abandoned for action-movie thrills. It’s all well done. The production, the sound, the action is all top notch. But the writing is King of the game in a film. The technique is merely a pawn. You can sacrifice the pawns but not the King.

Wazir is a con job, endeavouring to show us layers that it chooses to do almost nothing with.

Writers Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Abhijat Joshi might have cracked an interesting storyline, originally planned in English as ‘The Fifth Move’ in 2003, but over the years its lost its sheen. And that’s a shame, really.

This looks like a terrific year ahead for Bollywood. Wazir is a solid start. A gripping thriller anchored by Bachchan and Akhtar’s compelling compatibility. Not to be missed.

By the end of Wazir, you will know you haven’t watched anything very novel. The plot, the ultimate reveal are, for the lack of a better word, very predictable. You’d still do better than give this one a miss. A good thriller doesn’t come by every day. Wazir is almost there. 

Bachchan is reliable as ever, particularly with grief written all over his broken face…It’s Farhan of the first half, plunging the depths of emotions, who makes you take note of him as a dramatic performer. However, by the time we get to the end even he seems jaded and lacklustre. Like the film itself.

Sharp viewers will guess the conclusion much before it comes. Yet, Wazir remains watchable even at its eyeball-rolling best.