Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, is a futile action film that attempts to sell the same old wine in a not so different bottle. No doubt, films like this are more about devising an entertaining experience for the viewer but Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is neither as ambitious on scale as a Baahubali or a Jawan nor is there a strong novelty factor in its premise or character dynamics.
Bade Miya Chote Miyan‘s storyline is simple. The film follows two military officers – the experienced and mature Captain Feroz aka Freddie (Akshay Kumar) and his easy going, smart alec partner Captain Rakesh or Rocky (Tiger Shroff) – who are called to duty to retrieve a technological weapon of mass destruction from the hands of Kabir (Prithviraj Sukumaran), a psychopathic arms manufacturer.
Reverse engineering the filmmaking process to create star vehicles, seldom produces effective results in terms of crafting meaningful cinema. Such tentpole films are aimed at generating large amounts of revenue, banking on fan frenzy. Director Ali Abbas Zafar, being a veteran at directing big budget high-concept films, adds all the typical elements of a contemporary masala movie but forgets to bring in his own directorial voice to the entire scheme of things. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, like most big budget films, liberally takes the viewer’s intelligence for granted, thinking it can get away with anything. Right off the bat, the film follows tried and tested formulas, feeling more like a business solutions report created by a consultancy firm.
Yet another tale of India needing to be rescued from a dangerous adversary, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan loses its footing badly in so-loud-that-it-hurts jingoism. The film has no nuance whatsoever and falls into extreme black and white territory, making it hard for its stakes to be taken seriously. The least that the writers could have done was to make sure the plot remains airtight enough and the characters are given enough room to elevate the engagement quotient. What we see are half-baked ideas being implemented with unparalleled confidence but ultimately coming across as totally puerile. And there is also a forced addition of the ongoing Man v/s AI debate, which in all probability, was included as an afterthought.
The main issue with Freddy and Rocky’s equation is that it feels highly superficial and pretentious. It is shocking to see the conception that older generations have of Gen Z. There is much more to them than merely using strange lingo and having outrageous fashion choices. And as for Kabir, the makers have tried extremely hard to create a comic book-esque villain, even giving him a standard backstory and motive. But not only is it far too commonplace, it does nothing for his character or the film.
It is an understatement to say that the cinematography and production design choices are excessive and elaborate. The VFX is in parts well done and in parts extremely shoddy, especially during wider shots of the various action sequences. The film rambles on for half an hour too long with an easily predictable climax ultimately feeling drab to say the least. The editing, standard for any action thriller, is quick and fast paced, never giving the viewer any respite. The action sequences feel repetitive after a point and the songs are totally out of place. The sound design however, deserves some merit. Intricately crafted, it is totally in sync with the larger-than-life tone of the film.
You know a film like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan fails to deliver when post viewing it makes you ask the question that does it make more sense for both producers and viewers alike to make six films with a 50-crore budget having strong narratives and compelling direction, rather than one such film with a budget of over 300 crores?
Hindi, Action, Thriller, Color