Akshay Kumar’s latest movie ‘Selfiee’ has been receiving mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. Directed by Raj Mehta, the film stars Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Diana Penty, Mahesh Thakur, Abhimanyu Singh, Meghna Malik, and Kusha Kapila.
The movie is a Hindi remake of Lal Jr’s Malayalam film ‘Driving License’ and revolves around a superstar, Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar), who wants a driving license for a car-based scene shoot. RTO Officer Om Prakash Agarwal (Emraan Hashmi) is a big fan of Vijay and wants a harmless selfie with him. However, things take a turn when Vijay reaches the RTO office, and a cat-and-mouse game begins.
The script of the movie, written by Rishhabh Sharrma, is a modified version of the original. The comical relief of the film comes from Akshay Kumar cracking self-deprecating jokes, but the screenplay is limited to the source material available beforehand. The movie could have been better if it had been redesigned entirely, retaining just the narrative’s soul of a public war between a superstar and his die-hard fan.
Cinematographer Rajeev Ravi keeps it pretty basic, and there’s nothing really to boast about how the film ‘looks’. Ritesh Soni’s editing is of no help, letting the second half drown into oblivion.
Akshay Kumar’s obsession with his lucky number 9 continues with his character Vijay driving cars with numbers like 4545 or 0909, and even his driving license form states his address as ’27’ Pali Hill. Due to the film’s self-deprecating humour, it almost looks like Akshay is breaking the fourth wall to talk to the viewers. He retains his best self while delivering a few genuinely hilarious lines, but unfortunately, that’s not enough.
Emraan Hashmi’s character is poorly developed, and his star-worshipping isn’t built well enough to develop a connection solely depending on his performance. Nushrratt Bharuccha and Diana Penty, as respective housewives of Emraan and Akshay, have nothing to do in the film apart from making sure their husbands don’t mess up. Mahesh Thakur barely gets any footage, and it’s a shame not to give someone as talented as him some meaty jokes. Abhimanyu Singh’s character writing is hilarious and leads to some rib-tickling scenes. The ‘Corporator’ played by Meghna Malik relies heavily on her natural performance and brings the best out of the character. Kusha Kapila is just there, yet again.
Raj Mehta’s direction is average, and the music is forgettable. The movie is a typical Bollywood film with a tried-and-tested script, making some things worse than the original.
In conclusion, ‘Selfiee’ is a movie that can be watched if you haven’t seen the original. It has some genuinely funny moments, but it fails to leave a lasting impression due to its predictable plot and lackluster execution.
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