An Action Hero

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An Action Hero
An Action Hero film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAnirudh Iyer
Written byNeeraj Yadav
Story byAnirudh Iyer
Produced by Bhushan Kumar
Krishan Kumar
Aanand L. Rai
Starring
CinematographyKaushal Shah
Edited byNinad Khanolkar
Music byScore:
Parag Chhabra
Sunny M. R.
Songs:
Tanishk Bagchi
Biddu
Parag Chhabra
Amar Jalal
Production
companies
Distributed by AA Films
Release date
  • 2 December 2022 (2022-12-02)
Running time
130 minutes [1]
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget45 crore

An Action Hero is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film [2] directed by newcomer Anirudh Iyer and produced by T-Series and Colour Yellow Productions. It stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat. In the film, an action star (Khurrana) goes on the run after accidentally killing the brother of a ruthless politician (Ahlawat).

Contents

An Action Hero was announced in October 2021, followed by shooting schedules in India and London in the first quarter of 2022. It was released on 2 December 2022 to positive reviews from critics, but underperformed at the box office. [3]

Plot

Maanav Khurana, a famous actor known as a leading man in action films, arrives at Mandothi, Haryana for his film shoot. Vicky Solanki, an aspiring politician currently contesting the local elections, wants to meet Maanav to gain publicity. Due to the busy shooting schedule, Maanav does not pay attention. When Maanav is finally about to meet Vicky, he gets distracted by the delivery of his brand new Ford Mustang and goes for a long drive. Enraged, Vicky chases him by car and manhandles him, but Maanav pushes him away and in a freak-accident, Vicky dies from Blunt trauma on the spot, after landing headfirst on a rock. Frightened, Maanav flees failing to realize that he is leaving behind a broken side mirror as evidence for the police who later find Vicky’s body.

Unbeknownst to Maanav, Vicky's brother Bhoora Solanki, swears in front of a huge gathering of his family and friends that he will avenge his brother's death, and starts his own ‘personal mission’ to hunt him down.

The Haryana police conclude the role of Maanav in Vicky's murder citing the side mirror of Maanav's new Mustang. Maanav's reputation is marred, and the media fans the flames of outrage against him, who was up until now, a much-loved Action Hero.

Maanav flees to the house he owns in Portsmouth . The news reaches UK as well and Maanav is forced into hiding. Bhoora learns everything from his henchman and flies to UK. In a bizarre twist, Bhoora who is on a hunt for Maanav, kills two police officers who were responding to a call right in front of Maanav's home. Maanav, who did not commit the crime, is now a possible suspect. He is forced to flee the crime scene, he himself witnessed.

He tries to seek help from his UK lawyer, who does not respond. During his attempt to escape, Maanav's car runs out of gas and Bhoora snatches a stranger's car and catches up to him. Maanav tries to explain his innocence, but Bhoora does not listen and is hell bent on revenge. Maanav manages to overpower and lock Bhoora in the car's trunk. This starts the first in a series of so many dark comedy situations later, in which the actor is forced by a desperate need, to physically fight and save himself like 'an action hero'.

Upon pressuring his manager Roshan for help, Maanav finally gets to meet Sai, a lawyer and fixer, for capturing potential footage of Bhoora killing the two police officers. Sai tells Maanav to meet his illegal hacker contact in London for collecting the footage. Unbeknownst to Maanav, he also asks his friend Kaadir to catch Maanav, knowing that he is a ‘prize-catch’ on the run and can be turned in for a huge monetary reward!

Meanwhile, Bhoora escapes with the help of a tow-truck, follows and kills Sai who merely happened to be between him and his hunt , this being a second murder by Bhoora! Bhoora tries to kill Maanav also, but in a dark comedy situation he is intercepted by Sai's friend Kaadir. (coming for his own prize catch)

Maanav has no idea why he is being saved by a stranger. (Kaadir). Another fight sequence emerges in which Maanav is forced to improvise his action-movie fighting skills. Maanav gets into his car and flees again, leaving Bhoora behind. Bhoora once again manages to learn about Maanav's whereabouts, this time from Kaadir as a hostage, and then kills Kaadir, committing one more murder in UK.

Maanav gets hold of the footage from the illegal hacker. Being fed up running from the UK police, he decides to surrender himself knowing that he now has the proof procured from the dashcams nearby his house in Portsmouth. He hopes to prove that he was not responsible for the murders.

In a dark comedy situation, just as he was kneeling down with his arms raised up, right in front of the Police Commissioner's office, he is suddenly abducted by strangers in a speeding van. The goondas turn out to be henchmen of Masood Abraham Katkar, a much-feared terrorist who escaped from India, a long time ago.

He is taken by the goondas to a rooftop, where Katkar is awaiting him. Katkar explains his own purpose of abducting him. In a bizarre dark comedy situation, a smiling Katkar takes a photograph with Maanav and posts it on social media. Maanav's image with Katkar becomes viral on social media. The media once again gets outraged against the once revered ‘Action Hero’. Katkar is planning to paint a picture that Maanav has been hired by him. In another dark comedy situation, against his own wishes, Maanav, is forced to perform a dance, to the famous, bubbly, 1980’s tunes of, Aap Jaisa Koi at an opulent, Katkar family wedding!

Bhoora is still on a hunt for Maanav and manages to enter the hotel and disrupt Maanav's performance, only to be held at gunpoint by Katkar's men. After an interrogation, Katkar advises Bhoora to kill Maanav. Just as Bhoora is about to shoot, Maanav deflects him and Katkar gets shot dead in the skirmish, the fourth death caused by Bhoora.

Katkar's men are alerted and arrive to kill them both. Maanav and Bhoora manage to defeat Katkar's men before turning on each other. With his newfound action her skills, Maanav defeats and wounds Bhoora and tries to reason with Bhoora explaining that his brother only got killed in a freak accident.

Bhoora refuses to spare him out of ego despite being aware of his innocence, Without any choice, Maanav abruptly kills Bhoora, using his movie star fighting skills one last time.

Maanav quietly realizes that India's much wanted terrorist, Katkar, has just been killed! Thinking quickly, he formulates a plan to make a deal with List of diplomatic missions of India to project a story that the government used Maanav's situation and secretly assigned him for the mission to track and that, Katkar was killed in a secret government operation by government security forces.

This instantly turns his status from being a criminal to a hero! The perception of the public changes about him abruptly. The same loud-mouthed hosts on the TV are now shown praising their action hero and the news spreads! The officer at the embassy who supposedly ‘arranged the secret operation’ receives an award from the government.

Maanav returns to India waving to adoring fans outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport

Cast

Cameo appearances

Production

Development

The film was announced in October 2021. [7] [8]

Filming

Filming began in January 2022 in London and concluded in March 2022. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Music

An Action Hero
Soundtrack album by
Tanishk Bagchi, Biddu, Parag Chhabra and Amar Jalal
Released30 November 2022 [13]
Recorded2021–22
Genre Feature film soundtrack
Length17:00
LanguageHindi
Label T-Series
External audio
Nuvola apps arts.svg An Action Hero (Jukebox) on YouTube
Singles from An Action Hero
  1. "Jehda Nasha"
    Released: 17 November 2022
  2. "Aap Jaisa Koi"
    Released: 26 November 2022

The music of the film is composed by Tanishk Bagchi, Biddu, Parag Chhabra and Amar Jalal. The background score is composed by Sunny M.R. and the Action Hero Theme is composed by Parag Chhabra. [13]

The song "Jehda Nasha" was recreated from the 2019 track Nasha which was sung by IP Singh, Amar Jalal, written by Amar Jalal Group and composed by Faridkot, Amar Jalal. [14] The song "Aap Jaisa Koi" was recreated from the 1980 film Qurbani sung by Pakistani singer Nazia Hassan, and was composed by British Indian producer Biddu. The song was featured in the film as an item number, picturised on Zeenat Aman. [15]

The film version of "Aap Jaisa Koi" replaces original male vocalist Altamash Faridi with Yash Narvekar. [16]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicSinger(s)Length
1."Ghere" Vayu Parag ChhabraVivek Hariharan, Parag Chhabra3:29
2."Asli Action Chaalu" (Theme Song)D'Evil, Shah RuleParag ChhabraD'Evil, Shah Rule3:05
3."An Action Hero Theme"InstrumentalParag ChhabraInstrumental0:50
4."Aap Jaisa Koi" Indeevar, Tanishk BagchiTanishk BagchiZahrah S Khan, Altamash Faridi2:58
5."Jehda Nasha"Amar Jalal, Balla Jalal Tanishk Bagchi, Faridkot, Amar Jalal Yohani, IP Singh, Amar Jalal, Harjot Kaur3:42
6."Aap Jaisa Koi" (Film Version)Indeevar, Tanishk BagchiTanishk BagchiZahrah S Khan, Yash Narvekar 2:56
Total length:17:00

Release

An Action Hero was theatrically released on 2 December 2022. [17] [18]

Home media

The satellite and digital rights were acquired by Sony Max and Netflix. The film began streaming on Netflix from 27 January 2023. [19]

Reception

Critical response

An Action Hero received mostly positive reviews from critics. [20] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 85% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.1/10. [21]

Bollywood Hungama gave 4/5 stars and wrote "An Action Hero works due to Ayushmann's action-oriented role and Jaideep's screen presence. The twist in the last 30 minutes adds to the fun". [22] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "The film bustles with coiled energy every time Jaideep Ahlawat is on the screen as a toughie responding to a rough, ready and rustic notion of justice and self-worth". [23]

Sonil Dedhia of News 18 gave 3.5/5 stars and said that the film is "wacky, breezy, bizarre and outlandish". [24] Pratikshya Mishra of The Quint gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "The film makes fun of everything it can get its hands on while weaving a story worthy of its strong cast". [25]

Devesh Sharma of Filmfare gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "The film is cleverly written. It serves us twists and turns admiringly well. The insider jokes are a hoot. The arrogance of a superstar is on point". [26] Kartik Bhardwaj of Cinema Express gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat lock horns in this cheeky take on stars, fans, and media culture". [27]

Himesh Mankad of Pinkvilla gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "An Action Hero is an intelligently written action thriller, wherein the director follows his conviction to strike the right balance in the genre with some humor and whacky scenarios". [28] Rohit Bhatnagar of The Free Press Journal gave 3.5/5 stars and said that the film might derail from the set formula concept, but it might entertain and delve deeper into world affairs. [29]

Pallabi Dey Purkayastha of OTTplay gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Forget about the questionable choice of title, An Action Hero is actually an intelligent dark comedy that will leave you in splits on more than one occasion. And that, for any moviegoer, is good enough reason to give it a go". [30] Sukanya Verma of Rediff gave 3/5 stars and wrote "An Action Hero oil and water combination of genres doesn't always gel, gets overly far-fetched in places but still holds up on the strength of whimsy and surprise". [31]

Archika Khurana of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote "The interesting thing about the film is not so much the story itself, but seeing Ayushmann Khurrana get into the skin of an action hero and flex his muscles (literally) on screen". [32] Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost gave 2.75/5 stars and wrote "An Action Hero combines slick action with crackerjack chemistry between its leads. The near-erasure of women in the story is depressing, but the film’s pace gives us little time to think". [33]

Anuj Kumar of The Hindu wrote "Debutant writer-director Anirudh Iyer delivers a piquant entertainer that makes sharp observations on the fickleness of fame and futility of bloated egos". [34] Monika Rawal Kukreja of Hindustan Times wrote "Watch An Action Hero for some brash and raw action, and if you enjoy cat and mouse chase, you would find this crazy ride equally funny". [35]

Accolades

AwardCeremony dateCategoryRecipientsResultRef.
Filmfare Awards 27 April 2023 Best Supporting Actor Jaideep Ahlawat Nominated [36]
Best Debut Director Anirudh IyerNominated
Best Story Nominated
Best Screenplay Neeraj YadavNominated
Best Dialogue Nominated
Best Editing Ninad KhanolkarWon
Best Cinematography Kaushal ShahNominated
International Indian Film Academy Awards 28 September 2024 Best Supporting Actor Jaideep Ahlawat Nominated [37]

References

  1. ↑ "An Action Hero". British Board of Film Classification . Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  2. ↑ "An Action Hero (2022)". Irish Film Classification Office .
  3. ↑ "Ayushmann Khurrana was 'expecting' An Action Hero to perform better at box office, says he can't be held solely responsible for turnout". Indian Express . 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  4. ↑ "Akshay Kumar to have a cameo in Ayushmann Khurrana starrer An Action Hero". Bollywood Hungama. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  5. ↑ "REVEALED: Malaika Arora returns to the BIG screen after more than 4 years; to feature in a SIZZLING item number in Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer An Action Hero". Bollywood Hungama. 11 November 2022.
  6. ↑ "Nora Fatehi shoots with Ayushmann Khurrana for a song in An Action Hero, watch". Bollywood News.
  7. ↑ "Ayushmann Khurrana announces Action Hero with teaser, film to release in 2022". 9 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Ayushmann Khurrana to play action star in his next titled Action Hero, watch teaser". The Indian Express. 10 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "Ayushmann Khurrana starrer An Action Hero to go on floors this month in London". Bollywood Hungama. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "T-Series and Colour Yellow's An Action Hero jumps into action; kicks off shoot in London!". Bollywood Hungama. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  11. ↑ "Ayushmann Khurrana wraps up London shoot schedule of An Action Hero, watch video". Bollywood Hungama. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "T-Series and Colour Yellow Productions' An Action Hero starring Ayushmann Khurrana wraps up its London shoot". Bollywood Hungama. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  13. 1 2 "An Action Hero – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". Jiosaavn. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Amid backlash for Jehda Nasha, Tanishk Bagchi says recreations help 'original singers in getting noticed': 'They thanked me for putting their song in the film'". The Indian Express. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  15. ↑ "An Action Hero song 'Aap Jaisa Koi': Malaika Arora goes back to her roots, owns the dance floor like nobody else". The Indian Express. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  16. ↑ "AAP Jaisa Koi (Film Version) [From "An Action Hero"]". Spotify .
  17. ↑ "Ayushmann Khurrana's an Action Hero to release in theatres on Dec 2". 22 April 2022.
  18. ↑ "Ayushmann Khurrana's 'An Action Hero' to release in December - the New Indian Express". 4 April 2022.
  19. ↑ "'An Action Hero' is on OTT Platform.Where to watch,cast and plot". India Today . 17 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  20. ↑ "Ayushmann Khurrana hopes word-of-mouth publicity for 'An Action Hero' works and more people come to theatres". The Economic Times . Archived from the original on 26 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025. Released in theatres on December 2, the movie received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers.
  21. ↑ "An Action Hero | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  22. ↑ "An Action Hero Movie Review". Bollywood Hungama . 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  23. ↑ "An Action Hero Review: Ayushmann Khurrana And Jaideep Ahlawat Lend The Film Power". NDTV . Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  24. ↑ "An Action Hero Review: Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat Shine in This Outlandish Film". News 18 . 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  25. ↑ "An Action Hero Review: Guns, Masala, Action! Ayushmann Khurrana Film is a Riot". The Quint . 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  26. ↑ "An Action Hero Movie Review". Filmfare . Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  27. ↑ "An Action Hero review: This caper-comedy is fun, farcical, and fabulous". Cinema Express . 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  28. ↑ "An Action Hero Movie Review: Ayushmann Khurrana's film rides on a solid first half & an unexpected climax". Pinkvilla . 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  29. ↑ "An Action Hero Review: Ayushmann Khurrana-Jaideep Ahlawat's film is a chaotic chase that will leave you wanting for more". The Free Press Journal . Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  30. ↑ "An Action Hero movie review: Ayushmann Khurrana, Jaideep Ahlawat set the house ablaze in this intelligent comedy". OTTplay . 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  31. ↑ "An Action Hero Review: Cool Idea, Choppy Execution". Rediff . Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  32. ↑ "An Action Hero Movie Review : Ayushmann Khurrana packs a punch in this average action thriller". The Times of India . Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  33. ↑ "An Action Hero movie review: Ayushmann Khurrana is such fun in this outlandish dark action comedy". Firstpost . 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  34. ↑ Kumar, Anuj (2 December 2022). "An Action Hero movie review: This Ayushmann Khurrana, Jaideep Ahalwat starrer kicks up a storm of satire". The Hindu . Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  35. ↑ "An Action Hero review: Ayushmann Khurrana packs a punch in this cat and mouse chase between trigger-happy men". Hindustan Times . Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  36. ↑ "Filmfare Awards 2023 full winners list: Alia Bhatt, Tabu, Bhumi Pednekar, Rajkummar Rao, Sanjay Mishra are best actors, Gangubai Kathiawadi wins best picture". The Indian Express. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  37. ↑ "IIFA Awards Announces It's [sic] Highly Anticipated 2024 Nominations". IIFA. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
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