Bhaiyya Ji REVIEW: Manoj Bajpayee with blood, bullets and a shovel entertains the masses like a boss

Film:
Bhaiyya Ji

Director: Apoorv Singh Karki

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Zoya Hussain, Bhagirathi Bai, Jatin Goswami, Suvinder Vicky, Akash Makhija, Vipin Sharma, Jai Hind

Runtime: 135 minutes (2 hours 15 minutes)

Platform: In theatres

Bhaiyya Ji Review

Apoorv Singh Karki’s Bhaiyya Ji is Manoj Bajpayee’s 100th film and the makers have made sure it’s an entertaining one. The film features Manoj delivering an out-of-the-stadium performance as the man of the masses who will push the boundaries for the sake of his family. Set in Bihar, the family-centric action entertainer talks about Bhaiyya Ji’s revenge on the men (Jatin Goswami and Suvinder Vicky) responsible for his brother’s (played by Akash Makhija) murder.

Manoj Bajpayee from Bhaiyya Ji

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Manoj Bajpayee from Bhaiyya Ji

The film starts by showing the titular character as a simple man all set to marry the love of his life, Mitali (Zoya Hussain). However, he walks down the path of bloodshed and bullets to avenge the brutal murder of his younger brother. Read our Bhaiyya Ji review to know if it is worth a watch.

What Works

The narrative, the screenplay, and the emotions, clubbed with Manoj Bajpayee’s acting makes Bhaiyya Ji an entertaining watch. It’s to be noted that the film tells the story of a person hailing from a tier-three city in India and hence it is high on action and dialogues that will appeal to people of similar taste. It may not click with those who favour Hollywood-style films.

What Doesn’t Work

The film is not a cup of tea that everyone will like. Another thing that dampens the viewing experience is its music – it’s loud and concentrated in certain parts.

Manoj Bajpayee in Bhaiyya Ji

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Manoj Bajpayee in Bhaiyya Ji

Technical Analysis

Story, Screenplay & Dialogues

Bhaiyya Ji is the story of a ‘dabangg’ leader who despite putting down his shovel (literally and figuratively) looks after his people like they are his family. The film is a typical masala flick filled with whistle-worthy dialogues, over-the-top action sequences, toxic masculinity and loads of blood being splattered all around. It also showcases the family dynamic of a blended family in a small town, love and marriage and ego destroying lives.

Despite having a typical narrative, the Deepak Kingrani-written film is filled with twists you may not expect. There are points where you expect the narrative to head in one direction but a bouncer is bowled and changes the course of what follows. Kudos to Deepak for penning a screenplay that leaves you on the edge of your seat wondering what may happen next – as it may turn out to be something unexpected. Kingrani is also responsible for writing some memorable dialogues that resonate with the audience owing to how truthful they are.

Manoj Bajpayee and Zoya Hussain in Bhaiyya Ji

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Manoj Bajpayee and Zoya Hussain in Bhaiyya Ji

Music

The music in the film provided – by Manoj Tiwari, Deepak Thakur, and Tulika Upadhyay, is loud and distracting at moments. However, the song – sung by Manoj Tiwari, Malini Awasthi, Deepak Thakur, Tulika Upadhyay, do leave with chills during emotional sequences.

Editing

Sumeet Kotian has done a good job but if definitely could have been way better. The runtime could have been lowered by at least a couple of minutes and unwanted extended sequences. The overuse of slow motion every time Manoj makes an entry gets boring as the climax nears instead of being dynamic.

Bhaiyya Ji Star Performances

The star performer of Bhaiyya Ji without a doubt is the Manoj Bajpayee as the film’s titular character. His raw portrayal of a grief-stricken brother, who willingly breaks a promise to his late father to seek revenge will touch your heart. Even though he is loud and over-the-top at times, Manoj manages to deliver a believable 100th performance with amazing dialogue delivery and expressions.

Unlike other films where the female lead is mostly used to only add glamour or a sense of family to the narrative, Bhaiyya Ji uses Zoya Hussain to the best of her abilities. She’s not a ‘gaon ki chori’ who will stay at home and cry for the wrongs being done to her family, she’s someone who will pick up her gun and head out to the battlefield and do her bit. Kudos to the makers for giving her a meaty role.

Zoya Hussain in Bhaiyya Ji

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Zoya Hussain in Bhaiyya Ji

Jatin Goswami and Suvinder Vicky as the villains deliver believable performances – that may make you cringe at times, as Abhimanyu and Gujar, respectively. While Jatin makes your blood boil as a rich spoilt brat living in Delhi, Suvinder portrays the role of a corrupt politician with menacing glee.

Bhagirathi Bai as Bhaiyya Ji’s mother has a limited but impactful role. Akash Makhija fails to leave an impression as Vedant – but that can be chalked to his early demise. Vipin Sharma as SI Magan makes you chuckle every time he’s on screen. Jai Hind as Panditji has some powerful dialogues – though they aren’t much more than what we see in the trailer.

Conclusion

If you love films infused with a strong desi flavour, go ahead and watch Manoj Bajpayee’s Bhaiyya Ji in theatres. It has the right amount of drama, emotions and actions to make you whistle in theatres while enjoying some plain salted popcorn – the film will add flavour to elevate the taste.

Watch the trailer of Bhaiyya Ji here:

Also Read: Kartam Bhugtam REVIEW: Shreyas Talpade and Vijay Raaz give a powerful performance in this suspense thriller that keeps you hooked till the end