Kill REVIEW: It’s a mayhem! Lakshya & Raghav Juyal’s merciless bloodbath redefines action in Indian cinema

Film:
Kill

Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

Writer: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

Cast: Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Ashish Vidyarthi, Harsh Chhaya, Tanya Maniktala, Abhishek Chauhan, Adrija Sinha

Runtime: 106 minutes

Platform: In theatres

Kill Review

Kill is a sweet love story filled with tons of action, blood and brain splatter. The story begins with NSG Commando Amrit (Lakshya) boarding a New Delhi-bound train to be with his girlfriend Tulika (Tanya Maniktala) who was just engaged against her will in Ranchi. He is accompanied by his colleague and friend Commando Viresh (Abhishek Chauhan), while Tulika travels with her parents, grandmother, younger sister and bodyguard. Their journey takes a dangerous turn when a gang of dacoits, led by Fani (Raghav Juyal), board the train, threaten passengers and rob them of their belongings. What starts as a routine train ride quickly transforms into a nail-biting thrill-filled ride as Amrit goes on a deadly and bloody spree to rescue his fellow passengers and lover.

The film, with over 90% shot in the recreated refined space of an outstation train, is fast-paced. There is no distraction in the form of songs and dance and the focus is solely on Amrit brutally killing the villains – in close-ups too. The film is rightfully touted as the bloodiest and gruesomest film ever made in Hindi cinema. Scroll below to read our detailed Kill review and know why this film of Amrit’s relentless and merciless killing spree is a must-watch. PS: If you cannot stomach violence and bloody scenes and are faint-hearted, this film is not meant for you.

What Works

From its real action sequences – no slow-mos needed to make them the focus, to the top-class acting of Lakshya and Raghav Juyal, the film will have you hooked and on the edge of your seat from the get-go.

What Doesn’t Work

There is nothing that doesn’t work for the film. It has checked all the right boxes. Only thing, it’s too gruesome for everyone to handle; you may need to close your eyes if you want a break from seeing red on screen.

Technical Analysis

Story

Written by director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, the film will keep you hooked from its first scene to its very last. If asked, the story of Kill – in short, is about a commando travelling from Ranchi to New Delhi with his girlfriend who just got engaged against her will. While on the train, he turns feral as he suffers profound losses after a group of dacoits terrorise and rob the AC compartments of the train. While the focus is on mayhem-filled action and uncensored human injuries, the film also has tons of emotions. Not just by the hero, heroine and terrorized travellers but the antagonists too. There are sequences when the baddies are terrified to their core with the brutality they witness being done to their family/gang. They are shown to be as human as everyone else and exhibit emotions such as fear and vulnerability.

Screenplay & Dialogues

The narrative is fast-paced with a crisp screenplay that’s filled with nail-biting and jaw-dropping moments. With a runtime of just 106 minutes, the film doesn’t have unwanted scenes like romantic songs and prolonged entry scenes or repetitive action sequences.

The film is filled with dialogues that beautifully convert the emotions a character is going through. Dialogues such as “Aise kaun marta hai bey” and “rakshak nahi rakshas ho tum” (who kills this way? You’re not a protector, but a monster) beautifully capture the terror the antagonists feel.

Kill Star Performances

Debutant Lakshya has delivered an outstanding performance as Amrit in Kill. He has perfectly executed every kick, punch and jump. Lakshya as Amrit is more of a man of action than words and that’s clearly seen in his reliance on conveying his emotions – mainly rage, through his physicality and not dialogues. The actor’s portrayal is compelling and convincing as he embodies the character’s transformation with intensity.

Raghav Juyal as Fani is the perfect match to Lakshya’s Amrit. The actor-dancer – who is mainly known for his comedy, delivers a justified performance that matches the hero’s transition into a merciless killing machine. He is extremely provocative, and crass while dealing with the travellers. Through his actions, words, and brazen demeanour, he triggers strong reactions from others, especially the audience.

Tanya Maniktala, Abhishek Chauhan, and Ashish Vidyarthi have small but pivotal parts that they’ve given their 100% to.

Conclusion

Kill is a gruesome and blood-spatter-filled gripping actioner that isn’t meant for the faint-hearted. The thriller – thanks to Lakshya & Raghav’s performance and Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s writing & direction, is a must-watch as the film redefines action in Bollywood. It’s a masterpiece when it comes to telling a gripping action and emotion-filled story without the use of unnecessary slow-mos.

Hope our Kill review helps you in deciding whether or not to watch it in theaters. Our recommendation: Watch it in theatres for a cinematic experience

Watch the trailer of Kill here

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