Maanav Khuranna played by Ayushmann Khurrana
RRR was the biggest hit to come out of Bollywood in 2022, and really in sometime, and to be fair it was an absolute delight. It checked every box casual and longtime Hindi film fans have come to expect: incredible grand dance numbers, sweeping romance, insane action sequences, with some CGI animals for good measure, and a spattering of nationalism which is certainly a strong trend at the moment (though to be fair you could say that about most every nation’s action films). But while everyone was talking about RRR, I think many missed what is probably one of the best, smartest, and funniest Bollywood films, and really action films in general, to come out in a long time and that’s “An Action Hero”.
“An Action Hero”, directed by first timer Anirudh Iyer, is the story of an actor named Maanav Khuranna, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, whose star is on the rise as he’s establishing himself in Bollywood as a go to “action hero” star. After shooting a final scene for his latest action film, he then accidentally kills the brother of a politician, and flees the scene and the country. Regretfully the politician is Bhoora Singh Solanki, a municipal councilor of Mandothi who is more gangster than elected government official, played by Jaideep Ahlawat, who sets off to take revenge on Maanav, further escalating an already escalating series of events for Maanav.
Where this film could have been played as a straight action film, and for some unfamiliar with Bollywood tropes it may be still, director Iyer smartly makes it a meta-adventure that comments on everything from the media, action films, fandom, and of course Bollywood itself. Much like Knives Out and Glass Onion by Rian Johnson, where everything has meaning, even the smallest scene in this film will return with purpose and meaning.
Much like Johnson’s films this movie isn’t just smart, but it’s funny as well. Khurrana’s increasing exasperation, and his line delivery of some smartly written quips, will crack you up time and time again. Even more than that though Ahlawat will have you laughing with his face alone, as he’s able to emote so much without even using his words. One particularly hilarious moment, that takes place in surprisingly the only dance number in the film, is when he’s interrupted from killing Maanav because he has to wait for the number to end. I dare you not to laugh when seeing his frustrated face in that moment.
Of course the meta-commentary is where the humor and genius of the story really come together. Even though I’m not as versed in Bollywood tropes and culture, I still picked up on some pretty universal themes the film plays with and the podcast Bollywood Besharam helped fill in the gaps. For one Iyer is interested in interrogating the role of the media in pop culture, and specifically the ability to create and crush pop culture heroes, as well as their scapegoating of Bollywood itself. Likewise, Iyer looks at the world of Bollywood at large, including the need for actors to be fit and beautiful for roles as Maanav’s told to work out more. Likewise the film looks at the scrutiny actors are under from their fans and the world, as well as the privilege stardom provides and that actors can sometimes get away with murder, if not literally metaphorically, thanks to this love. My favorite bit of commentary is in the form of a cameo by Akshay Kumar, himself an incredibly famous action star in Bollywood, who essentially plays a caricature of himself.
Maanav Khuranna played by Ayushmann Khurrana
What really amazed me as this movie went on is that though there were so many moments where I worried they would drop the ball but they truly never did. Even as much as I love Bollywood films, I know sometimes the fun and the humor is the excess itself, and the showy dances can disguise weak plots, or make-up for lack of chemistry between romance partners, but this movie didn’t need that and really did not have that. In fact instead of romance there was a rather exquisite bromance in its place, and that was some of the best chemistry of any film I saw in 2022. I don’t want to give away the ending, but the biggest swing I think occurred in the last 10 or so minutes, and even then that felt right, or at least it felt like what was required.
Though I don’t expect more ‘An Action Hero’s to be released in Bollywood, as satire has its limits, I think it’s a fantastic film for the moment and it’ll be a favorite of mine for sometime to come. Whether you’re a Bollywood film already, love action films with a heavy dose of comedy, or are simply looking for something new, I highly recommend you check this film out on Netflix.
