Review: ‘Vibe’: Kunal Kemmu’s Spy Spoof Finds Its Own Comic ‘Vibe’!
Kunal Kemmu’s Vibe arrives as an unusual addition to Bollywood’s spy-comedy space, taking the familiar world of secret missions, national threats and larger-than-life agents and turning it into a playground for ordinary, terrified men. After making a successful directorial debut with Madgaon Express, Kemmu once again demonstrates his confidence behind the camera, this time combining writing, direction and acting in a genre that demands precise comic timing. His second directorial outing establishes that Madgaon Express was not a one-off experiment. While Vibe occasionally gets carried away with its tonal shifts, Kemmu’s instinct for physical comedy, awkward situations and deadpan humour keeps the film engaging.
The story revolves around Hardik (Kunal Kemmu) a carefree, clueless and perpetually anxious character who walks back into the life of his best friend Bagirath ‘Bugs’ (Sparsh Shrivastava). A software genius, Bugs is trying to rebuild his life while offering Hardik a fresh start. Hardik joins his company and soon develops an interest in intern Kareena (Vanshika Dhar), setting off a chain of events that takes the two friends far beyond their comfort zone. Their seemingly ordinary lives take an extraordinary turn when intelligence chief Madam H (Preity Zinta) recruits the unlikely duo for a mission involving a terrorist threat. Now the fate of the nation rests on these two men who would much rather run away than save the country.
The biggest strength of Vibe is it’s writing. The screenplay understands that comedy need not always depend on punchlines; many of the film’s funniest moments emerge from pauses, reactions, awkward silences and characters behaving exactly as ordinary people might in extraordinary circumstances. The dialogues are witty for most of the running time, while several situational gags land because the film allows the humour to develop rather than constantly announcing the joke. Kemmu’s direction further enhances these moments through sharp timing and inventive staging. The cinematographygives the film a polished contemporary look without taking away from its comic character. As an actor, Kunal Kemmu is superb—his nervous expressions, physicality, panic and impeccable comic timing make Hardik instantly likeable. Sparsh Shrivastava provides an excellent counterbalance as the intelligent yet increasingly overwhelmed Bugs, and the chemistry between the two becomes one of the film’s strongest assets. Preity Zinta is clearly enjoying her return to this larger-than-life avatar. Her action scenes are worth watching. Vanshika Dhar looks beautiful makes her presence felt despite this being her first film. Others including Dinesh Lal Yadav, ‘Nirhua’, Yashpal Sharma lend goose support.
Vibe delivers exactly what its title promises—a distinct, infectious and thoroughly Kunal Kemmu kind of vibe.
Rating: ***1/2