Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Bejoy Nambiar are back again with Wazir. The movie stars Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar and Aditi Rao Hydari. Wazir is the story of a suspended police officer Danish Ali (Farhan), whose 4-year-old daughter is killed by terrorists and his wife Ruhana Ali (Aditi) blames him for it. He befriends a paralyzed chess grandmaster Pandit Omkarnath Dhar (Amitabh) who taught his daughter how to play chess. The two of them form an unbreakable bond since Pandit has also faced the tragedy of losing his daughter. Danish takes it upon himself to bring Pandit’s daughter’s killer to justice.
Nambiar has kept in mind that there is no point at which the viewer can predict what’s going to happen next. Wazir starts off at a fast pace but slows down in the middle as the story comes to its emotional moments. Sadly, these emotional moments might make you feel for the characters but they don’t move you. But a well-written script makes up for the movie’s weak moments. The movie has its set of twists and turns – almost like a game of chess. The characters of Pandit and Danish are complex but this complexity doesn’t overshadow the storytelling. You understand their moves sooner or later.
Amitabh plays his role with finesse. His character is effortlessly clever, witty and (at times) funny. Farhan plays the role of a police officer with great charm and delivers what is asked of him. Aditi brings the much required emotional touch to the movie. She looks beautiful and impresses with her performance.
A special mention must be given to Manav Kaul who plays the antagonist Izaad Qureshi. He gives a power-packed performance. The real surprises are John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh, whose roles are actually extended cameos but they stay with you.
Overall, the movie has the thrill to keep you engaged for a good 102 minutes. And you will NOT leave the theatre disappointed! So, make this your weekend watch.
Rating: ***