BOTTOM LINE
Raj-DK’s Average Action Thriller
RATING
2.5/5
PLATFORM
Amazon Prime Video
What Is the Film About?
In the early 90s, a stuntman Bunny brings an aspirant actress Honey on board for a side gig, only to be sucked into a world of high-stakes action, espionage and betrayal. Many years later, Bunny and Honey have a daughter – Nadia – but are no longer together. However, they must look beyond their differences to guard their daughter against rival forces. What connects them to Vishwa, Citadel and an Armada?
Performances
There’s little to complain about the performances from the star-studded lineup. Samantha, continuing from where she left off in The Family Man, packs a punch with the action sequences and showcases restraint while handling Honey’s conflicting situations and emotions. She has the right style and body language to be an action star and makes the most of the opportunity.
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Varun Dhawan, whose potential in the action genre hasn’t been tapped to the fullest, adds another feather to the cap through his intense portrayal of Bunny. While he’s a natural in the lighter, funnier situations, he displays adequate composure as the stakes raise. Kashvi Majmundar, the child artiste, proves to be a great find. Kay Kay Menon is impressive, like always, though his role feels slightly underdeveloped.
It’s great to watch Saqib Saleem back in action after a brief sabbatical. Though KD’s character graph is riveting, one is left wanting more in terms of impact. Sikander Kher is decent in the shoes of Shaan, a Citadel loyalist. Simran has a solid screen presence as Zooni even as her character works better on paper than on the screen. Thalaivaasal Vijay, Shashank Vyas, Soham Majumdar and Shivankit Singh Parihar are effective within the scope of their roles.
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Analysis
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Citadel Honey Bunny is a step in a new direction for The Family Man, Farzi and Guns and Gulaabs creators Raj-DK. While they had the liberty to create original shows with their trademark quirks and break free from conventions in the past, their wings are clipped to a certain extent with Citadel’s Indian spinoff – a thematic cousin of the original and the recent Italian edition Citadel Diana.
The core ideas behind all stories in the Citadel universe remain intentionally similar – two equally gifted agents with contrasting belief systems, social backgrounds fall in and out of love and reunite with a shared zeal for a larger purpose and save the world. While Raj-DK are hand-tied, bound by a particular narrative grammar, they make a valiant effort to rise above constraints. But, is it enough?
The show clicks when the creators work towards building the backstories of the pivotal characters. Bunny and Honey are equally fascinating before they have blood on their hands. Though an orphaned Rahi a.k.a Bunny works as a body double in films through the day, it’s within the murky business under a gangster Vishwa where he finds a purpose.
Honey, a gun-aficionado, growing up with Fearless Nadia’s films, braves past a difficult childhood to find her feet in films in Bombay. When the big dream doesn’t materialise, Bunny drags her into a world of crime and their paths diverge. As you’d expect from Raj-DK, there’s a delicious dose of post-liberalisation nostalgia, slick action, pop-culture references and situational humour.
The ambiguous screenplay keeps going back and forth between 1992 and 2000 – focusing on the transformation of the protagonists from nobodies to complicated adults with baggage. Citadel Honey Bunny is most enjoyable in its littler, tender moments – where Honey and Bunny are vulnerable lovers stuck in a messy situation and you notice the resilience with which the former raises her daughter Nadia.
Honey and her daughter Nadia’s witty yet purposeful conversations are the lifelines of the show. It’s quite refreshing to witness a child character sans any obvious cliches, who commands the dignity, authority and respect of an adult. The gang rivalries, world-saving missions and betrayals don’t make much of an impact, even as the action sequences are innovative and the editing is edgy.
The moral conflict in the story is hardly absorbing, as the characters are caught in the age-old battle between loyalty and conscience. Raj-DK do their bit to add glitter to the uninspiring storyline occasionally, say in the sequences where Honey, the only female recruit in an all-male gang, confronts sexism from her boss. A few twists try to lend vigour to the proceedings but succeed only partially.
Citadel Honey Bunny’s writing is dull, lacks well-developed characters beyond the pivotal protagonists and is too banal for a show tackling dystopia. The urgency in the screenplay feels superficial and inorganic. Despite so many heavyweights like Varun Dhawan, Kay Kay Menon, Samantha and Simran in its lineup and the large canvas, Raj-DK’s show settles for way too little. Yes, it is tolerable, but that’s not the word you want to hear about one of the most anticipated shows this year.
Music and Other Departments?
Aman Pant’s music score serves as a silent companion to the narrative, staying true to the story’s critical junctures and offering a new dimension to the material whenever necessary. Johan Heurlin Aidt, the international lensman behind Delhi Crime, yet again proves his worth in a busy plot that’s consistently on the move. The editing is a mixed bag – the gimmicky structure is its strength as much as its weakness, coming in the way of the show’s momentum more often than not. The dialogues are generally spunky.
Highlights?
Performances of the lead stars
Samantha-Varun Dhawan’s romance portions, episodes with the child
Slick action, a few twists
Drawbacks?
Lacks emotional impact
Largely superficial characters
Non-linear storytelling not always effective
Did I Enjoy It?
I enjoyed it just enough to stick with it and finish the show.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, for the lead cast and quality. If you’re an action junkie, go ahead and stream it.
Citadel: Honey Bunny Series Review by M9
