Highlights
Badass Ravi Kumar has hit the theatres all over India on 7 February 2025. Set in 1989, Badass Ravi Kumar follows the story of Ravi Kumar, a fearless Delhi cop who is known for his iconic style and unique methods. Ravi Kumar has been suspended for taking the law into his own hands. However, Ravi is called back into action to recover a secret reel that has sensitive information about Indian secret agents and missile locations. The secret reel is being chased by a powerful man Carlos Pedro Panther and Pakistani official Syed Bashir. Thus, Ravi Kumar has to fight against them to save India and also discover the real reason for the death of his father and elder brother. Ravi also has to save his ex-lover Madhubala and stop Madhubala’s sister Laila from harming their relationship in this 2 hours, 24 minutes film.
Review:
Badass Ravi Kumar is a messy combination of high-energy dance and song performances, over-the-top pure Hindi dialogues, and out-of-the-context inserted songs with varying pitches and emotions. If you are craving for masala entertainment that Bollywood hasn’t delivered for a long time, then Badass Ravi Kumar is the one. However, the film’s storyline feels scattered and lacks any sort of clarity. The movie depends mainly on nostalgia, with its 70mm VFX, which was followed during the 80s and 90s cinematic style. However, if by 1% also, you are looking to find any logic or even continuation of the scenes/story, then avoid this film as during the film’s entire runtime, we get to see only punch dialogues, Himesh Reshammiya’s songs, and action scenes in the form of gun-fight, bike and car chases in every frame.
Performances:
Positive Aspects:
Himesh Reshammiya, with a 30-year-long musical career, surprises viewers by stepping into the role of Badass Ravi Kumar. His character is obsessed with delivering punchy dialogues, even while dealing with enemies. When Mahavir Ahuja, a corrupt Interpol agent, proposes trading the secret reel for money, Ravi Kumar not only shoots him but ensures Ahuja hears a full moral lecture before his death. The character is packed with PURELY dialogues and songs. In one scene, when questioned by his senior about his obsession with dramatic and punch dialogues, Ravi replies, “Har superhit action se pehle, superhit dialogue zaroori hota hai.”
The confrontations between Ravi Kumar and Syed Bashir (played by Manish Wadhwa) stand out, especially their opposing views on India and Pakistan. Manish Wadhwa seems to be typecast as a Pakistani villain who will take a strong stand for the neighboring country in recent movies, probably due to his compelling performances that few actors can match.
The supporting cast, including Johnny Lever and Sanjay Mishra, adds much-needed comic relief with their effortless humor. Sunny Leone makes a glamorous appearance as Nisha, while Ravi’s mother and grandmother get a powerful closing moment. Despite their limited lines, they deliver a memorable one: “Ek Sherni hi ek Sher ko paida kar sakti hai”. (Only a lioness can give birth to a lion.) This symbolizes Ravi Kumar as a reflection of their courage and makes the audience know why Ravi Kumar is full of dialogues in the entire film.
Negative Aspects
One scene, in particular, had me questioning whether I was in a theatre or watching a series, be it TV or OTT. While Ravi Kumar’s girlfriend Madhubala is kidnapped by Raftaar Khan, Ravi is busy performing songs with Nisha (played by Sunny Leone) on stage and trying to steal a necklace important to get the secret reel. Surprisingly, Madhubala is left to fend for herself despite having a fearless ex-lover like Ravi Kumar. I genuinely felt bad for her.
It seems like dialogue writer Bunty Rathore was tasked with focusing solely on recreating the nostalgic feel of 1980s Bollywood. No wonder this approach made the storytelling feel so disjointed and fragmented, just showing a line of web series episodes stitched together.
The climax revolves around verifying the authenticity of the secret reel. Just when things seem tense, Carlos Pedro Panther (played by Prabhu Deva) dramatically changes the atmosphere. He encourages everyone, including police, criminals, and family, to embrace happiness and break into a dance routine in a different location. I was left wondering, “What just happened? What is this movie even about?” And that’s when the final song Dil Ke Taj Mahal Mein plays. During the song, Laila asks Ravi Kumar to leave Madhubala and join her if he wants to survive. In response, Ravi says, “Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya,” a reference to his official musical debut in the 1998 film of the same name.
The movie’s abundance of songs, performances, dialogues, and action scenes can make it challenging for any regular movie-goer to understand the central storyline and its purpose. I can’t agree with the claim that the film is simply a tribute to the 80s masala movie genre – because even those films had one crucial element: A STORY. Sadly, that’s exactly what Badass Ravi Kumar failed to deliver.
Verdict: 2/5 Stars
Badass Ravi Kumar offers entertainment in bursts, with chases, songs, and action scenes popping up every 15 minutes. Himesh Reshammiya fans, this one is for you: do watch it in theatres and support this One-Man Show. However, the film’s inability to tell a STORY – good or bad – left me feeling like my time was wasted. If you’re a fan of pure Hindi dialogues with moral lessons and don’t mind leaving logic at the door, Badass Ravi Kumar might be a one-time watch.
- Movie Name: BADASS RAVI KUMAR
- Produced By: Himesh Reshammiya Melodies
- Directed By: Keith Gomes
- Story: Himesh Reshammiya
- Screenplay: Kushal Bakshi & Himesh Reshammiya
- Dialogues: Bunty Rathore
- Lyrics: Sameer Anjaan, Himesh Reshammiya, Mayur Puri, Kumaar & Shabbir Ahmed
- Music: Himesh Reshammiya
Cast:
- Himesh Reshammiya as Ravi Kumar
- Prabhu Deva as Carlos Pedro Panther
- Kirti Kulhari as Laila
- Simona J as Madhubala
- Sanjay Mishra
- Johnny Lever
- Sunny Leone as Nisha
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