Sanak movie review: Vidyut Jammwal’s movie misses the mark

There is a scene in Sanak where the antagonist Chandan Roy Sanyal asks his colleague: “Kya Hindi picture jaise idhar bhi police late aayegi? giving audiences a clue that the film is loaded with clichés. Sanak is headlining one of Bollywood’s biggest action stars – Vidyut Jammwal. So you know what to expect – lots of action, daredevil stunts, and lines written for his die-hard fans. But does Sanak live up to the expectations and is it worth it? Let’s find out.

Sanak is a hostage drama set against a hospital backdrop. Vivaan (Vidyut Jammwal) rushes to meet his ailing wife Anshika (Rukmini Maitra) who is recovering from life-threatening surgery. The hospital in which she was admitted becomes the central stage of the drama when a group of terrorists, led by Saju Solanki (Chandan Roy Sanyal), consider saving another criminal Ajay Pal Singh (Kiran Karmarkar) from the premises of the hospital. Police officer Jayati Bhargav (Neha Dhupia) leads the charge trying to catch the bad guys and defuse the tense situation.

While the premise has the potential to grab you, it’s the silly storyline and shoddy writing that keeps Sanak from being an enjoyable experience. There are several glaring loopholes you should not miss. In a time when audiences have seen better hostage dramas with realistic treatment (Mumbai Diaries: 11/26) Sanak feels dated and superficial. So you can’t help but point out weird things like why terrorists have a bunch of Asians, a black woman, and white men talking with a weird accent in a squad led by an Indian? Why did the writers hire Neha Dhupia and only give a few lines in the mouth and look concerned about the situation? Sanak has many such moments that defy logic and leave you bewildered.

Watch the Sanak trailer here:

The film’s Saving Grace is obviously lead star Vidyut Jammwal. His honesty in his craft is what saves Sanak from his weak times. Since the setting is a hospital, the action director and the team used some awesome stunts that involved an MRI machine, a Swiss balloon in the physiotherapy room, and other innovative ideas. Fortunately, the movie lacks the song-and-dance routine and the focus remains on the action when it finally begins. Vidyut fans are getting their fair share of action with the actor going all out to make sure he delivers with his signature moves.

Sanak could have been smoother, faster and tighter. As a hostage drama, it falls short of the genre. However, Vidyut fans will be delighted if its action scenes and daredevil stunts are what they signed up to watch.

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