I have reviewed so many movies and web series this quarantine season and if you have enjoyed reading them please follow me on Instagram and Facebook. But being a critic has its downside too. You get to watch some of the worst movies too. And this quarantine season, one of the worst movies that I watched(thankfully had skipped its theatrical release) was the Tiger Shroff starrer Baaghi 3. It was indeed a train wreck of the highest order. Why do I bring this up now? It is because when I watched the trailer of Khuda Haafiz, the plot seemed uncannily similar to that of Baaghi 3. Finally, it is out this week, does the movie spring up a surprise, lets find out.

Khuda Haafiz is the story of Sameer who lands up in the country of ‘Noman’ in search for his missing wife. Yes, the premise is definitely similar to Baaghi 3. But Thankfully, the similarities end there. While, Baaghi 3 had one of the worst screenplays and mind numbing plot points(From Agra International airport to a goon named IPL bhai), this one has some logic tagged to it. So much so that the drama seems real. So our main lead is a common man devoid of any ‘super human’ and ‘illogical’ stunts that Baaghi 3 suffered from. The first half is excellent and totally keeps you invested but come the second hour, the intensity dips slightly but thankfully it doesn’t derail the film. Another downer is the climax that is a tad underwhelming wherein you expected a little more action from the main lead considering it is Vidyut Jammwal but you have to give it to the writers that they have stayed true to his character. The dialogues are pretty good without being overdramatic. The music is above average. Director Faruk Kabir definitely holds on to the drama quite well, never getting carried away by the persona of his main lead.

The performances are quite good. Nawab Shah as Izgat is menacing in a cameo though his character was underwritten. Aahana Kumra(who by the way is fast becoming my favourite) as Tamina yet again impresses and gets that middle east accent bang on! Shiv Pandit as Faiz is outstanding. Annu Kapoor as Usman bhai literally gets into the skin of his character and his camaraderie with Vidyut is infectious. Shivaleeka Oberoi as Nargis looks pretty and carries on her form from her first release Yeh Saali Aashiqui. I really wish to watch her more onscreen. Vidyut Jammwal in the most unlike Vidyut Jammwal role till date, as Sameer really surprises you with his acting skills. Yes, his persona may ooze of his daredevil machizmo but the man can act. He holds his own in some emotional scenes too. I really appreciate him trying out a role that didn’t want to utilise his martial arts skills for that would take some guts to break the mould, something that Tiger Shroff hasn’t been able to do and in the process has become repetitive. Amazing!

Khuda Haafiz, another movie that was NOT promoted by Hotstar(along with the outstanding Lootcase) is a delightful watch. It is way more real than you expect it to be and hence it deserves to be watched. Available on Hotstar VIP and Recommended!