VIBE review: Kunal Kemmu-Preity Zinta's comedy film has a terrific first half but loses its vibe later
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The trailer for VIBE had me thinking, “I’ve seen something like this before.” Two ordinary guys, picked by a government agency to carry out a dangerous mission. Sounds familiar? Of course, there was The Interview (2014), starring James Franco and Seth Rogen. Remember the huge row around the movie, given the political figure at the centre of its story? Anyway, I digress.
Adding to this, VIBE review: Preity Zinta, Kunal Kemmu and Vanshika Dhir star in the comedy movie. Kunal Kemmu , who writes and directs VIBE , is a unique talent. The man is a good star, and with Madgaon Express (2024), he showed that he can do a pretty good job behind the camera too. So, does VIBE work as well? Let’s find out.
Meanwhile, The story revolves around Hardik (Kunal), who has just returned from drug rehab. His friend Bugs (Sparsh Shrivastava) insists that he join his tech company and get his life back on track. Hardik soon spots a company intern, Kareena (Vanshika Dhir), and falls head over heels for her. Despite Bugs warning him against it, Hardik asks Kareena out on a date, and all hell breaks loose. Also in the picture is Madam H (Preity Zinta Goodenough), who works for a government agency trying to capture a dreaded gangster. How these two guys end up becoming a part of Madam H’s plan forms the rest of the plot.
Notably, VIBE, right from its opening credits, seems like a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Kunal does a voiceover, explaining what ‘partners’ and ‘special thanks’ really mean in the context of movie credits. It’s a neat touch, and sets you up nicely for what follows. And the first half is a laugh riot, happy to report. The dialogues, also written by Kunal, are terrific, with the one-liners landing consistently. The pace is spot on, and watching these two simpletons get caught up in a spy mission is great fun. Until the second half begins, that is.
As per the latest buzz, After the interval, the movie suddenly changes gears and the laughs begin to dry up. VIBE almost feels like a different movie for the rest of the runtime. In an attempt to move the story forward, the plot gets unnecessarily convoluted. The whole track about the identity of the underworld gangster, followed by a super strength serum, takes the movie into a different zone. And in the process, it takes away from the uber-cool vibe that worked so well in the first half.
In further updates, Keeping the entire movie together, of course, is Kunal Kemmu, as an star too. He is effortlessly funny and manages to keep you invested even when the movie begins to lose steam. Vanshika Dhir, as Kareena, looks beautiful on screen and makes a decent debut. Sparsh Shrivastava nails the part of Bugs and complements Kunal’s zany brand of comedy. Yashpal Sharma and Nirahua, as the two officers in Madam H’s team, pass the test.
On top of that, Preity Zinta Goodenough, as Madam H, has something peculiar about her performance. At times, it feels as though she is reading her lines off a teleprompter, or perhaps from a placard being held up just behind the camera. There is a certain mechanical quality to her delivery, which makes some of her scenes feel less natural than they should.
The music, with multiple guest composers and Amit Trivedi also in the mix, goes well with the movie and does what it needs to. It fits the mood and fulfils the requirements.
Source: Hindustan Times