'Baby' review: Akshay Kumar delivers his career best performance!

Film: BABY
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Rana Dugabatti, Anupam Kher, Danny Denzongpa, Taapsee Pannu and Madhurima Tuli
Directed by: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: ****
 
What it's about:

It’s time to rejoice as director Neeraj Pandey ventures into a new genre in commercial cinema – keeping it sensible, taut and at the same time, completely mainstream. Baby is the story of a special operatives covert unit going by the same name that eliminates terrorist activities in India in its own discreet manner. When the agency is alerted about a multi-city attack on the country, chief Feroz Ali Khan (Danny Denzongpa) asks his most trusted man Ajay Singh (Akshay Kumar) to take the lead. Along with his trusted aides, Jai (Rana Daggubati), Shuklaji (Anupam Kher) and Priya (Taapsee Pannu), Ajay is on a mission to get Bilal (Kay Kay Menon) who is in charge of carrying out the attacks. Team Baby follows the clues through different cities and countries to nab Bilal. But even they aren’t prepared for the surprise that awaits them when they succeed in the mission.
 
What's hot:

Neeraj Pandey makes an edge-of-the-seat film that’s on par with any mega-budget Hollywood thriller you’ve seen. He displayed his mastery over the craft in his earlier films like A Wednesday and Special 26 but with Baby, he pushes the envelope further. There are certain limitations in the story but Neeraj keeps the screenplay so tight that there’s not a single dreary moment. He has added scale to the film wherever required and that adds bigness to the movie. Some of the scenes stay with you long after the film is over. The way Pandey has handled inter-personal relationships is terrific like the camaraderie between Ajay and his wife (Madhurima Tuli) or even between Ajay and Shuklaji. The other huge highlight of Baby is a career-best performance by Akshay Kumar. He stays true to the character of Ajay Singh, never once losing control, be it in his expressions, demeanor or attitude. Akshay’s no-nonsense portrayal will be remembered for long time. Danny Denzongpa has a certain air about him – we hope to see him in more films. Taapsee Pannu is superb in her bit role – her action scene is particularly noteworthy. Pakistani actor Rasheed Naz plays his part to perfection. Baby has been spectacularly shot by Sudeep Chatterjee – be it the rustic beauty of Kathmandu, the grandeur of Abu Dhabi or the exotic Istanbul, Sudeep’s camerawork enhances the screenplay.
 
What's not:

In this near-perfect film, one only wishes the second half was slightly crisper. After the big twist (which we are not revealing in this review), the entire portion till the culmination could’ve been slightly trimmed. It is in this portion that you find unnecessary characters, clichés and situations, which don’t really add to the story but waste time in the screenplay. The climax is also very reminiscent of Argo though with this story, there couldn’t have been another one.
 
What to do:

Baby is a must-watch to witness and enjoy the incredible combination of Neeraj Pandey and Akshay Kumar. Easily, one of the best films of the year.