Khuda Hafiz (2020, Movie Review)

Spoiler Alert 

An action star to play a common man role and still, be so credible and reliable. The movie is rightly titled Khuda Hafiz meaning “May God be your Guardian” and inspired by a real-life incident. Sameer Choudhary (Vidyut Jamwal), a Lucknow based software engineer working honestly for a living is forced into situations where he has to use his fists and kicks but not like an action star.

Sameer marries to a girl named Nargis (Shivaleeka Oberoi). The Newly-Weds couple faces unemployment due to global economic slowdown (2008). They decided to go abroad to work and finally found jobs in Noman through an agent. Nargis was the one who had to go first and they both didn’t realise that it was a well-planned trap. Nargis calls Sameer and in a scared voice, she says “I want to come back home, I don’t want to stay here. This is not that place where I have applied for a job, please come and take me back”. Sameer goes to the agent to know the reality but all the information was misleading, so he decides to work on his own and get her wife back.

Sameer arrives in Noman and meets a Pathan driver named Usman Ali Murad (Anu Kapoor) as his saviour throughout. He goes to the local police station to file a missing complaint but was sent off to Indian Embassy for verification, Later he went to search out the details of the number through which Nargis called and he was successful. Indian Embassy’s Deputy General was still out so he decided to take help of the Pathan. He asked his close friend to look into the matter and his friend told about two places where there are high chances to find Nargis. Sameer and Pathan went to the place and found Nargis there, Sameer tried to plan an escape but was unsuccessful and in this process, he was taken to the custody by the local police of Noman. Indian Embassy’s Deputy General recorded Sameer’s statement and Abu Malik (Shiv Panditt) and Tamena Hamid (Aahana Kumra) were added for further investigation.

The Goons got to know that the cops are in search of them to reach the Indian girl, so they decided to kill her and then a dead body was found which was badly burnt. Sameer said “this is not Nargis” but saw the Mangalsutra. Sameer was shattered and broken, he decided to stay and take revenge. He makes a plan to reach the person and was successful and found that Nargis is still alive, Abu Malik, Tamena Hamid and Usman Ali arrived at the place and asked Sameer not to kill that person and tells that yes Nargis is alive but Abu Malik turns out to be a traitor and trying to save Sameer, Tamena was killed. Sameer somehow found the bus in which Nargis was put in and drove direct to the Noman Police Headquarters but Abu Malik told the General that Sameer had killed Tamena and asked to pass the “shoot at sight order”. One of the officers saw Abu Malik with the main head of the gang and was informed to the Noman General about it so he refuses the “shoot at sight” order.

Abu Malik was punished and finally, Sameer and Nargis met each other after so many obstacles in Sameer’s path. He thanked each one who helped him and says Usman “Apne bhut Ehsaan kiya hai” then Usman says “Tumko jo Ehsaan lgta hai, Momin ko Imaan lagta hai; Tum jisse Karz kehte ho, Pathaan usko apna Farz manta hai” After this Sameer and Nargis went back India happily.

Khuda Hafiz is a movie of a desperate husband in search of his missing wife in a fictional country called Noman and is about his passionate attempt to get her back. Vidyut Jammwal has tried his best to show his angry-man character along with the simple version that he holds with his life through the movie. He has shown his potential to be an action star but very fewer emotions but in my point of view, he did his part perfectly and gave justice to the character. Shivaleeka Oberoi could have shown much more emotions through the character, she was outstanding with the beautiful face but needs to show emotions to match the passion and the energy of the character. Anu Kapoor’s role lifted the atmosphere of this movie, the role of the character was just outstanding and he made sure that he creates a long time effect in the movie. Shiv Panditt and Aahana Kumra don’t add much to the movie and somehow lack the presence on the screen.

Composers Amar Mohile and Mithun Sharma do not disappoint. ‘Jaan Ban Gaye’, ‘Mera Intezaar Karna’ and ‘Aakhri Kadam Tak’ are absolute musical delights and the title track ‘Khuda Hafiz’ is also good. The background score too is a brilliant one that intensifies in serious scenes and softens the theme in places where the duo is seen unhappy or sad for one another. The music of the movie has proved that Bollywood romance lies on the love ballads that magnifies and amplifies the course of a beautiful love story.

Director Faruk Kabir had researched eagerly on this and executed well, Filmmakers like him should bring such great scripts which will make the viewers watch it with a great level of interest. I will rate KHUDA HAFIZ (4.5/5). I will conclude it by saying that this movie will not bore you for sure if you like such action flicks but there nothing new or special in it.