Selfiee Review {3.0/5} & Review Rating
SELFIEE is the story of an actor’s fight with his fan. Om Prakash Agarwal (Emraan Hashmi) is an RTO inspector based in Bhopal. He lives with his wife Minti (Nushrratt Bharuccha) and son Gabbu (Neev Ahuja). He’s a die-hard fan of Bollywood superstar Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar) and always makes sure to watch the latter’s film, first day first show. Om’s joy knows no bounds when he learns that Vijay Kumar will be shooting his film ‘Falak Tak’ in Bhopal. He and Gabbu go to see him, hoping to click a selfie. But he doesn’t get a chance as thousands of fans have also arrived to welcome Vijay Kumar. But he gets another chance when the corporator Vimla Tiwari (Meghna Malik) requests Om to help Vijay Kumar get the driving license, which the actor has lost. Om readily agrees and expresses the desire to click a picture with Vijay. Hence, he asks Vijay to arrive at the RTO office. Vijay agrees. When he reaches the RTO office, Vijay is shocked to see that the media has already arrived. A narrative is spread that Vijay never had a driving licence and that all these years, he was illegally driving a car. Assuming that Om called the media, Vijay blasts him and leaves. An angry Om stops him from driving the car, citing that he doesn’t possess a driving license. The moment is captured by the media. In no time, Om Prakash Agarwal becomes a celebrity and is praised for taking on a mighty, arrogant star. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
SELFIEE is the official remake of the 2019 Malayalam film DRIVING LICENSE. Rishhabh Sharrma’s screenplay is engaging and has some fine dramatic and funny moments. However, a few developments are hard to digest. Rishhabh Sharrma’s dialogues are one of the best parts of the enterprise. Interestingly, the dialogues here are funnier than in the original version and it adds to the madness.
Raj Mehta’s direction is first-rate, just like in his previous two films – GOOD NEWWZ (2019) and JUGJUGG JEEYO (2022). He has treated the story in a very commercial manner and this gives the film a mainstream appeal. Also, he has smartly incorporated real-life happenings like boycott trends, media trial etc. and it further adds to the impact.
On the flipside, the manner in which Vijay Kumar assumes that Om was responsible for calling the media seemed far-fetched. Since this was the base of the conflict and takes the story forward, the later developments also don’t seem fully convincing. The second half is a bit dragging and the 143-minute-long film could have been shorter. There are far too many slow-motion shots of Vijay waving to his fans and after a point, it becomes too much.
SELFIEE begins on a not-so-great note as the entry of Om and his love for Vijay seems superficial. The film gets better once Vijay Kumar reaches Bhopal and he’s asked to submit his license. The drama at the RTO office is arresting. The intermission comes at a decisive point in the film. The second half starts very well and some of the scenes that stand out are Vijay Kumar addressing the media in his hotel, the learner license test and Om Prakash making things difficult for Vijay at the final driving test. The film ends on a lovely note.
Selfiee Official Trailer | Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Diana Penty
Speaking of performances, Akshay Kumar is in his element and is quite natural. He uplifts several scenes with his comic timing and also shines in the emotional sequences. Emraan Hashmi is apt for the role of a fan-turned-enemy, and performs as per the character’s requirement. Nushrratt Bharuccha gets limited scope and is okay. Even Diana Penty (Naina) doesn’t have much to do but she underplays her part well. Neev Ahuja is okay. Meghna Malik leaves a huge mark. Akashdeep Sabir (Dheeraj Jaiswal) raises loads of laughs as the producer who’s caught in the battle between the star and the fan. Abhimanyu Singh (superstar Suraj) is a surprise in the film. Mahesh Thakur (Naveen) lends able support. Kusha Kapila (Tara; tarot card reader), Susheel Bonthiyal (Sunil Awasthi; Om’s senior) and Ajay Singh Pal (owner of Pappi Driving School) are fine. Adah Sharma (Meera) is great in a cameo. Mrunal Thakur looks hot in the entry song.
The songs fail to entice and the film ideally should have had a chartbuster. ‘Main Khiladi’ is played in the end credits and is well-tuned and shot. The same applies to ‘Kudiyee Ni Teri’. The title song and ‘Sher’ don’t impress. John Stewart Eduri’s background score has a cinematic feel.
Rajeev Ravi’s cinematography is straightforward. Mukund Gupta’s production design is first-rate. Mandira Shukla, Jennifer Gardiner’s costumes are realistic and Komal Shahani’s costumes for Akshay Kumar are glamorous. The action is minimal and packs a punch. Ritesh Soni’s editing could have been sharper.
On the whole, SELFIEE works due to the plot, direction, dialogues and face-off between Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi. At the box office, the film will have to rely on strong word of mouth and spot bookings to make a mark.