Azaad movie review: Aaman Devgan, Rasha Thadani make impressive debut, but Ajay Devgn is true scene-stealer

Director: Abhishek Kapoor

Star cast: Ajay Devgn, Aaman Devgan, Rasha Thadani, Mohit Malik

Runtime: 2 hr 27 mins

Where to watch: In cinemas

Rating: 3.5 stars

Govind (Aaman Devgan) joins Dacoit Vikram Singh's (Ajay Devgn) troupe to settle the score with Janki (Rasha Thadani). Little does he know that his journey will transform him from an aimless boy to a man who will end the misery of his people. 

Director Abhishek Kapoor (Rock On, Kai Po Che, Kedarnath) returns with yet another story that works majorly on emotions, and not on lavish setup, eye-popping visuals, fancy sets, and star-studded cast. Azaad is a bigger challenge for Abhishek, as he gives the launchpad to Ajay Devgn's nephew Aaman and Raveena Tandon's daughter, Rasha. Abhishek has passed the crucial test with flying colours as Azaad tugs your heart with the perfect blend of action and emotions. 

Set in the pre-independence era, Govind lives with his family in Bhusar village. The people living there are suppressed by the rule of Rai Bahadur (Piyush Mishra) and his family, with his son Tej Bahadur (Mohit Malik), who wanted to prove their loyalty to the Brits. 

The atrocity of the British Raj faces strong opposition from Dacoit Vikram Singh (Ajay) and as the story unfolds, Vikram takes Govind in his gang, as the movie progresses, Govind becomes the saviour of his people, and in this journey, he is accompanied by Vikram's favourite horse, Azaad. As the movie progresses it becomes the story of a strong bond between a man and an animal.

Azaad comes from the era, where you used to have a simple story where an emotional bond is the anchor of the narrative. Azaad will remind you of Haathi Mere Saathi and Teri Meherbaniyan. Thankfully, it doesn't follow the same path as Jackie Shroff-starrer, where an animal is on a path of revenge. 

The film's first half takes time to establish the narrative, but as soon as Ajay enters, he lifts the narrative and holds it firm. The second half starts on a shocking note, and you are in for an emotional rollercoaster ride between Azaad and Govind. The movie does take a dip in the second half, but as the bond between Govind and Azaad develops, it strengthens the narrative as well. 

Speaking about the performances, Aaman qualifies as the next-gen hero. He dances seamlessly. He has good command over emotions, and also aces in action (well that is also because of the genes). Rasha Thadani possesses all the qualities of a budding star. Not only does she look pretty and act confidently, but she also has a great hold on expressing emotions through her eyes. The chemistry between them is raw and convincing. But Govind and Azaad's camaraderie stays with you even after the film. Apart from them TV actor Mohit Malik also makes an impressive debut as the baddie Tej Bahadur and shines in his limited part. Piyush Mishra doesn't have much to do, but he's functional. 

The film does have a few shortcomings. The conflict of good vs evil does time, and you're emotionally invested in the film. The movie's first half looks disjointed. The parallel narrative of Vikram Singh often looks forced. Azaad doesn't have great music as well. Barring two songs, the album fails to impress. However, Azaad is still a good film that has given the perfect launchpad to three actors- Amaan Devgan, Rasha Thadani, and Mohit Malik. Azaad will surely hit you emotionally.