Naam Shabana movie review: Watch it for Taapsee Pannu’s brilliance

Naam Shabana movie review: Watch it for Taapsee Pannu’s brilliance and a bit of good ‘ol Baby nostalgia

And like Baby, this one also keeps you on the edge of your seat

Taapsee Pannu-starrer Naam Shabana has been promoted as a prequel to the 2015 film, Baby. While the previous film was a espionage thriller, this one promised to be the story of Shabana Khan. But will the film appeal to the fans of the previous film, who are used to the high-octane action, quick-witted moves? Let’s find out…

What’s it about – Shabana Khan is an unusually stoic college student. While she goes about her routine with absolute diligence, you can sense something is amiss. She attends college and trains in martial arts, yet she is indifferent when it comes to her friends, especially Jai, who has been trying to win her affection. A birthday and some presents later, we find out what makes Shabana the way she is. And just when her life seems to be teetering close to happiness, everything unravels and Shabana finds herself staring at the prospect of working for an agency. She obviously has to prove her mettle first, which she does with relative ease. However, things get tougher when she is put through a stern regime in order to prep her for the agency. And the moment of truth comes in the form of a mission to nab the most wanted arms dealer, Mikhael (Prithviraj Sukumaran). While she has to shoulder the responsibility of the mission, she is also assigned a team of able agency men, Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher. But will a rookie be able to be at the forefront of such an important task?

What’s hot – Taapsee Pannu is absolutely convincing as Shabana Khan. She remains disconcertingly composed as she goes around smashing wrongdoers and yet, when she breaks down, she exudes a raw charm that makes her otherwise unusual character relatable. She is also quite good in the action scenes, not missing a beat, or looking out of place even once. She carries the entire first half of the film on her shoulders and manages to engage the audience throughout. Besides her, the manner in which the final mission is executed also deserves a round of applause. In true thriller style, the film keeps you on the edge of your seat as it races towards the climax. Akshay Kumar is whistle-worthy

in his extended cameo appearance. His cool demeanor makes him a delight to have on screen. 

What’s not – The two halves of the film could have been better blended. While the first half was all about Shabana, the second half was more about the mission. It seemed like the makers were trying to justify the fact that it was still an espionage thriller. And while it was all in good spirit, perhaps the shift in focus from Taapsee to Akshay could have been avoided. For a girl, who could kill when it came to protecting her loved ones, Shabana was a little underestimated in the film’s second half. Also, please tell me again as to why would a girl agree to join an agency without knowing its whereabouts?

What to do – Watch it for Taapsee’s brilliance as Shabana and a bit of good ‘ol Baby nostalgia. The film has a lot of both and you won’t be disappointed at all.

Rating – 3 stars