Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Ravi Kissen, Prem Chopra, Gulshan Grover, Ram Kapoor, Shahbaz Khan, KC Shankar
Producers: Saif Ali Khan & Dinesh Vijan
Director: Sriram Raghavan

BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE

That Saif Ali Khan is the quintessential metrosexual icon is no breaking news. What makes Agent Vinod special is that Saif manages to infuse his suave, sophisticated and slick act into his RAW agent character quite successfully and effortlessly. No stranger in the thriller arena with fine pieces such as ‘Johnny Gaddar’and ‘Ek Hassena Thi’ under his belt, Director Sriram Raghavan forays into the spy genre, his retro touches nicely in tow.

When his friend and colleague is killed on a mission in Russia with the only clue being ‘242’, apna desi Bond Agent Vinod (Saif Ali Khan) must jump into action to solve the mystery. The assignment takes Vinod around exotic locales around the globe, Russia, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Latvija, to name a few. In Morocco, Vinod is captured by Kazan (Prem Chopra) and interrogated by Dr. Ruby a.k.a. Iram Bilal (Kareena Kapoor). The elusive Iram’s meeting with Vinod builds up into an enigmatic tale of intrigue and romance. Once the plot behind ‘242’ is unveiled, it is up to the RAW Agent to stop the resulting catastrophic avalanche of disaster. 

Sriram and Saif seem to have had fun in the making of their project. Saif has a certain built-in charisma that easily translates into to his effervescent spy sketch. Kareena is gorgeous and makes for a perfect bond girl. Action scenes, as she has mentioned in various interviews are not her forte and it shows, sometimes. None of the baddies have much screen time, but do well in their limited space.

Agent Vinod attempts to embrace Hollywood and Bollywood in equal measures. This is a risky undertaking, but one that works for the most part. There is also Raghavan’s love for the retro, reflected throughout the movie, be it his choice of baddies like Prem Chopra or background score by Daniel B George. I particularly enjoyed Vinod’s Bourne act, where he declares himself Anthony Gonzalves, after he recovers from being drugged. Vinod’s character is witty and charming, safely distanced from emotional overtures. So when an overwhelmed Iram sheds tears of nostalgia as they drive through her homeland Pakistan, Vinod says with a straight face – ‘Yaadon Ki Barrat ko disturb karne ke liye sorry’. 

The sardonic desi agent with his cool, confident act can easily be related any of his Hollywood counterparts. The restraint from outburst of excessive emotive drama about the county or human nature is refreshing, adding to the western look and feel. Not be left behind, Bollywood blends in too. Raghavan cleverly presents dance and music (Pritam) pieces in popular settings be it disco, cabaret or mujra, integrating songs with the narrative. Song picturization of Raabta is a master stroke. Another entrancing addition is the use of cartoonish characters such as a Panda or Charlie Chaplin and visuals in the background of a seemingly serious situation such as a fight, escape sequence. 

The dry sense of humor, almost whimsical at times, evident all though the narrative such as Prem Chopra’s weird animal fetish or the character sketch of Vinod himself is a welcome change. While the storytelling could have been edited to a shorter version, it is certainly not exhausting. While Raghavan is successful in creating a witty, smart and stylish agent and all the turns and twists in the tale, what the movie is really lacks is the adrenalin rush you expect from a spy genre. Vinod talks about his childhood experience where he was left hanging from a railing, I wish there was at least one scene that captured that exhilaration and excitement. I missed something that was breathtaking to take home to; it is a thriller after all. 

There is much to enjoy with what apna desi Bond has to offer. Saif’s restrained, robust RAW Agent act with a distinctive dispassion certainly sets him apart from the usual celebrated, self-indulgent hero characterizations. The action sequences by Peter Heins and Parvez are enjoyable and effective but it feels like there was room for improvement, in the sequel, perhaps! In the meanwhile, I will relish the antics of our home bred spy who is bond and Bollywood, a nicely bundled bonanza that makes for an enticing entertainer.