‘Vijay 69’ review: bad sports advertising for seniors

Director: Akshay Roy | Script: Akshay Roy, Abbas Tyrewala | Cast: Anupham Kher (Vijay), Chunky Pandey (Fali), Ekavali Khanna (Anna Matthew), Mihur Ahuja (Aditya), Guddi Maruti (Mrs. Bakshi), each Playing time: 112 minutes | Year: 2024

vijay 69 It starts at the edge. With a melancholic expression, the sixty-nine-year-old protagonist interrupts a solitary walk along the boulevard. When he steps on the edge of the painting, he briefly suggests the worst. However, an extraordinary near-death experience is not followed by a melancholic drama, but by a highly promoted and feel-good film about old age, resilience and making dreams come true.

The most ambiguous moment vijay 69 arrive early. When the main character enters the scene in the opening scene, stretches his arms and prepares to jump, director Akshay Roy associatively edits the contours of a swimming pool. Will this be a fatal leap or a spirited plunge into the depths? A rough cut and a misleading answer follow. The action has moved to a small church, where his loved ones have gathered to unexpectedly say goodbye to Vijay. An important detail: the coffin is empty.

The old man’s loved ones quickly drew their conclusions. Apparently it is not common in your region for an elderly person to occasionally go out without a phone. The fact that one of those present saw Vijay along the promenade (although he then calmly continued driving) confirmed the group’s worst suspicions. When the unsuspecting Vijay opens the church doors moments later, he stares at the empty coffin that was macabrely meant for him.

The scene in the church is intended to be tragicomic, but the clumsy execution makes it difficult to crack a faint smile. Well, in retrospect, there is some humor in the fact that this feel-good movie begins with a farce that on paper is somewhat sinister. The idea is nice, the execution is a complete slapstick failure.

With the amusing misunderstanding surrounding Vijay’s disappearance cleared up, the main character reflects on the fact that he has actually accomplished little in his long life. A bronze medal at a national swimming championship is his only achievement so far, which is poor for a man whose name means “victory” in Hindi. A Google search helps the understanding parent find a new goal. According to their information, the oldest person to complete a triathlon was sixty-seven years old; a record that he considers ripe for improvement.

Unfortunately, the sequel is quite generic and predictable. Many people around Vijay react with concern and disapproval, but the former swimming coach obviously doesn’t let that stop him. When a nosy camera crew shows up at her door unannounced, she shows her fiery side for the first time. It’s a rare moment of irritation for a character who, above all, should seem poignant.

The tone of vijay 69 It is light as a feather, although director Roy realized over time that old age also has a tragic side. At times, the fanfare soundtrack gives way to quiet piano. The second half of the film in particular has some serious scenes, but the transitions are so abrupt that genuine sympathy proves to be a challenge.

Lack of depth doesn’t have to be an insurmountable problem in a feel-good movie, but… vijay 69 makes it very colorful. Between the time when the understanding elder sets a new goal and realizes it, the sponsor hardly experiences any further development. Things are much worse for the other characters.

Roy has made little effort to temper the enthusiastic performances of most of the supporting actors. Vijay’s eccentric friend Fali, in particular, behaves like he’s in a British soap opera sketch. come fly with me has escaped. Another example: a busy teenager who constantly livestreams everything. During his first appearance during Vijay’s farewell service, a cameo can still be expected, but nothing is further from the truth.

When the triathlon race finally begins, the film seems to have a test dose of slow-motion footage in store. By emphasizing Vijay’s ordeal, the sympathetic pensioner seems more like a pathetic attraction than a heroic example. For a moving image of aging athletes, search for the documentary. autumn gold above. That offers a good license to skip this joyous excess.

vijay 69 can be seen in netflix.