Director Akshay Roy delivers a strong message on how it is never too late to chase your dreams. The core point of 'Vijay 69' is age is just a number and it should never come in the way of achieving your ambitions
A poster of the film 'Vijay 69'. (X)
Akshay Roy’s Vijay 69 perfectly fits the genre of a slice-of-life film, something which has become rare in the increasing pan-Indian cinema.
The film released on Netflix, does drag in some portions, particularly the starting scenes but after the initial stumbles, the movie grows on you.
The central plot of Vijay 69 plot focuses on Anupam Kher’s Vijay Mathew. Vijay Mathew is a former athlete apart from being a swimming coach. He sacrifices his once-promising athletic career to take care of his terminally ill wife.
The movie begins with Vijay Mathew presumed to be dead. His best friend Fali (caricaturish yet entertaining Chunkey Pandey) mentions Vijay only as a garba king and a rummy champion.
This leads Vijay to reflect on his life, he decides to participate in a triathlon despite little support from his daughter and the general society.
A strong aspect of Vijay 69 is the strong friendship between Vijay and Fali. The witty banter between them is thoroughly entertaining. Their scenes together have the perfect blend of humour and also some heart-touching moments.
Another track worth mentioning here is the unexpected friendship between Anupam Kher’s Vijay and a rival athlete Aditya Jaiswal played by Mihir Ahuja. It lends an interesting angle to the story. The light scenes between them in spite of the significant age gap are a delight to watch.
Through this subplot, director Akshay Roy also emphasises how the age gap is not a barrier to friendship. It only becomes a barrier if you let it be.
As already mentioned, the movie begins on a tacky note. The production design in the initial bits makes it look more like a TV Serial and some of the forced humour does irritate the viewers, however, the movie soon becomes gripping when Vijay decides to start life afresh.
Zidd, hausla aur kuch kar ke dikhane ki taiyyari, ab hai Vijay ki baari 🏃♂️💫
Watch Vijay 69 now, only on Netflix!#Vijay69OnNetflix pic.twitter.com/Tgi4I5YXUJ
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) November 8, 2024
Anupam Kher in ‘Vijay 69’. (X)
Anupam Kher in the titular role is simply fantastic. He does a terrific job of portraying the emotional turmoil and never-say-die attitude.
Special mention must be made of his acting in the triathlon sequences. The way he conveys determination despite obvious tiredness is a master class in acting. He is the movie’s main stay making the viewers root for Vijay even though the plot meanders in some places.
Chunkey Pandey’s accent does border on far on being farcical, still, the actor delivers a charismatic performance.
Sahil Bhardwaj’s cinematography in the triathlon sequences deserves distinction marks. The way he captures the excitement and the tension through his lens is wonderful to watch. The finale does border on being overdramatic; still, it leaves you with a happy feeling.
There isn’t much place for music in this kind of narrative nevertheless the song “Aage bhii Jaane na tuu” from the 1965 movie Waqt works as a poignant number on seizing the day.
Among the other supporting cast, Vrajesh Hirjee makes his presence amply felt as Vijay’s initially reluctant coach.
In conclusion, Vijay 69 has a relevant message at its core making it a heart-warming watch in spite of the flaws.
(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha Kandula)
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