Subedaar Review: A Rigorous Anil Kapoor Let Down by a Disappointing Script

RATING – ⭐⭐ 2/5

Subedaar Review Movie Talkies:

Anil Kapoor is back in a massy avatar... and how! It’s an action-packed, almost blockbuster-style show from him. But I wish I could say the same about the film, Subedaar. It’s yet another example of how a robust hero can be let down by a poor script and a flawed screenplay. I don’t know how many of you want to watch Anil Kapoor in one of his most intense and action-packed roles in recent times, but this man, as Subedaar, is a complete knockout. Unfortunately, the film itself falls into the dated category of done-and-dusted action dramas that often lead to box office flops. Maybe that’s exactly why it arrived directly on OTT — perhaps the makers knew what they had.

Subedaar Story:

Subedaar tells a simple story of a retired army officer, Arjun (Anil Kapoor), who arrives in MP to take up a job as a bodyguard. The man who hires him is part of a local gang that is involved in almost every wrong activity in the book. Arjun is constantly bullied by Prince (Aditya Rawal), one of the gang leaders, who is gruesome and cruel at heart. After tolerating a few of Prince’s bully tactics, Arjun eventually gives it back in style. He beats Prince publicly and breaks the fear that the gang had instilled in the locals. Babli (Mona Singh), the main gang leader, is furious because Subedaar not only humiliates Prince but also possesses a gun that could serve as strong evidence against him. Meanwhile, Arjun’s daughter Shyama (Radhika Madan) is being sexually harassed by a local goon and is fighting her own battle. How these two parallel struggles collide, and how Arjun and Shyama fight back, forms the crux of the film.

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Subedaar is surely a dragged-out flick. There was no need to stretch things to such unnecessary lengths using the same repetitive patterns that have become extremely boring to watch in 2026. The constant fights between Subedaar and Prince, Babli’s endless talks without real action, Shyama’s outdated acid-attack subplot, and then the typical “woman captured” angle — it all feels extremely familiar. Most of the times, the narrative resembles a routine Friday release formula often associated with commercial action films in South. It becomes predictable, tedious, and exhausting to finish the film without using the fast-forward button. I used it constantly, and thank God I had that option on my mobile. Had this been a theatrical release, it would have been quite difficult for me to sit through the entire film in one go.

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Subedaar Cast:

The lone positive aspect of the film is Anil Kapoor. He is back in the game, and he is the boss. He naturally carries that father-figure presence while still maintaining the charisma of a hero because of his never-ending handsomeness. Watching him take on the villains and throw baddies around is genuinely satisfying. It’s a power-packed performance, and I can repeat that statement without hesitation. Radhika Madan gets the accent and attitude right this time, which is a welcome change for her. Saurabh Shukla seems to know every assignment perfectly; he is reliable as always. Mona Singh is disappointing, and the ending doesn’t do her character any justice. Khushboo Sundar appears gorgeous in her brief role, while Faisal Malik does a fine job as Softy Bhaiya. Aditya Rawal deserves appreciation for the deadly construction of his character. He plays a vicious villain, although he still looks like a kid in front of Anil sir’s towering presence.

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Subedaar Movie Review:

Subedaar runs for over two hours and still feels unnecessarily long. The screenplay and editing should have been much tighter to avoid that. The action sequences are entertaining but oddly exhausting to watch. Something feels off with the movements and camerawork, and those flaws become noticeable instantly. The music only adds to the boredom — honestly, it often makes you wonder why those songs or background pieces were needed at all. Director Suresh Triveni tries everything to make the film work. He adds action, drama, emotions, cliffhangers — practically every ingredient — but it all collapses under the weight of poor writing. After all, you simply can’t build the tower of a good film on a weak foundation. Subedaar proves that statement right once again.

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