Baby
wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?)
While Baby has the usual trappings of being predictable in the larger picture, it grabs your attention and keeps it there, especially post-interval.
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It's Pakistan incessantly organizing terrorist attacks in India. It's an Indian daredevil hero, who is almost a superhero. He is single-handedly taking the enemy out. What's not to like about the story? Even if it's predictable it has enough action sequences where the bad guy gets beaten up for you to feel good about yourself as a nation. The hero's victory is somehow your victory. All of this we expected from the film. What worked for me was the heart pounding through most of the second half. Even if, this one is no A Wednesday, especially in terms of having a relatively tight plot, Baby has a few strong sequences that keep the suspense on.
In fact, the said sequences can be thought of as short stories by themselves. The episode in Nepal and then the one in Saudi Arabia were, save for a scene or two, gripping from end-to-end. And this is even when you know any sequence has only two possible outcomes. It helps that the villain seems capable of anything. He (they) is ruthless and has no regard for human life, let alone sentiment.
These sequences also make the film a little episodic though. It is a good thing then that the episodes are linked to one another, even if only serially. More like bogies of a train, lacking the character of pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
There are points at which Baby seems to go high on drama, but there are many other times that were ripe for drama but it was avoided, adding an edge to the narrative. It also helps that none of the performances, except maybe the whole wife-angle, are dramatic. It is not a routine slice of life, it is the story of covert operations and spies and all things related.
Yet, you cannot let go of the fact, that Baby as a film doesn't show you anything new. It keeps you glued to your seat, but does it offer something that you've never seen before? No. Does it keep you glued through and through the 2.5+ hours of the film? No. The first half makes you shift in your seat rather than bring you on the edge.
Yet, by far it is one of the most thrilling films in the last year or so. I don't remember the last time I was nervous for the hero (that too, one played by Akshay Kumar) even though I knew more or less where the film was headed. To top it off, for a good hour or so. It ain't new, yet it keeps you glued. That counts for quite a bit.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Nikhil Kumar, Apun Ka Choice : ...'Baby' hinges heavily on the action and stunts by Cyril Raffaelli. It’s a taut, gritty thriller that aims to kick up patriotic fervour without getting overtly jingoistic. Recommended.... full review
Thumbs up, by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express : ...A solid entertainer with a semblance of reality ... full review
Thumbs up, Bollywood Hungama : ...On the whole, BABY is one of the finest films ever made in the history of Indian cinema. Not only because of its excellent cinematic credentials but also because of the balanced 'Thought' behind the film. Neeraj Pandey once again proves that he's a genius. This time he proves, it's possible to better Perfection. We say, hey baby, don't think, just go for BABY. Cinema at its very best!... full review
Thumbs up, by Sidhant Shori, Desi Martini : ...Go baby go!... full review
Thumbs up, by Sarita A Tanwar, DNA : ...Baby is a must-watch to witness and enjoy the incredible combination of Neeraj Pandey and Akshay Kumar. Easily, one of the best films of the year.... full review
Thumbs up, by Devesh Sharma, Filmfare : ...Real world problems aside, watch the film for its well-executed action and ahem – that’s for you, ladies, for Pakistani hottie Mikaal Zulfiqar, who plays Akshay’s deeply connected contact in Gulf. And for the rejuvenated Khiladi Kumar, of course, who really knows how to kick some ass…... full review
Thumbs up, by Nupur Barua, fullhyd.com : ...Baby may not be the need of the hour, or it may just be what the country needs to snap out of its self-indulgent stupor and contribute to the nation's progress. Either way, it is a movie worth watching, for the content and the acting. Be prepared to be pepped after.... full review
Thumbs up, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...For Akshay Kumar, this is a high adrenalin role that allows him no time to slacken his pace. He packs a mean punch in his role as a crack officer. Danny Denzongpa as the chief of BABY, guides the operations effortlessly with his guile and diplomacy within the government. All the villians including Kay Kay Menon inject that right dose of terror. The problem with Menon is that he gets repetitive in essaying roles. But Pandey gives him no scope for that. The Maulana's maniacal terror essayed by Pakistan actor Rashid Naz is the icing on the cake. ... full review
Thumbs up, Indicine : ...Baby is definitely one of the best shot and visually appealing films in recent times. The film is shot across Kathmandu, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Delhi and Mumbai. Across every location the cinematography is beautiful and every sequence is captured with such grandeur and scale that it enlightens the experience of watching a high adrenaline film. Special Mention to the DOP (Director of Photography) Sudeep Chatterjee. This is probably the first Indian film where an Octocopter Drone (like helicopter cameras) is used to capture aerial shots. Also, a lot of scenes have been shot on live locations like busy streets to keep the authenticity of the script intact.... full review
Thumbs up, by Surabhi Redkar, koimoi : ...Baby is a must-watch film with rich content. This action thriller will woo you if you are a fan of watching raw action where blood spills and guns are trotted. An honest work that dares to bare terrorism and its religious connection. What I loved most about the film was its quality to hook you... full review
Thumbs up, by shubha Shetty-Saha, MiD DAY : ...Two minor complaints, though — wish they had gone easy on the background score and a glaring loophole that involves a laptop belonging to a terrorist. But everything said and done, this movie is a must watch.... full review
Thumbs up, by joginder Tuteja, Movie Talkies : ...Eventually, Baby turns out to be one of the finest films ever made in Bollywood. With a superb (and topical plot), excellent treatment, wonderful performances, never-seen-before locations, fantastic background score and an authentic narrative, it is one film that should be on your watch list this season. Coupled with the fact that the release timing of this film, which doesn't try to be pretentiously patriotic, couldn't have been better, it would certainly come on its own by the time Republic Day holiday comes calling.... full review
Thumbs up, by Divya Solgama, MoviezADDA : ...Dum? Well, 'Baby' is a well made and fantastically presented film, which will keep you engaged throughout the film. It might lack some main factors in comparison to his last two releases, but has its own merits to boast about. The movie should have been more hard hitting and bit trimmed down. Nevertheless, right from the first shot of the film till the finale portion, despite of a few flaws 'Baby' is a neat thrillingly dazzling experience.... full review
Thumbs up, by Anish Mohanty, Planet Bollywood : ...Even though the film is engulfed in jingoism, it is far from being preachy. The action scenes, the chase sequences – everything complements the screenplay of the film and are not added without a purpose. Baby is a supremely engaging thriller that has a lot of intellectual depth as well. It does not insult the insult the intelligence of the viewers; instead it asks them to submerge themselves in the plot.... full review
Thumbs up, by ANUJ KUMAR, The Hindu : ...Akshay Kumar nails the part. Restrained without being monotonous, Akshay keeps the heart throbbing. Action choreographer Cyril Raffaelli keeps the stunts believable and the danger palpable in the lanes of Kathmandhu and Istanbul. The support actors don’t stay beyond their welcome. Taapsee impresses as the hard boiled agent in a demure salwar suit, Rana Dagubatti plays the hulk bit to the hilt. Not to forget Anupam Kher’s turn as a circumspect techie.... full review
Thumbs up, by Srijana Mitra Das, Times of India : ...Balancing characters, conspiracies and cities, director Neeraj Pandey admirably keeps Baby rich, yet tight, researched, non-sentimental and steely-eyed. Neeraj's craft has grown - he's taken trademark touches from films like Special 26 and A Wednesday, setting them here on a grand scale, with a breath-taking climax. The cinematography - desert dunes in nothing but shaded moonlight - is elegant while dialogues are robust. One of Baby's crew tells Ajay, "Tension kya lena? Ulta, aapke rehte, mazaa aata hai."... full review
Thumbs up, by Rummana Ahmed, yahoo! India : ...‘Baby’ makes for an engrossing watch because the filmmakers are not interested in making a social commentary. The film deals with a definite conflict, backs it up with a coherent plot trajectory and delivers a compelling resolution. Yes, there are some excesses and cinematic liberties taken, but considering that ‘Baby’ delivers on its promise of entertaining, I am not complaining.... full review
Thumbs up, by Ritika Handoo, Zee News : ...It is a must watch entertainer for every Indian. Go grab your tickets!... full review
So-So, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...This being the basic script of BABY could have turned it into a masterpiece espionage thriller minus all the unrequired mess and wastage of reputed artists seen in its first half. Anyway in its present avatar too it thankfully works well (only) in its final hour that surely deserves to be seen and enjoyed. So without expecting anything novel on the lines of A WEDNESDAY or SPECIAL 26, do watch it as a well shot racy thriller, ignoring the first half.... full review
So-So, by Suparna Sharma, Deccan Chronicle : ...All this, of course, gets forgotten when the film twists. Thereon, for the last 10 or 15 minutes of 'Baby', it keeps you on the edge and sends you off feeling happy. But, too little, too late Pandey has written the story, script and directed 'Baby'. Sometimes another pair of eye, another brain isn’t such a bad idea.... full review
So-So, by Mohit Patil, Desi Martini : ...One of the better masala movies of late.... full review
So-So, by Aneela Zeb Babar, Desi Martini : ...And that they take on the Kingdom of Saud. But you know "baby steps" types. So, go watch.... full review
So-So, by Deepanjana Pal, FirstPost : ...While Baby is not a bad film, particularly by Bollywood standards, it is manipulative, ill-informed and lazily written. Its admiration and advocacy of violence is juvenile at best and irresponsible at worst. That said, Pandey, who is credited with story, script and direction, did have the good sense to show us that not all Muslims are terrorists, whether in India or anywhere else.... full review
So-So, by rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...Enjoy it for the brisk action thriller that it is, and try not to think about how much better it could've been.... full review
So-So, by Prasanna D Zore, Rediff : ...While the plot in the second half holds itself nicely, Akki-Danny Denzongpa-Kher (Daggubati is just an add-on here too) offer their best to play it as real as it gets. The second-half, especially the climax is where the film has scored well and keeps you on the edge of your seat.... full review
So-So, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...The film is full of improbable developments, convenient cinematic license and absurd portions. The only redeeming features are the ensemble cast, a few engaging action portions and a fast-paced second half.... full review
Thumbs down, by Suhani Singh, india today : ...Following A Wednesday and Special Chhabis, Pandey works with a bigger canvas for his third film. But Baby proves that bigger doesn't always mean better.... full review
Thumbs down, by Rohit Khilnani, india today : ...All the drama is in the second half, which is pacy and interesting. A little humor does work at regular intervals. Lead actor Akshay Kumar entertains and suits the role but a lot of actors in the film are wasted; you see them in a scene or two like Rana Daggubati, Anupam Kher and Tapsee Pannu, they join him at different points in his mission.... full review
Thumbs down, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...One can only cringe. Baby is a superficial cinematic condensation of the shrill television images, newspaper headlines and communally-charged political posturing that we are subjected to day in and day out. Who needs more?... full review
Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: Loads and some not-so pretty to look at.
- Language: A few abusive words silenced out.
- Nudity & Sexual content: None.
- Concept: An anti-terrorism squad and its covert operations
- General Look and Feel: No slick action and not earthy either. Not too remarkable, not gaudy either.
![[Facebook page of Baby]](/static/images/icons/facebook_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Twitter account of Baby]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
![[YouTube channel of Baby]](/static/images/icons/youtube_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Wikipedia page of Baby]](/static/images/icons/wiki_small.png){kind=icon}
![[IMDB Page of Baby]](/static/images/icons/imdb_small.png){kind=icon}
Comments (51)
Keeping Aankhen,Khakee and OMG! aside, Akshay Kumar will now get his second genuinely awesome film as a solo lead after Special 26. No prizes for getting courtesy whom!
Intense theme with little entertainment value, just like Neeraj Pandey's previous 2 films, Baby is more for the multiplexes metropolitan audiences and hence a 100+ tally would be a good result in this case. This one can obviously not be expected to be a Welcome, Singh is Kinng or a Rowdy Rathore!
Thank goodness for some hope.
Every review is a 4/5 thus far. I'm sure the best film of the year is out this early, courtesy the genius of Neeraj Pandey!
Reviews before film release are always positive even for Humshakals, Tees Maar Khan and Joker, at the end it is the love from the audience that counts, well Pandey has better following than Motwane guess he is of same ilk as Sircar
Pandey: I want to name this movie baby
Kumar: Kyun?
Pandey: Because your average net collection is 57 cr net which is one third or one fourth of the Khans
Kumar: I will prove to you that i am no baby
Pandey: Which record are we targeting?
Kumar: This time its Dabangg's
my best wishes to Team Baby, its time to crawl.
"Reviews before film release are always positive even for Humshakals, Tees Maar Khan and Joker" ~ hmm...name a single +ve pre or post release review for these films and i'd never watch a b'wood film again! This Baby is definitely ain't a toddler coz unlike most mass entertainers which ruin strong content with needless item songs and ridiculous comedy, Neeraj Pandey sticks to a unidirectional plot throughout. With A Wednesday we all knew that he was a no-nonsense film-maker. Baby proves the same once again, this time is massy commercial mode!
If you are fans of films like Argo, Mission Impossible etc then you will like this. I for one agree with the reviewer. There is nothing new and that was a let down for me. I had gone to see *something unpexted* but the story line was pretty linear(Comparing this with D-Day) and that was a let down. But this one is meant to seen in the theaters and not on the idiot box.
BABY - Yes its a pure thriller . Not mixed with any other genre. According to me Action - Thriller or even pure thriller is the best genre to watch and get thrilled . Baby is nowhere close to A Wednesday even not competent to special 26. Infact D-Day starring Irfan , Arjun and Rishi kapoor which share a lot common nature with Baby is better then this. So where is the fault. The answer is simple , script was not good enough. From the start till the end you are just waiting for the moment when movie will take of and make u feel the heat of it , but it never came . There was no suspense , no hiccups , just plan story . With such a simple script its too difficult to keep u on the edge of the seat . The cast have given there best , but the characterization were not so interesting. Akshay was great , but he has done this type of characters for many times , and he delivers nothing new , infact if i go one on one comparison with D-Day , Akshay is not as good as to what Irfan Khan had done in D-Day. Same goes for Tapsee Pannu and Rana Dagupati whose characters get very few time to show there talent that they cant compared with Huma Quraisi and Arjun Rampal from D-Day. Although one brief fight scene Of Tapsi with Susant Singh was my favorite scene from the movie. Tapsi shows that she can pull off action scene pretty nicely if she gets such roles in future. Danny's character was the worst for me , although he was the head of the team but the movie shows that not a single decision has been taken by him , rather he asks every time to Akshay that what he thinks would be right. One more problem which i felt in the movie is that the language all the officers were using doesn't seems much sophisticated to be used by them , rather they were talking like normal persons which doesn't seems good to me. Not much of action scenes were there , not much bomb blast either , nor any great chase sequence . Infact many times you will feel that all the mission has been completed by our heroes too easily without much of any problem. Then again i watch too much HOLLYWOOD movies and expect that level of intelligence in thriller which may be to some extent will not be correct when we are talking about a Bollywood movies. But its a shame that Bollywood writers are not as much as capable of making good thrillers in comparison of Hollywood movies. Inspite of all its fault this is a type of movie which come with a very long gap in Bollywood. And an easy one time watch. Cant say its a comeback by Akshay because i know he will not stop doing movies like ENTERTAINMENT .. Hope that Neeraj Pandey's next a biopic on M S Dhoni will be atleast better then this.
Well last year we saw him as a defense intelligence agent in the very gripping "Holiday" ; the film was outwardly different from most of the big A stars film dealing with heist and robbery. Akshay's has started they year with a good note as expected, he's films will now be more anticipated by the audience , waiting eagerly for "Main Gabbar" . :)
@Guddu: Holiday is a decent entertainer no doubt, but if that's gripping in your definition, i guess u need to start watching more films. Holiday is nothing more than your above average masala entertainer with a few silly gags, unwanted songs and a ridiculous love story. That's the reason why it was a good film only by "Akshay's standards" considering that he goes about doing stuff like De Dana Dan, TMK and Entertainment on most occasions. A film-maker like Neeraj Pandey would obviously cut down on those unwanted elements which basically means compromising on the commercial aspects of a film as they wouldn't cater to the B/C center audiences who thrive on over the top dialogues and whistle moments!
Finally watched it. Its an edge of the seat thriller that is a must watch for sure! The film-maker can indeed be pardoned for a bit of slack in pace and excessive cinematic liberties. 3.5/5 (Good)
"There are points at which Baby seems to go high on drama, but there are many other times that were ripe for drama but it was avoided, adding an edge to the narrative." ~ that's where Neeraj Pandey is a cut above the likes of Rohit Shetty and Murugadoss. No beating around the bush with this guy! What Raju Hirani is to social comical satire, Neeraj Pandey is to socio-political thrillers.
Films like BABY are a slap on the faces of film-makers like Vishal Bharadwaj. Deservedly so!
Let this Chulbul/Bulbul Pandey give a highest grossing or top 3 in any country and we will say he has arrived, his fans are located in social media giving good scores to his film,
Am sure Rajkumar Hirani would have used Akshay as an Indian muslim and the villains as Pakistani hindus, released it on Christmas and titled it Giant or Adult and would have grossed 88cr in 4 day weekend.
@Anuj Kyu bhai????
Anuj ... Akshay Kumar said in an interview he always do films that are offered to him regardless of the story, he elaborated "comedy" is his favorite genre and wishes to do more films on this particular category. He is never worried about getting awards or public perception about his choices. That said Akshay is by far one of the fantastic actor in Bollywood. :)
Anuj - Ya ANuj why u said that.. Its too early to compare Neeraj Pandey with Vishal Bhardawaj .
Neeraj has given just one great film thats A Wednesday but for now he cant make movies like Maqbool , Omkara and Kaminey.
Although he is a good director but as a writer his every next film is with diminished quality.
Special 26 has some plot holes but Baby has a lot of. Even his last writing venture THE ROYAL BENGAL TIGER (which is a bengali film written by Neeraj but he didnt direct it which i recommend u to watch if u r able to understand bengali language as ur comments shows that u r a big fan of Neeraj Pandey) has a better script and screenplay as compared to BABY.
And if also Baby is Compared to Holiday then also i would say Holiday was more engaging than Baby..Yes it has song and unwanted love story which south indian directors cant resist , but if we exclude such unwanted side story than Holiday gave us more thrilled moments..
As far as earning of Baby is concerned it may be possible but i find it really difficult that Baby will reach as much as Holiday has earned.
I think Neeraj Pandey should stop writing scripts and screenplay and should concentrate on direction only in collaboration with a better writer..
Lets see what he give us with M S Dhoni the untold story which is also written by him only..
@Meetu, completely agree with your review. Again. One more point to add is that even the background music was not engaging. Music can make a thriller movie a lot more thrilling. Take the case of 'Gone Girl'. Trent Reznor's score contributed like 40% in my liking for the movie. It was so haunting. Fabulous. But the BG music here seemed like noise with too much shrill. Actually it contributed negatively towards the movie, rather than complementing it. Other than that, I came out neutral.
@Anup : Your opinion and to each his own. Imo, Baby is miles ahead of Holiday both in content as well as execution. The action sequences are realistic and gripping while the issue has been dealt in a lot more mature manner by Neeraj. Most importantly, Baby does not indulge in any kind of jingoism or one sided views (unlike Hollywood films like American Sniper, Zero Dark Thirty and many more).
@Guddu : Akshay is a 'decent' actor imo. Not fantastic by any yardstick. His choice of films has been horrendous on most occasions and its taken a film-maker like Neeraj Pandey to actually get the best out of him, first in Special 26 and now in Baby.
Anuj - fine , opinions may vary from person to person , but u have to agree with the fact that Neeraj is not giving his 100% after A Wednesday and has been liberal with his scripts and screenplay
Direction: 2
Story: 2.5
Lead Actors: 3
Character Artists: 3
Dialogues: 2.5
Screenplay: 3
Music Director: 1
Lyrics: 1
@Anup : That's what happens when you direct a film like A Wednesday as your first. That movie is a masterclass of epic proportions and a once in a lifetime film for Neeraj Pandey. Once you debut with a film of that nature, expectations are bound to be unrealistically high which obviously would be impossible for anyone to meet. Despite that, Special 26 and Baby are good, solid films in their own right and that's what makes Neeraj one of b-town's best film-makers in the thriller genre.
Halfway through the decade, my top 10 films of 2010-14 :
1. Kahaani
2. PK
3. Jolly LLB
4. OMG!Oh my god
5. Madras Cafe
6. Baby
7. Raajneeti
8. Queen
9. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
10. Special 16
Anuj -I would not call him one of the best Filmmaker, for that he has to make more movies like A Wednesday , thats what best film maker do.. they make great movies and faulted sometime,, doesnt make one great film and make fault twice. Even RGV has given movies like Satya , Sarkar , Bhoot etc , but he cant be called as best filmmaker.
For now Neeraj can only be said as one of the GOOD filmmaker of B-town as he is making just GOOD movies
Anup-How many film makers in India have followed up a masterpiece like A Wednesday with 2 gripping films like Special 26 and Baby? You favorite Mr. Vishal Bharadwaj has actually made a lot of unwatchable turkeys like 7 Khoon Maaf & Matru Ki Bijli. Let me not even mention the number of un-watchable films made by RGV. Neeraj is yet to make anything as horrible as that. He is the only film-maker after Hirani who imo, has made 3 films, all of which i rate 3.5/5 or beyond (A Wednesday being a 4.5/5).
Anuj- O please VB have given 4 back to back good movies Makdee , Maqbool , Omakar and Kaminey - out of which except Makdee rest are masterpiece .. And except 7 Khoon Maaf neither of his film are unwatchable , yes Matru was below average but only as a standard set by VB himself..
Atleast m not a blind fan of VB , i criticize his film whenever i didnt like then..Like i have done in case of Haidar which i felt boring, like matru which i felt out of the track , like 7 khoon maaf which I THINK should not have been made as a movie it was just good in the book.
Baby is not at all a very good movie. It has a lot of Plot Holes which u named as CINEMATIC LIBERTIES . Thats a nice way to defend Neeraj.. Even Nikhil Advani who is not a master in this genre can make better movie as compared to Baby , which he has proved with D-Day..
Dont praise Neeraj Blindly , accept that the script is loosely written..There were no hiccups , no failures by heroes , no shocking elements , not much chasing sequence . Its just a flat thriller,,in which u wait for something interesting to come , but u didnt get it.
Note-The most comical scenes in the movie for me were whenever Danny was discussing anything with Akshay he always ask Akshay to decide what he wants to do. Then why the hell Danny has been kept as the Head of the team. I guess just for taking permission from Minister Sahab. Even ACP PRADYUMAN from TV show CID takes much more decision in every episode as compared to Danny in Baby..
And I don't want to start on the fact that how a bunch of good actors like K K menon , Tapsi Pannu , Rana Dagupati and Anupam Kher has been wasted in negligible roles.(Yes Anupam Kher got some comic dialogues to say)..
Baby is totally a watchable movie..But nothing more than that..
Neeraj Cant even mastered his own genre,, only god know what he will do out of his comfort zone making a biopic of M S DHONI.
Anuj-and yes your rating 3.5 for baby which is same as you rated PK and 3idiot , only shows that its a rating given by a fan not by a genuine audience. Although i m agreed with your rating for A Wednesday , but baby is not worth of 3.5. M afraid what ur your ratings will be for D-Day
Meanwhile i want to tag a line written by Rajeev Masand as some of my thoughts matched with him- Borrowing its structure from Zero Dark
Thirty, its climax from Argo, its intention
from Nikhil Advani's D-Day, and its
occasionally jingoistic tone from your
standard Bollywood B-movie, Baby, directed
by Neeraj Pandey, is a khichdi of influences,
and an uneven film as a result.
I don't think Neeraj Pandey can make a balanced movie on the life of MS Dhoni. He focuses mainly on one aspect in his stories, too one sided. He won't show a different point of view. His biopic would mostly be goody goody only. Someone like VB will do the job better. But I don't think he would be interested in making a movie on Dhoni.
My best films of 2014:
1) Haider
2) Queen
3) Drishyam (Malayalam)
4) Highway
5) Gone Girl
6) Interstellar
7) The Raid 2
Only top two are in order. Couldn't decide among the next five. Still to watch - Kahaani and Bangalore Days (Malayalam).
Forgot to add 'ankhon dekhi'. That would also feature in the top ten.
@Anup : What do you mean? For me, both D Day and Baby are 3.5/5! D Day is no masterpiece and neither is Baby and nor is 3 I or PK. They're all good films and hence they're 3.5/5. Lage Raho was a 4/5 for me and so is Kaminey. Makdee is 3.5, Omkara 3.5, Haider is 3 (highly over rated) and so on and so forth.
@Anup : There is no fan boy'ism in my ratings ever! I liked Baby and hence i rate it 3.5! No movie (including the likes of zero dark thirty, d-day and argo) is without loopholes and if you're so hellbent on nitpicking, you're most welcome to do so, but i'm not! Neeraj is Bollywood's best film-maker in the thriller genre imo, and the Masand's or cynics of the world cannot change my view by giving bogus or irrelevant points. As i said earlier, you might not have liked it, I did. You're most welcome to stick to your Holiday's if u wish!
@Anup : An example of my neutral views, I'v never liked the Yash Chopra brand of film-making yet i rate Deewaar the greatest film in Indian cinema history and rate it even ahead of Sholay! So ya, there u go.
@Anup : Fyi, Baby is trending at 9/10 on imdb and is showing good growth among the multiplex audiences of Delhi/Mumbai and Bangalore. Just goes on to prove that it is finding an audience that giving it a thumbs up. I understand that you found the film boring, but i don't think you should be speaking for others or forcing your views on anyone (just like one of the wogma users was doing on the PK forum).
The film is like a non-stop Jason Bourne-esque thriller although could have done with bit better editing(the whole Akshay's family subplot was pointless and cliched) but still is one of the best Akshay Kumar has been in and thankfully the film was entertaining and crisp unlike the tacky and overdramatic Holiday.
Anuj- I dont find it boring, i just find it flat , not a bad movie at all , and m not saying this by myself only , m hearing this from a lot of people that they are not satisfied at all.
For imdb, its too early to see the ratings as it will decline in future when non - fans of Akshay and Neeraj Pandey will watch this on 2nd week and after that on their laptops and TVs. Actually u are the first person always to say that don't rely on imdb rating for judging a movie. But i m shocked watching such high ratings. Its good that people are liking it more than i and my surroundings.
As long as its grossing are concerned, i do really want this to earn more , so that more directors and producers get interested in this particular genre in Bollywood.
"For imdb, its too early to see the ratings as it will decline in future when non - fans of Akshay and Neeraj Pandey will watch this on 2nd week and after that on their laptops and TVs. Actually u are the first person always to say that don't rely on imdb rating for judging a movie. But i m shocked watching such high ratings. Its good that people are liking it more than i and my surroundings." ~ there's a difference when you have multiple SRK,Aamir or Hrithik fans creating fake accounts and trolling imdb thereby giving 7+ ratings to bogus films like Talaash,Don-2 & Guzaarish. Akshay does not command that kinda fan following among the internet savvy audience and therefore an 8+ rating would usually imply that neutral film watchers among the metros are actually liking the film. But more than imdb, i am going by the theatrical trend in the multiplexes of Delhi,Mumbai,Pune and Bangalore which seems to be extremely positive. Although due to the lack of entertainment value and songs, the film has taken a big dent among tier 2 cities like Indore,Bhopal,Jaipur and Lucknow. That's the risk you take when you make a film like Baby in the Indian scenario. That's where a film like Aamir's Sarfarosh was a lot smarter as it combined strong content with small doses of songs and entertainment too which are a must for the mass audiences. Plus, Baby's promotions and publicity was shockingly low and definitely not up to the mark. There was hardly any buzz and awareness about the film's release up until the day of release. Its time Akshay take a cue from Srk and AK on how to publicize and market his films.
Wrong film hai na 50.7cr in week 1, lol AK does not command imdb follwing true but Neeraj Pandey does dont come up with lame excuses like Songs, PK, K3 and CE had no enjoyable songs except you are a big fan of Dil Tu Hi Bata and Thalaiva tribute. Now Akki fans pray for 85 cr lifetime so strange, The Audience has given a yes to Rowdy Rathore, Housefull (housefools)and Singh is Kinng and have thrown Pandey's film sorry baby into mud water. Still laughing; intersting that those who said imdb does not matter are now drooling over its numbers. For my own understanding imdb is just a group of armchair (wheelchair) critics not affiliated to a recognized media outfit. Ratings on bookmyshow are better indicators of word of mouth as far as hindi films go, Period.
When a film is good and it fails in one country, it should pass in another country, Baby is a commercial failure or at best average in any country, an apt title. An adult made 324 cr in december.
Some unwanted commentators never change, come what may! Funny thing is, this troll's never watched any of the films he mentions in his senseless comments. Anyone who doesn't understand the reason why a Rowdy Rathore commands higher viewership over a Baby shouldn't be making foolish commentary in order to trash a good product. K3 was a sequel to a hugely successful franchise and a film catering to the mass audiences while CE had Srk (who definitely commands much more viewers than Akshay) and some foot tapping popular numbers and a mass entertainer (a ridiculous one imo, anyway). And yes indeed imdb is not an indicator but Pandey is no Tarantino to command an imdb following. The biggest mistake Pandey made with Baby is by casting a commercial actor like Akshay in the lead thereby shooting the costs of production. Making an unconventional movie with a commercial star as the lead is a formula for a flop as proved by Swades,Guzaarish and Talaash. Baby with a more restrained cost and a lesser known actor like a Farhan or Irrfan would still have done 60 odd cr and would have fallen in the category of small scale sleeper hits like Kahaani and Queen. But with an Akshay at the helm, a 75 cr lifetime is not enough to take it past the 'Average-Below Average' mark.
Unfortunately "star value" plays a big role in a movie's fate at the box office in India, all thanks to the astronomical prices commanded by most of these extremely over-rated actors. So a Rock On! becomes a hit at 30 cr while a similar themed film like ZNMD needs 3 times the collections to become a Hit, all thanks to the presence of some "Star Power". A D-Day! recovers its investment at 20 cr while a Baby needs 4 times the amount for the same. Its a known fact that Baby had a small target audience and the film has indeed done well amongst its target audience. The only problem is, you cannot cast an Akshay Kumar or a Khan or an HR or a Devgan and then make a film for a minority audience (unless you're willing to take a loss). Not in the Indian scenario at least! Interestingly, Anurag Kashyap is now going the same way by casting Ranbir in his next Bombay Velvet. And i'm quite certain, the fate of that film would be the same as Baby (or perhaps a little better at best). Today's star actors are much unlike the one's of the yesteryears who would adjust their price as per the target audience for a particular film (like Bachchan and Dharmendra did for Chupke Chupke, making it a sleeper hit).
@Anuj There are no "unwanted" commentators on this forum. There can be unwanted comments which are abusive and have no respect for others and look at personally attack other readers, stars, directors.
If these comments by one commenter become far too many for me to moderate, I might consider the blocking the commenter because the discussion is no more constructive. Other than that no reader is "unwanted" at wogma.
@Meeta : hmmm...yawn!
[This comment has been removed] :P
@Anuj can you tell me what is the difference between Semi Hit,Above Average,Below Average and flop.
Well i did watch the movie and it is a decent watch basically the second half is good but it is not as edgy as you might to watch.Special 26 was way ahead.Better luck next time.
@Sid: Semi-Hit/Above-Average : One and the same ie. "moderate success". Ex : Holiday,ZNMD,Don-2,Talaash etc
Average/Below Average : Coverage to losing films : Ex. haider,Jai Ho,Ra.1,Bang Bang etc
Flop : Lossmaker and a dud. Ex Entertainment,Action Jackson,Veer,Kites,Paheli,Mela etc
Seeing all the discussion about the ratings for Baby on other pages, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten to rate my appreciation of this movie on wogma.
Ever since I have watched A Wednesday some years ago, my expectations level of a Neeraj Pandey film have gone astronomical, which is unreal. But hey, A Wednesday was that good! Due to these astronomical expectations that I have, it was a disappointment for me to watch Special 26, and now once again a disappointment to watch Baby. Mind you, I am not saying that the film is bad. Having watched it twice, there is no way I could claim that it is a bad film. It is just that I expected the moon and it is but normal that I don’t get the moon.
Coming to the film itself: Large portions of the film seemed similar in story to Argo. I am not sure if it was intended or not – but it surely had a déjà vu feeling to the affair. Although the tension levels were as high as in Argo, so full marks to Neeraj Pandey.
The parts of the film that left me disappointed were its too simplistic an approach for the covert operations hero and his fight against the Pakistan based villain. I was also surprised with the fact that the reason for the title “Baby” was revealed just 5 minutes into the film. If that was the case then why was the secrecy built upon around the name during the promo rounds?
Performance wise, the Pakistani cleric looked pretty convincing. I wonder if the director did not pick up a real Pakistani cleric for the role (just a joke, clarify karna padta hai warna seculars bura maan lete hai). Akshay, Anupam, Kay Kay, Rana, Danny deliver what is expected from them.
All in all a nice tribute to the unknown heroes who remain in the shadows despite being at the forefront of protecting the country and the citizens from all evil forces. Good film, just watch it with the correct expectations level.
@Fan Well, my expectations weren't very high and might I say they were met :D
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