Aiyaary -2018- -

Where Aiyaary falters is its execution. The film runs close to 2 hours and 40 minutes, and you feel every minute of it. Pandey, usually a master of taut storytelling, indulges in unnecessary subplots (a romantic track with Rakul Preet Singh that goes nowhere, a flashback within a flashback featuring Naseeruddin Shah as a mentor to both leads) that bloat the runtime and dilute the tension.

The film’s strength lies in its central ideological debate. Bajpayee, as always, is the anchor. He brings a weary gravitas to Abhay—a man who has made compromises to survive within the system but has never lost his moral compass. The scenes between Bajpayee and Malhotra crackle with genuine mentor-mentee tension, especially when they argue about the definition of patriotism. The film’s dialogue, particularly Bajpayee’s monologues about the sacrifices of a soldier, is sharp and memorable. aiyaary -2018-

★★½ (2.5/5) Bottom Line: A solid, mature idea for a military thriller that ultimately falls victim to its own inflated runtime and narrative clutter. Watch it for Manoj Bajpayee’s commanding performance and the poignant central question: “What is the color of a soldier’s loyalty?” Just be ready to use the fast-forward button during the romantic songs. Where Aiyaary falters is its execution