Review of ‘Subedaar’: Anil Kapoor and Radhikka Madan in a Neo-Western Hindi Thriller

Suresh Triveni’s latest Hindi film ‘Subedaar’, streaming on Prime Video, unfolds in a fictional Wild West-style town in North India called Kokh, dominated by lawlessness and a single criminal family. Mona Singh’s character Babli runs an illegal sand mining operation even while behind bars, with her aide Softy, played by Faisal Malik. The plot introduces Army officer Arjun, portrayed by Anil Kapoor, who retires to Kokh to reconcile with his daughter Shyama (Radhikka Madan). Arjun, unaware initially of the criminal undertakings around him, channels a ‘John Wick’-style persona when needed. In parallel, Shyama faces her own battles against a predatory classmate. The film oscillates between these two main storylines, with the minor arcs involving Babli, Softy, and Prince, Babli’s sadistic step-brother, whose random acts of violence cause chaos. The script, while visually striking under cinematographer Ayan Saxena, struggles to cohesively tie its multiple tracks together. Anil Kapoor impresses with action sequences, though his character lacks depth, while Radhikka Madan’s Shyama is limited to reactive confrontations. Villains like Aditya Rawal’s Prince and the duo of Mona Singh and Faisal Malik deliver memorable performances, providing occasional dark humour. Overall, ‘Subedaar’ is an action-heavy vigilante thriller with striking visuals but an overcomplicated narrative.