Big films are meant for the big screen and SOORYAVANSHI is truly a big ticket entertainer that ought to be enjoyed on the wide screen, in a cinema hall. Come to think of it, there's a lot riding on SOORYAVANSHI. Big money, yes. But, most importantly, a film like SOORYAVANSHI is sure to boost the morale of an industry that's already going through its toughest phase due to the pandemic.

Honestly, I was really excited to watch Sooryavanshi on the big screen, around strangers in a hall almost eight months since Mumbai Saga (the last Hindi film to be released in Mumbai). We know the template of Rohit Shetty remains the same. Cars somersault, guns blaze, cops sail through the air, there are either terrorist or gunda and a few other bad men ('Bad man' Gulshan Grover in the case of Sooryavanshi) who disguise as godmen.

An absolute entertainer, with a few hiccups in between, 'Sooryavanshi' is definitely the best film in the Rohit Shetty cop universe that began in 2011 with Ajay Devgn as a no-nonsense cop in 'Singham', continued with its sequel three years later and presented Ranveer Singh in an all-new avatar with 'Simmba' in 2018.

In 1993, Mumbai suffered a series of twelve bombings that shook up the city and the country. This was one of the very first major terrorist attacks that put the focus of the world back on the India-Pakistan dispute. This is where Sooryavanshi begins. After losing his parents to one of the attacks, Veer Sooryavanshi played by a very fit, fine and charming Akshay Kumar joins the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

The decision to hold the release of Rohit Shetty's most ambitious film till the pandemic went into remission was right. The sound and fury of the film demanded a theatrical release and it's good that the audiences were not asked to negotiate with two pandemics simultaneously.

After almost 2 years, the audience gets to finally witness Rohit Shetty's cop universe with Sooryavanshi. Akshay Kumar anchors this mega-ship as DCP Veer Sooryavanshi, who is the best we have. He plans, jumps, executes and marvels at everything he does. He is basically, what we all dream and want our desi hero to be.

Mumbai is the target of a terrorist attack (when isn't it?). An exemplar of the Mumbai Police swaggers in to save the day (when doesn't he)? Cars pirouette through the air before crashing ungainly onto surfaces and other cars (when don't they?) In short, nothing has changed in Rohit Shetty's realm.

Raising the curtain with '93 blasts in Mumbai, the story focuses on a major chunk of explosive material left from the blast, linking it with a couple of fugitives who managed to escape back then. Veer Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar) is handled the mission by his superior Kabir Shroff (Jaaved Jaaferi), who though was the star of solving the '93 bombing case but he still regrets some of the choices he made.

This does not happen very often with big masala Hindi movies, so let me start off by saying that Sooryavanshi, the film, is better than its trailer. That may not be saying much, considering the overlong four-plus minute trailer was a bloated mess. So let me go one step further: While I did find myself wishing for better execution of its set pieces, Sooryavanshi is still possibly the most best action film by Rohit Shetty yet, despite its many contrivances and general cop film dj vu.

Finally releasing after 19 months, Sooryavanshi is nothing short of a celebration of mainstream Hindi cinema, bringing back whistles and cheers to a theatre after a long time. Sooryavanshi is fuelled by director Rohit Shetty's trademark action and Akshay Kumar brings it in abundance.

Ten minutes into Sooryavanshi, we know we are back in Rohit Shetty's cop universe. RDX! Cars being blown up! And our Hero Ki Entry as Veer Sooryvanshi (Akshay Kumar), the best of Mumbai police, slo mo-ing into the frame, crisp khakis and snappy Raybans to the fore, gearing up to fight the Bad Guys aka Lashkar aka Muslim Terrorists.

Akshay Kumar is here to save us. From What ? Where? How? These questions are redundant. The saviour complex must have an outlet, and so we sit through this extravaganza, where Sooryavanshi - one man army/ police/ justice provider/ desh ka sole protector - must be allowed to save us. The threat, as usual, is from padosi desh Pakistan.

After Singham Returns and Simmba, it was evident that Rohit Shetty's cop actioners were in dire need of a bit of policing themselves. The fourth in the series, Sooryavanshi, attempts a course correction. The results are at best middling. Some parts of the film are solid, others rather starchy.

Rohit Shetty has tactfully expanded his cop universe over the years - keeping the audience engaged and die-hard fans of the genre on the edge. After the Singham series (headlined by Ajay Devgn) and then Simbaa (starring Ranveer Singh), now storms in Sooryavanshi (Akshay Kumar), amidst much fanfare, drama, and blaring theatrics. Sooryavanshi's character was subtly announced towards the end of Simmba.

One Word Review... Sooryavanshi: FANTASTIC. First #Singham. Then #Simmba. Now #Sooryavanshi... #RohitShetty gets it right yet again... Stars, scale, action, entertainment, #Sooryavanshi has it all... SURE-SHOT SMASH HIT. #SooryavanshiReview