Badass Ravi Kumar Movie Review : Himesh Reshammiya’s film is a misfire in the name of masala entertainment

Story: Ravi Kumar (Himesh Reshammiya), a fearless and unconventional cop who refuses to play by the rules, is on a high-stakes mission to protect the nation's secrets. Will he succeed, or will national security be compromised?

Review: At the outset, Badass Ravi Kumar sets the tone with a disclaimer: “This film is all about badass logic, and here logic is optional.” Promising to deliver the over-the-top, dialogue-heavy entertainment of the 80s, it certainly stays true to its claim. But does that make it entertaining? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding NO.

The film suffers from a disjointed narrative that struggles to engage despite its grand ambitions. While action films don’t always require logic, they do need coherence—and Badass Ravi Kumar lacks it entirely. Instead, it often feels like an unintentional parody, making its 141-minute runtime feel more torturous than thrilling—especially with Himesh Reshammiya hogging most of the screen time.

Set in 1989, the story follows Ravi Kumar, a rogue cop determined to eradicate corruption and take down the baddies. Suspended for his politically incorrect methods, he is unofficially sent to Muscat to retrieve a camera reel containing sensitive information about Indian secret agents. This intel is being pursued by Syed Bashir (Manish Wadhwa), Carlos Pedro (Prabhu Deva), and Laila (Kirti Kulhari), while Commissioner Awasthi (Saurabh Sachdeva) entrusts Ravi with the mission.

The film revolves around Ravi Kumar’s larger-than-life persona, but while Reshammiya is tolerable in action sequences, he falters in emotional moments. His chest-thumping patriotism and heavy-duty dialogues (courtesy of Bunty Rathore), such as "Jo Ravi Kumar se ulajhta hai, uske photo pe haar chadh jaata hai," fail to leave a lasting impact. They may generate a quick laugh, but they lack the punch needed to make them truly memorable.

Prabhu Deva, as Carlos Pedro Panther, offers some amusement with his flashy red suit and golden shoes. His action scenes, designed to resemble freestyle choreography, are interesting in parts but ultimately too amateurish for him to be considered a formidable villain. Meanwhile, the supporting cast—including Sanjay Mishra, Johnny Lever, Kirti Kulhari, Sunny Leone and Rajesh Sharma—is criminally underutilised.

Adding to the chaos is an awkwardly forced love triangle between Ravi and two sisters, Laila and Madhubala (Simona J). However, this subplot lacks emotional depth, making it neither engaging nor entertaining. Despite her charming looks, Simona J struggles to emote convincingly, making her performance one of the weakest links in the film.

With excessive characters, chaotic subplots, mindless gun battles, and exaggerated stunts, the film quickly turns into a jumbled mess. Even though the VFX and action sequences are visually polished, they fail to deliver the nostalgic masala experience the film aims for. The soundtrack is equally forgettable, with only "Tere Pyaar Mein" managing to leave any impression.

Even if you leave logic at the door, Badass Ravi Kumar fails to provide even guilty-pleasure entertainment. Himesh Reshammiya’s attempt at a mass-action spectacle is not just unwatchable—it’s an exhausting affair.