Critics rating: 2.5 Stars

Cast:  Akshay Kumar, Rana Daggubati, Taapsee Pannu, Anupam Kher, Madhurima Tuli, Danny Denzongpa, Kay Kay Menon,Sushant Singh, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Rasheed Naz.

Direction: Neeraj Pandey

Produced: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Shital Bhatia

Written: Neeraj Pandey

Genre: Action

Duration: 159 Mins

A Wednesday tackled the theme of terrorism. Special Chabbis featured cool government officials (and conmen) with swaggering walks. Baby combines the two, exploits some beautiful foreign locations and rids the plot of logic in favour of some whistle-worthy moments.
The Indian government, after the 26/11 terror attacks, forms an elite black-op unit called Baby, which retaliates over the years with blasts and terrorist encounters. At the time of the film’s narration, the team consists only of four people and is headed by Feroze Ali Khan (Danny Denzongpa). Ajay (Akshay Kumar) is the man for all missions, going it alone or with a minimal team.

The Istanbul opening where Ajay escapes from the local police and locates a tortured informer single-handedly, sans back-up, demands a suspension of disbelief. While Ajay and Feroze try to put together the pieces of the puzzle, terroristBilal Khan (Kay Kay Menon) escapes from police custody.
The scene has two police vans ferrying Bilal to a different location when a truck overturns the first van and opens fire on the one right behind. Bilal’s van swerves over a flyover, crashes upside down and greatly incapacitates the escorting constables. The terrorist in question escapes more or less unharmed and with a gun. This makes for an outrageous escape plan, especially in Mumbai,but the streets remain strangely empty.

 

Ajay taking not more than one or two comrades along for missions seems as practical as it is dangerous, as if key handlers are waiting to be captured. The rest of the film is peppered with these little convenient moments but manages to serve up an interesting second half.A crucial mission which could have ended with a simple sniper shot gives us additional running time which seems more contrived because of the plot twists that had to be incorporated later.
Ajay hops dramatically down the ledges of a monument in Kathmandu, even though there are steps right next to him. A lot of the film features him bounding through streets and buildings, gun in hand. Meanwhile, Danny Denzongpa as Ferozegets to do little other than talk to all the characters on the phone and provide lengthy plot expositions.
TaapseePannu’s undercover ‘ShabanaKaif’ shines in the Kathmandu portion of the film, with a hardcore beat down against a bad guy. Therefore, it is unfortunate that her character has little to do in the film.
Jai (RanaDaggubati) and Shuklaji (AnupamKher) complete the Baby team yet come into play only in the second half. Kay Kay Menon and Sushant Singh may flex their menacing muscles but their roles are little more than cameos. One could say the same for most characters in the film, leaving Ajay and Feroze to be the only constants in the story.

 

Baby may falter on account of some convenient writing and absentee characters, but the pace and some tight sequences keep the film going. Fortunately, there are no obtrusive songs to dampen the mood.
The scene where Ajay slaps a cocky assistant (Murli Sharma) for being flippant about the deaths of servicemen in the line of duty is wonderfully offhand, without any additional jingoism. Another scene where Ajay grillsTaufiq (Jameel Khan) leaves a mark. The climax is tense, even if it does not tie every subplot into a neat little knot.
Baby loses half a star only for some stretched bits and shaky flaws. Otherwise, it is worth your weekend watch. It is Neeraj Pandey at his flamboyant best.