Suspense Crime Sach Ka Dam
Russo Brothers’ ‘Citadel’ starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu as the parents of Nadia, played by Priyanka Chopra, has been released on Amazon Prime Video. The 6-episode series is fast-paced, unfiltered, and precise, but it doesn’t have the magic of Raj and DK. The makers have wasted no time on loose ends and extra scenes, and have also left out some depth. While Samantha and Varun guide the story of ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ perfectly, they are accompanied by a brilliant supporting cast like Saqib Saleem, KK Menon, Kashvi Majhmundar, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Sikander Kher and Soham Majumdar. It is important to note that Raj and DK, the makers of series like ‘The Family Man’ and ‘Farzi’, have done better than the Russo Brothers. ‘Citadel Honey Bunny’ is a series that you would want to watch again and again and unravel all the mysteries created by the makers with some hurdles.
Story
The story of ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ runs in two-time frames- primarily Mumbai and Belgrade in 1997 (past) and Nainital, Mumbai, and Hyderabad in 2000 (present). The past is about Honey (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) and Rahi aka Bunny (Varun Dhawan) meeting, becoming agents, falling in love, and getting separated. In the present, they reach out to each other and protect their daughter Nadia. Rahi is an agent trailer of Guru, whom he calls ‘Baba’ and also used to work as a part-time stuntman in 90s films. Honey on the other hand is a Hyderabadi illegitimate princess who comes to Mumbai to pursue an acting career but ends up being a struggling side actor.
A good friend of Honey tries to help him with money but at the same time, he lets him go into his other world. Guru who is called Baba throughout is a simple-minded Gadh fugitive who started his agency with ulterior motives. The man takes kids from shelter homes, gives them purpose, trains them to become agents, and then uses them for his goods. Raahi and KD (Saqib) are also one of these agents until Honey knocks some sense into one of them and forces them to walk on the path less traveled. The story takes a serious turn when Honey and Bunny turn against each other. Guru is arrested and Shaan (Sikander Kher) continues to work under someone who is a spy in the organization. Things take a turn the other way when Raahi finds out about the existence of his daughter. The two stand their ground, trust their instincts, and fight against everyone and everything that comes in the way of their daughter Nadia (Kashvi Majmundar). Writing and Direction
Direction
Famous filmmakers of action-packed series Raj and DK have made a better series than the Russo Brothers, no doubt about it! But they have not been able to show their magic in this Samantha-Varun starter series. The series moves from past to present and some parts are left out. Apart from this, some scenes seem to be exaggerated while some have been made in a hurry. The makers could have also shown the back story of other actors like KD, Ludo, and Chako. Apart from this, the back story of KK Menon stabbing or not stabbing his friend has also not been made clear. Neither his intentions nor his methods. Apart from this, the broken story of his intentions in both time frames has not been shown properly.
It is only Samantha and Varun who seem to be an equally packed part of the story and grab the attention of the audience. From their love story to becoming parents, every aspect is portrayed well by Raj and DK. However, it is still bizarre to see a two-month pregnant agent training in combat. Apart from Honey and Bunny, the series is also about three friends who always have each other’s back. Raj and DK must be given credit for building Ludo, Chako, and Rahi’s bond in a way that feels natural and necessary in places. Also, the ending makes you wait for Season 2, while at the same time being a bit disappointing.
acting
One thing is for sure ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ has only good actors and yes Varun is also good. The series is dominated by Sam and Varun who are very good with their acting. Be it action, light comic scenes, thrilling punches, or parental advice, both have done everything with ease. It was good to finally see Samantha doing more action than ‘The Family Man 2’. Varun on the other hand moves forward with the story in his acting and hence acts better in the present time than in the past. As mentioned earlier he has good supporting actors.
Shivankit Singh Parihar is precise, always says the right things, and seems believable right from the start. It was also nice to see him in action after a lovely performance as Guri in ‘Aspirants’. Soham Majumder as Ludo is a cool computer geek who always makes the right sense. KK Menon offers the right mix of villainy, however, he seems weak and submissive compared to Raj and DK’s other adversaries. Saqib as KD is brilliant, whether it is the action or no-nonsense acting, he does justice to everything, but if he had more to do than being Menon’s puppet, he could have shone in ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’. Little Nadia played by Kaashvi Majmundar is the real star. She is very good.
How is the movie
It is important to understand that Raj and DK have given us a real gem, so expecting that level may bring disappointment, but still ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ will force you to watch it once. Its story is interesting and despite missing a few bullets, the show goes on and you have no choice but to watch it. Varun has made a powerful OTT debut in this series, while Samantha holds the upper hand. ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ marks the Indian entry into the world of Citadel and makes it better than the masters. Hence, it deserves three stars. The six episodes of ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ are now available on Prime Video.
