On paper, Aiyaary —which translates to “the ultimate deception” or “illusion”—had everything going for it. Neeraj Pandey, the director behind the taut, brilliant A Wednesday! and the gritty Special 26 , returned to the military-intelligence genre. With Manoj Bajpayee in full command and a supporting cast that reads like a hall of fame (Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher), expectations were high. Yet, Aiyaary ends up being a frustrating paradox: a solid, well-intentioned core wrapped in a sluggish, overlong, and confusingly structured package.
The non-linear narrative, which flashes back and forth between the present chase and past training days, is meant to build emotional depth. Instead, it creates narrative whiplash. Just when the chase in London gains momentum, the film cuts to a prolonged, leisurely flashback in a military academy. The tonal inconsistency is jarring—shifting from a gritty cat-and-mouse thriller to a sentimental tribute to army tradition and back again. aiyaary -2018-
Subject: Aiyaary (2018) Director: Neeraj Pandey Starring: Sidharth Malhotra, Manoj Bajpayee, Rakul Preet Singh, Pooja Chopra, Adil Hussain, Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah On paper, Aiyaary —which translates to “the ultimate
The film’s strength lies in its central ideological debate. Bajpayee, as always, is the anchor. He brings a weary gravitas to Abhay—a man who has made compromises to survive within the system but has never lost his moral compass. The scenes between Bajpayee and Malhotra crackle with genuine mentor-mentee tension, especially when they argue about the definition of patriotism. The film’s dialogue, particularly Bajpayee’s monologues about the sacrifices of a soldier, is sharp and memorable. With Manoj Bajpayee in full command and a
★★½ (2.5/5) Bottom Line: A solid, mature idea for a military thriller that ultimately falls victim to its own inflated runtime and narrative clutter. Watch it for Manoj Bajpayee’s commanding performance and the poignant central question: “What is the color of a soldier’s loyalty?” Just be ready to use the fast-forward button during the romantic songs.
Furthermore, the “big twist” about the corruption’s source is both predictable and underwhelming. After establishing a complex moral gray area, the film resolves its conflict with a simplistic, preachy courtroom-style climax that feels less like a thriller’s payoff and more like a civics lesson.