Cast: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Malavika Mohanan, Raghav Juyal, Ram Kapoor, Raj Arjun, Gajraj Rao

Director: Ravi Udyawar

Rating: **1/2

Yudhra promises a thrilling action-packed experience with an impressive lineup of creative minds behind it. With Sriram Raghavan writing the story and screenplay, Farhan Akhtar penning the dialogues, Javed Akhtar delivering the lyrics, and Shankar Ehsaan Loy composing the music, all the elements seem to point to a cinematic success. However, in 2024, audiences have become harder to impress, and despite these heavyweights, Yudhra fails to leave a lasting impact. The film, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi, is an exhausting 142-minute journey that leaves viewers more drained than entertained.

Director Ravi Udyawar Struggles to Engage Audiences

Director Ravi Udyawar, who previously impressed with Mom starring Sridevi, struggles to bring coherence to Yudhra. The film tries to juggle several genres'drama, romance, suspense, and action'but fails to build momentum. The lack of focus leaves even strong performances by actors like Raghav Juyal, Raj Arjun, and Ram Kapoor underutilized. By the intermission, viewers may find themselves wondering, "What is even happening?" and by the end, "Why did it happen at all?"

A Convoluted Backstory and Predictable Plot

Yudhra opens with a dramatic action sequence where Siddhant's character engages in a brutal fistfight, ending with a plunge into the ocean. This scene, meant to symbolize his seething anger, is visually compelling, but the film quickly loses steam. Flashbacks reveal that Yudhra suffers from anger issues due to a tragic family history'his parents died in an accident before his birth, and a lack of oxygen to the fetus affected his brain. Despite this backstory, his anger issues only surface when convenient to the plot, leaving his character underdeveloped and unconvincing.

The story then shifts to Yudhra's troubled relationship with his adoptive father's colleague, a man who took him in after his parents' death. Yudhra's constant rebelliousness lands him in jail multiple times, prompting his guardian to send him to a cadet training institute in Pune. There, he reconnects with his childhood friend Nikhat (played by Malavika Mohanan), and romance ensues, complete with a song, a dance, and a kiss. However, things quickly spiral out of control when Yudhra assaults someone, leading to his court-martial.

While in jail, Yudhra is approached by another colleague of his late father with a mission'to dismantle a notorious drug cartel in Mumbai. What follows is a predictable and chaotic series of events, where Yudhra single-handedly battles drug lords across random locations. His invincibility is laughable, making him more of a superhero than a flawed action hero. While action sequences offer brief excitement, the overall plot feels forced and lacks emotional depth.

Action Sequences: The Film's Only Redeeming Feature

Despite its narrative flaws, Yudhra does deliver on the action front. The fight scenes are choreographed with precision and flair, offering brief moments of adrenaline in an otherwise dragging film. A few underwater sequences, in particular, are visually stunning and could have elevated the film had the story been built around them. However, these brief highs are not enough to sustain interest, as the screenplay remains inconsistent and disjointed.

The music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy fails to leave a lasting impression, and the editing could have been much tighter, cutting down on unnecessary fluff that drags the film out.

Performances: Some Shine, Others Struggle

Siddhant Chaturvedi, in his first solo lead role, does a commendable job in the action scenes, but his character lacks complexity. Yudhra is reduced to a one-dimensional angry man, and the attempts to build sympathy for him through his tragic backstory fall flat. Despite Siddhant's best efforts, he doesn't manage to carry the film.

On the other hand, Raghav Juyal continues to prove his range as an actor. His portrayal of a straight-faced villain with excellent comic timing adds much-needed energy to the film. With each project, Raghav shows more potential, and he's clearly a talent to watch out for.

Malavika Mohanan gets her share of action, with a standout moment where her character electrocutes the villain, providing one of the film's most memorable scenes. Her chemistry with Siddhant is decent, but her character doesn't add much depth to the story.

Ram Kapoor, Raj Arjun, and Gajraj Rao deliver solid performances as expected, but their roles are underwritten, leaving them with little to do besides offering gravitas to a thin plot.

Missed Opportunities and Lack of Emotional Engagement

At its core, Yudhra feels like a film that could have been much more. Its attempt to create a layered, troubled hero is half-baked, leaving audiences emotionally disconnected from the story. The lack of a cohesive narrative and the over-reliance on predictable twists makes the film more of a slog than a thrilling ride. While Yudhra tries to give audiences big moments, it never fully delivers on its potential.

Final Verdict

In conclusion, Yudhra is a film that lies somewhere between earnest effort and missed opportunity. While the action sequences are stylish and the performances are competent, the film's weak plot, poor pacing, and lack of emotional resonance ultimately make it a disappointing experience. Fans of Siddhant Chaturvedi may enjoy the action, but overall, Yudhra struggles to stand out in a crowded genre.