Vibe

The customary opening stretch of production company logos and streaming partners and marketing partners, and so on, is accompanied by playful voiceover commentary from the film’s lead character, poking fun at what all the logos and titles mean and why every film must open with long stretches of them. Vibe is Kemmu’s second film as director after the clutter-breaking Madgaon Express, which remains one of the rare worthwhile (and consistently hilarious) comedies to emerge from Hindi cinema in the last few years. At a time when the comedy genre itself has become little more than a lazy punchline of minimal effort and squeaky sound effects in the name of “slapstick” (Housefull 5, Bhooth Bangla, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, Dhamaal 4), Madgaon Express was a much-needed reminder of the sheer effort, craft, writing and performances that go into cracking a laugh-a-minute comedy for the big screen.

I have a theory after watching Vibe, and I think we’re witnessing something interesting in Bollywood right now: almost every male actor secretly wants to be an action hero. Think about it. Shah Rukh Khan was the ultimate lover boy, the man who could make romance his biggest weapon. But today, even he has moved towards action. Yash has built his image around larger-than-life action, while actors like Sonu Sood and Kunal Kemmu have gone a step further and directed themselves in action films. And Kunal is one of the funniest actors we have! Maybe there’s something about action that actors simply can’t resist. Romance can make you a star, but action lets you build an entire world around yourself. And honestly, audiences don’t seem to mind who is doing it, as long as the film entertains.

Given Hindi cinema’s obsession with hypermasculinity and patriotism, I’m surprised it took so long for a spy comedy to emerge. Actually, I’m not so surprised; imagine offending 99 percent of the country by cajoling them into joking about national security. Humour is such a risk. Irreverence can be such a crime (ask our standup comics). But it’s only fitting that a Kunal — an affable, witty, unpretentious and naturally unserious observer of Indian living — leads the charge. After giving Dil Chahta Hai the dysfunctional-buddy treatment in Madgaon Express, Kunal Kemmu directs himself in Vibe, a slacker comedy that’s shamed into an identity crisis. It’s the cinematic equivalent of watching two gloriously apolitical dudes accidentally pass a joint at a smoky house party to a proud WhatApp uncle; nobody is prepared for the night (and fight) that follows.