Picking controversial yet relevant topics that require dialogue and then basing a film on them may seem like a good idea, but it doesn’t always work out. Anek, Ayushmann Khurrana’s latest film, is a perfect example of this. Anek is directed and written by Anubhav Sinha, who worked with Ayushmann Khurrana again after the critically acclaimed Article 15 (which was based on caste discrimination in India). More so because Sinha’s previous three directorial projects — Mulk, Thappad, and Article 15 — all struck the right note and successfully started a conversation, but with Anek, he simply couldn’t create an immersive experience that leaves you thinking long after you leave the theatre. Anek’s intentions are all over the place, starting with a storyline that is a little confusing to begin with, followed by a narrative that appears convoluted in most places. Sinha tries to address a lot of issues in a 2-hour-30-minute film, but he can’t possibly do them all justice.

Anek is a film set in North East India about an undercover agent named Joshua (Ayushmann Khurrana) who is on a mission to restore peace in the Northeastern region of India and the political situation that has plagued this region for a long time. During the course of his mission, he meets Aido, a Northeastern Indian boxer (newcomer Andrea Kevichüsa) who is battling prejudice while pursuing her dream of making the Indian national team. Aido’s father, Wangnao (Mipham Otsal), is a schoolteacher who is secretly nurturing a rebel group against government forces, and Khurrana has an interesting tryst with him.

Sinha has picked up on the right nuances when it comes to casting actors from the North East, authentic locations, dialogues, and the severity of the conflict he wants to highlight, but he fails to weave them into a compelling story that will keep you hooked. The first half of the movie is spent setting up a premise that never really comes to fruition. The first half of the film appears to be a little rushed, with more time spent on character development than showing the actual tension that people in the North East face on a daily basis.

That said, Anek is a patriot who, thankfully, never descends into jingoism, which is all too common in Hindi films. The way Sinha has attempted to depict the racial abuse that people in the North East face on a daily basis, as well as their ordeal to prove that they are as much a part of India as anyone else, are wonderful elements that work in places. You can’t ignore the fact that this is one of the few commercial films to attempt to focus attention on the troubling situation in the North East, which many people talk about but few have the courage to investigate further. Following in the footsteps of films such as The Kashmir Files, Anek is unquestionably a significant and timely film. I only wish Sinha’s co-written screenplay with Sima Agarwal and Yash Keswani had been a little more focused in its execution.

Even when his loyalty is called into question, we see Khurrana carry out his mission with utmost sincerity and diligence. As a cop, he is gritty, confident in his role, and softer in scenes of helplessness. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he expertly carries the film.

Kevichüsa, who makes her Bollywood debut with Anek, gives a good first performance, though I think her character could have been fleshed out a lot more with more to do than just boxing in the ring. When she realises what Joshua and her father are up to, she doesn’t do anything you’d expect in a situation like this. Wangnao, on the other hand, has a strong character arc. He elicits an emotion that you might be able to relate to. Kumud Mishra and Manoj Pahwa, among the supporting cast, put their years of experience to good use and deliver some memorable scenes.

To summarise, Anek has the right heart and is made with all the right intentions; however, the execution is a little disappointing, and the story is not one that everyone will understand with equal empathy and interest.

Anek (film)

Ayushmann Khurrana, J.D. Chakravarthy, Andrea Kevichüsa, Manoj Pahwa, and Kumud Mishra are among the cast members.

Anubhav Sinha is the director.