Naam Shabana: Taapsee shines, Akshay Kumar performs beyond cameo

The film engrosses you in bits but loses steam as it turns predictable

Naam Shabana is a spin-off and not a prequel (as the cast kept saying) of the 2015 Hindi film Baby and sets out to trace the life of Shabana, the spy in the film.
Taapsee Pannu plays the titular role and she is spectacular in her third meaty outing after Baby and the much-acclaimed Pink.
We have seen many spy films in the past but this film goes a step behind and talks about how these spies are recruited. It traces how these candidates are shortlisted after scanning their lives and circumstances.
Cut to Shabana, a determined girl with a difficult backstory in Mumbai and how her life transforms due to an accident and she ends up joining an agency. She joins the unsung heroes from the National Defense who operate in the shadows.
The new addition to the cast, Manoj Bajpayee fits in rightly in this jigsaw and is seen giving out orders to the spies on the ground. His dialogue in the film - "Women are born spies and it is wired in their DNA," got claps from the audience, followed by awkward silence by the ladies!
Akshay Kumar, also the producer of the film, has more than a cameo role as Ajay Singh Rajput. He appears towards the end of the first part and has a prominent role in the second half, although he takes a back seat and lets Shabana lead the film. Prithviraj Sukumaran, the Malayalam actor makes a powerful entry as the stylish antagonist but isn't given much room to perform. You do want to see more of him. You will Danny Denzongpa and Anupam Kher in minor roles and they disappear after two lines of dialogues.  
The film picks up pace midway in the first half when she is recruited by the agency and you wait for her next mission. The action scenes are realistic and Shabana's character is designed to be relatable as she isn't shown in a heroic light.
Neeraj Pandey movies are known to be tightly scripted and the audience looks forward to them  for  their suspense, be it Baby or Special 26. These films made you sit on the edge of the seat with nail-biting suspense and that doesn't happen with Naam Shabana.
The film engrosses you but loses steam in bits and you are left off the track. While the first half walks your slowly through Shabana's life before joining the agency, the second half rushes and ends abruptly.
While it might be unfair to compare Naam Shabana with Baby as they are two different films, you will eventually end up doing so. What worked for Baby was the layers in its storytelling. There was a twist in the plan that the spies embark on and that changed the course of the film. But in Naam Shabana, the plan is pretty straight and pans out exactly as planned, making it predictable.  
Although it is a Neeraj Pandey film, it should be noted that it's not a Neeraj Pandey directorial like Baby or A Wednesday and that makes all the difference. The film has its high moments but fails to grip you entirely. 
Directed by: Shivam Nair.
Starring: Taapsee Pannu, Akshay Kumar, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manoj Bajpayee, Anupam Kher, Danny Denzongpa.
Now playing at theaters in the UAE
Rating: 2.5/5
Watch our video here: