Love can be killer.
In Kill, Amrit (Lakshya) is an army commando who is deeply in love with Tulika (Tanya Maniktala). However, when he discovers that she’s been engaged against her will, Amrit decides to board her New Delhi-bound train with the hopes of stealing her away. However, when the train is taken over by ruthless gang of thieves and the lives of the passengers are threatened, Amrit takes matters into his own hands in an effort to save them.
Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, Kill is brash, brutal and a tonne of fun. Fast and furious, this is the sort of action violence that fans of the John Wick franchise will adore. By setting the vast majority of the film localized in the confines of the train, Bhat gives the film a claustrophobic tone that forces the action choreography to be creative in its use of space. Even so, Bhat and his team manage to make every cabin of the train carry impending threat as every passenger could be a potential thief.
For his first film (!), Lakshya absolutely bursts onto the scene. Not only does he provide the necessary athleticism and speed for the stunt work, he also is genuinely sympathetic in his performance. With soulfulness in his eyes, he is a hero that we want to succeed in his mission. One can’t help but rally behind him, despite the trail of carnage that he leaves in his wake.
But, without giving any spoilers, this isn’t a film that simply unleashes its brutality in the first 20 minutes. In fact, this may be the first time that a title card felt like a command. By holding the title back until the halfway mark of the film, Bhat continues to build the stakes for Amrit as things continue to spiral out of control. When the time finally comes to emblazon Kill across the screen, Amrit has become a powder keg of rage that’s ready to explode.
In other words, when you see Kill, you know it’s time for him to do so.
Underneath the mayhem, Bhat wants Kill to be as much of a love story as it is a bloody revenge tale. For Amrit, Tulika is his world. And the feeling is mutual. Although she’s betrothed to another, Tulike is determined to spend her life with her military love. No, her father may not approve of him, but they are determined that their love will be written in the stars. It’s this deep commitment to her and her family that fuels Amrit, leading to his willingness to step into the fray.
In this way, Kill is not a complicated plot. Thieves threaten innocent lives, including the young love. Military-trained hero fights to save her. (Even the title is simply one word.) But it doesn’t matter. There’s an intensity to much of this film that makes it a train worth that no action fan should miss.
Kill is available in theatres on July 3rd, 2024.
