Stars: 4.5 Stars (****)
Imagine a Pakistani intelligence operative losing his memory after an accident in India and waking up believing he is an Indian counter-intelligence officer. That's the mix-up at the heart of Udta Teer, and as you can imagine, things get pretty chaotic from there! Written and directed by Akash A Kaushik, the film leans into the confusion with funny situations, cracking dialogues and a background score that often makes the jokes even better.
Story – Madness, mayhem and plenty of laughs!
Udta Teer is at its best when it lets the comedy do the talking. The film thrives on the sheer absurdity of what's unfolding on screen, with dialogues that are a big win and comic timing that makes even the simplest exchanges entertaining. The background music is another highlight, often getting a laugh all on its own. It's the kind of film that keeps you chuckling at the madness.
What works – The laughs keep coming!
Ayushmann Khurrana leads the madness with his comic timing, while Sara Ali Khan adds to the fun with her performance. The dialogues are easily one of the film's biggest strengths, with some genuinely funny lines that land well. The background score deserves a shout-out, too, with its perfectly timed cues adding to the humour. The late Mukul Dev makes a mark as Azhar Maqsood, while Ram Kapoor and Gulshan Grover bring their own flavour to the mix. Rahul Bose, Suhail Nayyar and the rest of the ensemble add to the fun.
What could have been better – A slightly tighter edit
The one thing that could have worked better is the runtime, especially in the second half. The film starts to feel a little stretched as it goes along, and a tighter edit would have helped keep the pace up. With the comedy working as well as it does, a crisper second half could have made the overall experience even better.
Quick specs
Written and directed by Akash A Kaushik, Udta Teer is produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain, with Raunaq Bajaj as co-producer. Backed by Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment, the film stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Sara Ali Khan, Rahul Bose, Ram Kapoor, Suhail Nayyar, the late Mukul Dev, Raghubir Yadav, Brijendra Kala and Gulshan Grover, among others. The music is composed by Sachin-Jigar, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
Final thoughts
Udta Teer has its fair share of laughs, thanks to its funny dialogues, well-timed performances and a background score that knows exactly when to join the party. The second half could have been shorter, but there's enough humour here to make the ride worthwhile. If you're looking for a comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously, this one's a fun pick!