‘Sikandar Ka Muqaddar’ Movie Review: Avinash Tiwary and Tamannaah Bhatia Are Stuck in This Abysmal Neeraj Pandey Thriller (LatestLY Exclusive)

Sikandar ka Muqaddar Movie Review: In Sikandar ka Muqaddar, there’s a beautiful shot of a flock of pink flamingos on a beach as the camera gracefully sweeps toward them. There’s also a poignant moment where a character calls his spouse to assert that his years-long obsession was justified, only to be reminded how that very obsession ruined his life. The film attempts to comment on how lives are destroyed when police act on whims and courts ignore the 'bail, not jail' principle. Neeraj Pandey's Netflix film, Sikandar ka Muqaddar, teases these ideas and moments that could have elevated the narrative. Instead, it becomes a case of the viewer being a couple of steps ahead, predicting the obvious in what eventually unfolds into a stretched and uninspired third act. ‘Sikandar Ka Muqaddar’ Trailer: Jimmy Shergill’s Character Seeks the Truth Behind a Heist in Neeraj Pandey’s Thrilling Crime Drama.

The story begins with the police foiling a planned robbery at a jewellery expo based on a tip-off. The robbers are killed, but five diamonds still go missing, leaving the police clueless. Enter Jaswinder Singh (Jimmy Sheirgill), an investigator with a spotless success record. His suspicions land on three staff members: Mangesh (Rajeev Mehta) and Kamini (Tamannaah Bhatia), employees of the jewellery chain whose diamonds went missing, and Sikandar (Avinash Tiwary), the IT support guy.

Watch the Trailer of 'Sikandar Ka Muqaddar':

What’s the basis for Jaswinder’s suspicions? Pure instinct. But is instinct enough to put three seemingly innocent people through relentless scrutiny and hardship? The film revolves around a challenge posed by Sikandar to Jaswinder: if proven innocent, Jaswinder must look him in the eye and apologise. 15 years later, that moment comes as we shift through two timelines to understand what the characters went through in the desperate search for truth.

‘Sikandar Ka Muqaddar’ Movie Review - A Weak Critique on Justice System

While watching Sikandar ka Muqaddar, I couldn’t help but wonder how directors like Vetrimaaran or Hansal Mehta might have approached this subject. Would they have tapped into the social injustices and created a hard-hitting drama about systemic flaws in the police and judiciary, where it is the common man who ends up the most suffering? Much of the screenplay focuses on Jaswinder’s dogged reliance on instinct, leading to physical and mental torture for the accused. The film illustrates how the slow grind of justice disrupts lives, especially Sikandar’s, who loses his livelihood and spirals into debt. Not to mention enduring third-degree tortures within police stations.

In the midst of this chaos, Sikandar and Kamini grow closer, eventually marrying and relocating to start afresh. However, just as things begin to improve, trouble finds them again. This could have been a deeply unsettling and impactful narrative. Unfortunately, it’s weighed down by its soap-opera treatment while I was trying not to be distracted by Jimmy Sheirgill’s smoothed-up face, which is what I presume is the makers trying to de-age him. But even that isn’t the core issue - the real problem is that this is a Neeraj Pandey film.

‘Sikandar Ka Muqaddar’ Movie Review - Cannot Find The Right Tone or Balance

Drama has never been Pandey’s strong suit, as evidenced by his previous outing, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. This becomes glaringly obvious during the dramatic sequences in Sikandar ka Muqaddar. However, the film’s biggest flaw is its inability to strike the right tone and its misguided perspective. ‘Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha’ Movie Review: Ajay Devgn and Tabu’s Love Story Struggles To Find Its Heart in an Over-Stretched Screenplay.

Pandey attempts to return to the vibe of Special 26, which is commendable. But when a film sets this tone early on, it’s hard to empathise with the protagonist's plight, knowing a "gotcha" twist is looming. The wait for the twist is long and tedious, but it surely arrives, and when it does, even calling it 'underwhelming' feels an understatement.

Calling this a spoiler feels redundant because it’s clear from the outset that Sikandar ka Muqaddar isn’t a sharp critique of police procedures. Even if you forget it, the thumping background score wouldn't allow you to. In fact, by the end, the film seems to support flawed investigations based on gut feelings, even if that wasn’t its intention.

When the third act finally unravels, it bombards us with twist after twist through a series of revelations and expository dialogues. Unfortunately, none of these moments come from clever writing or even smart direction (what's with the faux closing credits?). At this point, it becomes clear that the story is about two stubborn individuals refusing to back down, even if it ruins their lives. However, because the film predominantly focuses on one perspective, the message becomes muddled, and you feel duped into not watching a better film that is hidden under the hogwash. Sikandar ka Muqaddar even ends on one of the laziest cliffhangers of the year—ironically, set atop an actual cliff.

As for the performances, Avinash Tiwary is the film’s saving grace. He delivers a nuanced performance, grounding his character despite the shaky narrative. Jimmy Sheirgill should go on the net right now and start googling 'typecast'; maybe his name would come on top. Tamannaah Bhatia struggles to make an impact with a character devoid of depth. Rajeev Mehta is serviceable, while Divya Dutta appears in just a couple of scenes.

‘Sikandar Ka Muqaddar’ Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Sikandar ka Muqaddar wanted to be both a hard-hitting drama about our flawed justice system and a character-driven thriller about ruthless obsession, but it lacks the courage or clarity to truly commit to anything. What could have been a gripping exploration of systemic failures and personal vendettas devolves into a bloated narrative weighed down by clichés, predictable twists, and underwhelming character arcs. It’s a shame because buried somewhere beneath all the unnecessary theatrics, there’s a much better film that never gets its chance to shine. Sikandar ka Muqaddar is streaming on Netflix.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 29, 2024 01:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).