MouthShut.com Would Like to Send You Push Notifications. Notification may includes alerts, activities & updates.

OTP Verification

Enter 4-digit code
For Business
×
transparentImg
Upload Photo
Special 26 (Chabbis) Image

MouthShut Score

75%
3.42 

Plot:

Performance:

Music:

Cinematography:

×
Supported file formats : jpg, png, and jpeg


Cancel

I feel this review is:

Fake
Genuine

To justify genuineness of your review kindly attach purchase proof
No File Selected

Photos for Special 26 (Chabbis)

See all Photos

Info for Special 26 (Chabbis)

Release DateFeb 08, 2013
CastAkshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Jimmy Sheirgill, Kajal Aggarwal, Manoj Bajpayee
DirectorNeeraj Pandey
GenreAction, Crime
MouthShut Logo

Special 26 (Chabbis) Movie Reviews

Arindam_SainMouthShut Verified Member
Kolkata India
SPECIAL 26 !!!
Mar 17, 2013 11:37 PM 3321 Views

That gentleman cleared the written test but failed to crack the interview. Oho! You guys are going for the walk-in Interview! Really, the advertisements in any newspaper always get good responses. Hello! Are you the Senior Inspector of Tughlak Road Police Station? Ok! Be prepared to go for a raid. How dare those CBI officers raid at a top notch minister’s house? The entire CBI Department was in a very uncomfortable position. The two cops got suspended. Mr. Singh came to meet Mr. Khan.


After searching the old files, they came to know about Mr. Sharma. In the Burrabazar area of Kolkata, a CBI officer was already doing the raid. The Income Tax officers raided businessmen of Burrabazar and took a very little help from Mr. Mukherjee. By the time, the information reached Wasim, the Income Tax officers went out of Kolkata. The phone tapping confirmed that Mr. Sharma was talking to a guy who was staying at Room Number 1458 of Sea Castle Hotel in Mumbai.


After reading a particular news column in the newspaper, Ajay made a master plan. Priya got a new passport. Two persons of CBI got selected in the Walk-In interview. As per the secret information, 26 newly selected persons were to go for a raid. Wasim and Ranbir came to meet Mr. Sharma in his hotel room. Out of fear, Mr. Sharma told them everything about the master plan. Wasim met Ajay at the bar of the hotel. Ah! Mr. Ajay, I think that this 100 rupee note is yours.


All the jewels of Bhuwandas Singhania Jewels(BSJ) shop were sent to the workshop. Mr. Sharma came down from the bus. Instead of going inside the police station, Mr. Sharma asked a person about the exact location of Metro Cinema Hall. Ranbir and Shanti helped Ajay and his men to loot the jewels from the workshop. Wasim kept on reading the newspaper in front of BSJ shop. After a while, the entire drama was crystal clear for the CBI officer. Did Priya marry Ajay? Who sent the money order from Bihar? Who got fooled in Neeraj’s “SPECIAL 26”?


Mumbai India
One of The Best Movie Made Ever in Bollywood
Mar 10, 2013 01:28 PM 3010 Views

The movie reminded me of my childhood, where there were no cell phones, no computers. The setup of the late 80's was done so perfectly that cant detect that this movie was made in 2012. Akshay, Anupam, Jimmy and Manoj's Performance were Outstanding.


I remember the fake CBI Episode in one of the Crime show in early 90's on TV. The movie Wont disappoint You , Will  thrill you at moments and Has Houmer when ever  the scene requires.


5 Stars for  Neeraj Pandey's Eminent Direction


Bengaluru India
Awsome movie by the director of A Wednesday
Feb 25, 2013 06:10 PM 3189 Views

I became a big fan of Neeraj Pandey after watching A Wednesday, and was waiting for his next venture Special 26. Well it did not disappoint me, This movie was more commercial with 2 songs and a female lead, but still managed to pull off a special film. For me the love angle could have been portrayed in a better way, but anyway who cares! It's not a love story.


Overall, a good story supported by great acting, great background score, awesome portrayal of 1980s and a superb direction. Go and watch it, you don't want to miss this.


YOUR RATING ON

Special 26 (Chabbis)
1
2
3
4
5
Very Very Special 26
Feb 17, 2013 10:38 PM 4813 Views

Starring:


Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar, Kajal Agarwal, Jimmy Shergill and Manoj Bajpai. Slickly directed by Neeraj Pandey- the same man who gave us the classic “ A Wednesday”. He does not disappoint here either. In fact he only raises the bar.


The story is set in 1987 and do not look for anachronistic mistakes – there just aren’t any! This could just as well have been shot then! Considering that there are many who would remember the places pictured here as they looked in 1987, this is an amazing work by the set and location directors! Every scene is authentic to the last detail even the cars on the roads


Combine this with some brilliant acting by Manoj Bajpai and Anupam Kher and some nicely restrained performance( shades of Patiala House) from Akshay and the movie is set to blow you away.


The story is simple.  There is a series of CBI raids happening across the country. Mostly targeted at politicians, traders, anyone with black money.Who is conducting those raids?  Are they real? Even if they are not, the victims cannot complain “due to their own motives” and the real CBI has no clue how to trace them.


Enter Waseem Khan a brilliant CBI officer who manages to track and trace their footprints. But will he catch them? And how?


I am not telling. Go watch it.


The dialogues are very witty and well written.  Anupam Kher shines in his scenes as usual, particularly in the post interval phase. The direction is sensitive and slick at the same time. The music and songs however are so-so and one wonders if they were needed at all in the first place.


But go watch this for its brilliant story amazingly told! Total “paisa wasool” – Special26 very special!


A marathon of chaos
Feb 17, 2013 04:53 PM 5383 Views

Past one week I resisted my desire to watch highly talked about and called by many as best movie of 2013 so far - Special 26 - until yesterday when my elder miscreant brother abetted me to watch ABCD, which he had already seen. He was not actually excited to see the movie but to boast after showing me toddler's first 4 alphabets that 'See, I brought you to show a masterpiece buddy'. Luckily, no nearby cinema was playing ABCD in late night show, the only slot that was available for employees like me. Thank God! I was saved from a dilemma.I conjured my mind and convinced my brother to watch tantalizing Special 26. Being weekend, I was well prepared for fools like me to throng at the cinema halls and so went 1 hour prior to the show. I don't fathom it yet why I took so much pain. From the very second scene to the not very 2nd last,  what I was watching was mere people walking and paced walking . as the big screen was flaunting the irated and fiercely faced people, I was introspecting myself ' Did I paid to watch people do morning walk ?'


The movie consists of mainly 3 con acts which were similar in their kind. In the movie, 1/4th of the time people were walking, 1/4th of the time discovering money, 1/4th of the time was consumed by dark Fantasy Kajal Agarwal who caused my eyes to sore and the remaining 1/4th of the time was the actual movie. Now that was the biggest con in the movie, the fourth one!"Kuch log wo they jo isi picture banate hain, aur baaki wo jo mast mast Kehkar unka saath dete hain. Phuddu bana gaye hume!"


All cast have done very well. For majority scenes, Manoj Bajpai played a zombie with just one grave expression on the face. Akshar Kumar did fabulous job of giving Shaktiman pose and when bored, doing some cardio stuff. Jimmy Shergil was just there to say "G Janab" and Divya to grumble "E log hain jo asli kaam kar rahe hain".Kajal Agarwal was as bad as she could be.She tried really hard for it and I guess she did it well. Keep it up Kajal. You're just a step away from being the worst actress of the year(Moti thoda acting pe dhyan de! Kha Kha ke phat jayegi!). Standing ovation to Anupam Kher who manages to do something appreciable amidst rammage.


Music was very intense and apt as per the screenplay. Songs were good. Though unnecessary for the story line, they were a rest to my soared eyes affected by the lassitude of watching chaos.


There are two things I would and I should appreciate. First, the time of 80's is well shown. Every small detail has been taken care off very well. All the cars that you see even in the background are of that time. Clothes, look and feel, etc. was just great. Second is the climax scene of the movie that was worth wasting time and money. Manoj Bajpai breaks through his Zombie avatar and wakes up to show some brilliant act. Second half was entertaining(mind it! Compared to first half, I mean).


Final Judgement: Special 26 is average movie that can be watched at maximum, once. Even with powerful performance and high intensity, the movie fails to gratify due to lack of good script and over stretched story which could have easily been adjusted in 60 min. It could have been much much better.


My Rating: 2.5/5.


One more superb show by Mr. Niraj Pande
Feb 16, 2013 10:28 AM 5379 Views

After long time Niraj Pande have directed one more superb movie. Plot is very good and more importantly taking of each shots is very good. The way frames are interlinked to show the references with each other is real good. This is real story happened in 1987 don't know if those were arrested or not?


Acting - Akshay kumar have acted nicely keeping in mind the theme of the movie that he is not the super khiladi as his other movies. For Anupam ji its one more regular fantastic performance. He just shifts from one tempo to another tempo of the character. He have shown the rudeness  of cbi officer to middle class father. Same time no resemblance with character in Wednesday where he had acted commissionaire under same director. He have kept in mind that cbi officer is not real one.


For others, they have done very good job. Manoj Vaspei after many years saw him in some good role.


Please don't tell detail story from start to end to anybody who have not seen this movie. Let them go with the movie and understand the characters.


This movie ask many questions like authenticity of CBI, Police and not to say regarding our neta log which is known to everybody but still there are getting good post in government comities with legal case pending on them.


I recommend everybody should watch this movie.


Delhi India
Good con movie
Feb 14, 2013 07:49 PM 5528 Views

The plot was good and thank god Akshay acted better than his style of movies. Anupam kher was good too. I went with friends and it was a nice time out! Worth the money spent in the multiplex and food. Be ready to surprised and be ready to be entertained. Movies based on real life is sometimes better than pure fiction!


Heist movies have come of age in Bollywood!
Feb 13, 2013 05:38 PM 5053 Views

In the recent past, Akshay Kumar has mostly been seen in comic flicks, barring the odd stunt-based brain-dead crass films like Rowdy Rathore. Amidst all this, 'Special Chabbis' comes as a welcome break with director Neeraj Pandey delivering yet another gem after his much acclaimed 'A Wednesday'.


The film is inspired by the real life 1987 Tribuvandas Bhimji Zaveri Jewel heist where a middle-aged conman had posed as an Income Tax Officer staging a raid with 28 'newly recruited' officers who were told that they were doing a mock-raid as a part of their training. The thief, who called himself Monsingh disappeared with the Jewellery and was never caught. To date, this is said to be an 'unsolved mystery'.


While picturizing a single event would have looked like a documentary, the writers have added more meat to the film through events and developing each of the key characters, presenting most aspects of their lives, love interests, family, etc., Sure, the storytelling has repeated shots of people walking or driving for dramatic effect, which gets tiresome after a point. But then, the story doesn't lose pace.


The first scene shows a walk-in interview to recruit CBI Officers. Cut to flashback, Ajay Singh (Akshay Kumar), PK Sharma (Anupam Kher) along with Joginer & Iqubal are seen raiding a Minister's house in Delhi assisted by a cop Ranvir Singh (Jimmy Shergill). After they have recovered lakhs, it is revealed that the four men posing as CBI officers are actually fakes. The four soon disappear into the crowd with the loot.


Fearing loss of face, the minister refuses to lodge a complaint, much like most of their earlier victims. It is revealed that the conmen use the fear of law to loot black money whose owners would never want the public to know that they had it in the first place. Soon, the news of the loot reaches the real CBI where Wasim Khan (Manoj Bajpai) is tasked with finding them. He is helped by the now-suspended cop Ranbir Singh.


What follows is a very interesting chase across cities, peppered with the right dose of comic lines delivered at the right time. In a way, the movie reminds you of Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio starrer 'Catch Me If You Can' and the famous 'Ocean' series and packs in adequate drama. Although many Bollywood filmmakers have heist flicks before, only a rare few could get the formula right and 'Special Chabbis' is a good one!


Some may argue that the film surely has a moral dilemma angle to it. One, that it makes heroes out of conmen. But the other argument would be that the people they robbed were bad anyway. The weakest link is probably the love track which rather delays the film, and some repeated footage that could've been avoided.


On acting, the best among them is Anupam Kher who plays the greedy old man, which is closely followed by a predictably good performer in Manoj Bajpai and Akshay Kumar demonstrating that he hasn't forgotten acting. Kajal Aggarwal, as Akshay Kumar's love interest, at best is a pretty distraction and hardly has much to do. Jimmy Shergill as the cop and Divya Dutta who plays his assistant perfectly fit their roles too.


The single biggest achievement in the film, is its production design: portrayal of 1980's India with traffic free roads, no cell phones, no modern cars, etc. And this had to be repeated for all the cities that the story is depicted in. The best of such scenes is an overhead shot of Delhi's Connaught Place which zooms down to Manoj Bajpai riding a scooter. There are some other scenes that are tacky, but can be pardoned.


Take my advice and don't wait for it to come on TV. With tons of advertisements to interrupt the show, the chase drama would lose its charm. For all the good screenplay, intelligent dialog, occasional humor and some twists, make sure that you don't miss 'Special Chabbis', what many believe is the Indian answer to Ocean's series!


Special all right - Go watch it
Feb 11, 2013 10:13 AM 4293 Views

Caught this movie over the weekend. The plot revolves around 4 conmen viz. Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher and two others, who while leading normal lives in their own space, come together, time and again to carry out fantastic con jobs posing as CBI, IT, ACB and such assorted Govt agencies.


Their targets are chosen with great precision and are usually those who would not want to publicize their experience viz. Ministers who have amassed humungous wealth by unscrupulous means, black money hoarded by businessmen and such.


The Director has paid lot of attention to recreate the ambiance of the 80's right from the humble briefcase to the royal Amby, the rotary dial telephones of the era, the ugly airport facades etc.  Only deviance I think would be the clothes worn by the main lead and his love interest - looked too modern to be from the 80s... but that would be nit picking.


The plot was superb, inspired as it were, from real life -  There actually was such a con artiste who pulled off a 'CBI' raid at a reputed jewellery shop at Opera House and till date, the case remains unsolved.


The movie moves at a fast pace and is well shot and tightly scripted, with able support from the supporting cast - The SI Ranveer Singh (Jimmy Shergeill), Lady Constable Shanti (Divya Dutta) et al.  Manoj Bajpayee as the real CBI officer mandated the task of bringing these con men to book, looked the part.


It was really entertaining to watch the plot unfold on the screeen with the cops latching on the con mens game plan, tapping Anupam's landline, squeezing Anupam identifying him as the weak link.


The climax had a twist on the lines of 'A Wednesday'.


Now if only they could delete the useless romantic track, lousy songs and reduce the length by about 20 minutes, this movie would rate a full 4 stars. Best scenes:


1.The opening sequence leading to the raid on the MInisiters residence


2.Akshay salvaging the scene when they walk into a real CBI raid, raiding another businessman and actually getting the CBI officer to help them cart away the loot!


3.CBI Officer Waseem Khan (Manoj Bajpayee) and team chasing a suspect down the Connaught Place precincts


4.The CBI team playing a cat & mouse game after identifying the con men


Could be deleted:


The complete romantic track, with the lousy songs etc.  Reduce the length by around 20 minutes.


Right now, I would strongly recommend it for a one time watch.


My rating 3 1/2 stars


Ranchi, Jharkhand India
The SPECIAL movie in a SPECIAL week !
Feb 10, 2013 08:25 PM 4309 Views

SPECIAL 26 - a multistarrer heist film, based on a real life story of the 1980s when a group of ambitious people faked their identities as CBI/ income tax et al officers and raided people of influence having enormous black money, to make their living. The roles essayed by Akshay, Anupam Kher, and their accomplishes including a certain jimmy Shergill perform their task with a flair and a panache which makes the story come alive.


On the opposite end of this tale, is a honest "original" CBI officer in the form of Manoj Bajpayee who with his almost flawless acting, priceless expressions and dead pan looks as "Khan" makes the movie a must watch. GOW, Chakravyuh and now this one, "sardaar khan" is on a roll.


It moves as a cat n mouse chase thriller film with sufficient surprise elements to keep you in the groove. The brisk screenplay, editing and direction by Neeraj Pandey from "A Wednesday" fame, is really honest and keeps the audience invested in the movie with the director making sure that the fine details about the 1980s look are taken into account to make the setting credible. The acting is what carries the film throughout with Manoj and the veteran Mr Kher as standout performers.


Some of the dialogues written for this film are fabulously hilarious but at the same time very opportune to the moments when they are delivered by the cast. The women characters, love story and the songs thrown in between seem a bit forced but they only serve as minor blips in an otherwise fun movie. The music is ordinary with the combo of Irshad Kaamil (Rockstar lyricist) and Himesh not exactly crackling , to be fair to them , the movie never had a scope for an opulent romantic number either.


All in all, a movie to be cherished, enjoyed and loved. Take some of "special" time out of ur valentines' day week to watch this one ! :)


ASLI Kaam To Yeh Log Kar Rahe Hai!!
Feb 10, 2013 10:29 AM 9600 Views

Neeraj Pandey’s ‘A Wednesday!’ was an unforgettable film. The manner in which the film gripped the viewer and presented a twist that no one had expected gave a distinct touch to the film, and hence the movie is rightly today termed as a classic. Neeraj’s next, Special 26, too follows suit and does resemble his first film in many aspects. There’s a cat and mouse game going on between the cops and baddie(s) and the best is reserved for the finale! The romantic portion does spoil things to an extent but that’s a very minor glitch. The film has lots to offer and succeeds in meeting all expectations!


The story of the movie: Ajay (Akshay Kumar), Sharma (Anupam Kher), Joginder (Rajesh Sharma) and Iqbal (Kishore Kadam) are thieves who impersonate as CBI officers and ‘raid’ the residences and offices of those having tons of black money. The confidence with which they execute their operations and even involve local cops and officials leaves everyone stunned. ‘Asli’ CBI officer Wasim (Manoj Bajpayee) is not impressed and decides to nail the culprits. He takes the help of police officer Ranveer Singh (Jimmy Shergill) who had unknowingly helped the con men raid the residence of a minister. Meanwhile, Ajay and his gang are going on with their raids and are planning something huge before they call it a day. Will they succeed? Will Wasim manage to thwart their operations?


Special 26 is 143 minutes long and Neeraj Pandey’s direction ensures viewers are glued on to the screen. The first raid of the film, shown at the very commencement, is hilarious and takes its own sweet time to unfold. One knows, thanks to the promos, what’s going to follow and yet one enjoys the ride. That’s the power of Neeraj’s direction…hats off! The conversations between Manoj and Jimmy (what was Lord Shiva doing in CBI office?!) and the Kolkata heist of the con men makes the first half an entertaining fare. The second half too has its moments and in many ways is better than the initial hour. The interviewing process could have been better but does entertain nevertheless. However, the real fun begins in the last 30 minutes in the final showdown between the two sides. The unexpected events that unfold at this juncture are seen to be believed! Of course, questions arise in one’s mind and the loopholes come out loud and clear. But who cares! Special 26 provides a unique experience after all. The narrative, the setting and the characters are as convincing and realistic as possible. Hence, the glitches towards the finale won’t be a matter of concern. What doesn’t work however is the romantic portion of Ajay and Priya (Kajal Aggarwal).


Special 26 is laced with some brilliant performances. Akshay Kumar delivers an award worthy performance and yet again proves that he’s one of the best. Akshay has played twisted characters earlier (Tees Maar Khan, Blue, Tashan etc) but what he’s done in Special 26 is unlike anything else he’s essayed in the past. And yet again, Akshay proves he’s ready to embrace all kinds of cinema. Hats off to this marvelous actor!


Anupam Kher has acted in over 400 films but Special 26 surely get the distinction of one of his all-time best performances! The actor off late has been essaying inconsequential and not-so-challenging roles in films like Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Desi Boyz, Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum etc and he was surely on the lookout for a well-etched role. When he finally gets one, with Special 26, he ensures he comes up with nothing but the best. Manoj Bajpayee who’s in top form, thanks to success of Gangs Of Wasseypur part 1, gives yet another terrific performance. He’s in many ways the second lead of the film and keeps the tempo high with his acts and one-liners! Check out the way he threatens his superior for a pay raise! Jimmy Shergill looks adorable and puts his best forward. Same goes for Divya Dutta (Shanti Yadav) although one misses her in the middle portions of the film. Rajesh Sharma and Kishore Kadam lend adequate support and look straight out of life.


Kajal Aggarwal looks charming but is wasted. Sukhvinder Chahal (minister), Mukesh Bhatt (PA) and Abha Parmar (minister’s wife) are hilarious and too good. Tiku Talsania (jewellery store owner) is funny and nice to see him on screen after ages! Neeru Bajwa is stunning and so is Neetu Singh (Wasim’s wife). Others are fine.


In a film like Special 26, music had no scope. Gore Mukhde Pe, Kaun Mera, Mujh Mein Tu and Dharpakad are well-composed tracks but served no purpose in the film except Kaun Mera that was nicely woven in the film. Surender Sodhi’s background score is impactful and reminiscent of the 80s. Late Bobby Singh’s cinematography is flawless. Vaishnavi Reddy’s sets are brilliant and the detailing that have gone into coming up with a late 80s setting is praiseworthy. VFX however isn’t great at places.


Neeraj Pandey’s writing and direction packs a punch. The script and plot, inspired from real-life events, are immensely interesting and Neeraj adds his own trademark twists towards the finale that makes for a great watch. There are places where the film tends to drag, especially the scenes where the con men are carrying out the raid and Wasim is shown going on his way for work on his scooter. However, it’s all neatly done and thanks to the treatment, 80s style background score etc, one actually enjoys the process. However, the reason why Special 26 falls one step short of a classic is the entire romantic trick and the unexplained bits towards the climax. The latter is still fine but the lovey-dovey moments were unnecessary. After all, is it really indispensable for a film to have songs and romance? Also, was it necessary for someone like Neeraj Pandey to fall prey to these diktats? There were no romantic leads in ‘A Wednesday!’ and it worked so well. He could have attempted something similar in Special 26 too. But keeping aside the flaws, the film does have meat and makes for a great watch!


Best scenes of the film:




  1. Raid at minister’s place




  2. Wasim’s entry




  3. Wasim meets Ranveer Singh




  4. The raid in Kolkata




  5. The intermission point




  6. The gang assembles in Bombay




  7. The selection process




  8. The final 30-35 minutes






On the whole, Special 26 is an incredible film that leaves you stunned and thoroughly entertained despite the glitches. The romantic track serves no purpose but the film has lot of plusses that makes Special 26 a must watch film of the year. Performances are exemplary and the script and narrative is first-rate. At the box office, Special 26 surprisingly hasn’t got a flying start. A common grouse of a section of audiences is that Akshay always comes up with mindless films. But Special 26 is different and is a great high-concept fare. Miss it at your own risk!


Special Movie of 2013
Feb 09, 2013 11:23 PM 4756 Views

After delivering a blockbuster movie 'Wednesday' in 2008, Neeraj Pandey is back after a long time with 'Special 26' which is based on true life incidents. Here's something that's worth an applaud for it's well thought out & intelligent content. Inspired from a real-life jewelry heist in 1987, the film is about a gang of con artists who want to make quick money.


"Special Chhabbis" is a wonderful movie with a wonderful ending, and what with the 'twists' and 'blind alleys' in the script that adds to a lot of fun once you watch this flick you'll understand! A movie that's packed with witty yet meaningful dialogues, superb performances by Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Rajesh Sharma, Jimmy Sheirgill, Divya Dutt, Vipin Sharma, Kishore Kadam, Kajal Aggarwal and above all Manoj Bajpayee as Waseem Khan, CBI Inspector.


This 2 hours 24 mins movie, does not rely on crude jokes or slapstick comedy and sticks to subtle humor. The show stealer is Manoj Bajpayee who plays the CBI officer chasing the impersonators. It’s hard to take your eyes off Bajpayee in his turn as a ruthless investigator with deadpan delivery.


The best part of the film would be the remarkable performances delivered by each actor. If you have had enough of Akshay Kumar's comedy genre, check him out in this one.


Here's someone, who deserves a standing ovation. Yes, Anupam Kher, delivers a splendid performance in Special 26. He yet again proves his versatility as an actor.


Manoj Bajpayee, you don't need to mention how remarkable he is in delivering his performance. He stands tall in his role, comparison to all.


But the romance between Kumar’s character and Priya (Kajal Aggarwall) defuses the tension and slows the film to an unforgivable pace.


Pros:




  1. Performances




  2. Directors attention to detail. Among the elements that work wonderfully to depict the 1980s on screen — a Connaught Place dotted with hmt and Only Vimal stores, and Maruti hatchbacks zooming through Delhi and Mumbai streets.




  3. Unpredictable plot and action packed drama.




  4. Surprisingly Climax leaves you happy from the cinema theaters.




  5. Well written and presented.






Cons:




  1. Romantic outlook of the movie. There wasn't any need of any song just like 'Wednesday' has neither of Kajal Aggarwall too.




By large, the movie offers plenty of fun, drama and the interest levels rarely dip. There is also a twist thrown into the mix towards the end which is well-executed.


The movie ends with the scope and promise for a possible sequel and the director might even be thinking of making Special 26 franchise.


My ratings: 4.1 outta 5.


Busy and Smart - That's what Special 26 is
Feb 09, 2013 10:48 AM 4413 Views

Absolutley loved the movie, and my detailed review is posted here - https://wp.me/p58tw-dl


In short - great performances - especially by Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar, Manoj Bajpayee and Divya Dutta. Everyone else is brilliant too.


Great editing - not a boring moment, except for the romance track.


Great plot. No morality. No taking sides. Yet, you root for the conment and not for CBI.


Trichur, Kerala, India India
Buddhu Banaya - Bada Mazaa Aaya..
Feb 09, 2013 10:45 AM 4203 Views

Special 26- This one is a “specially” smart flick. Not only does it make a “buddhu” of the antagonist in the film, but, it also cleverly makes a “buddhu” out of the audience as well. And we enjoy this ride to the hilt-so much, that we would want to be taken for a ride- again.


To start off, this is not a “con” flick as many believe it to be. This is more on the lines of a “heist” film, which has plans and backup plans, and true to it’s genre, it smart moves played by the protagonist and the antagonist, never cease to amaze you. There are enough logical twists in the plot to keep you entertained and glued to your seats.


The plot is simple. Four con men, Ajay Singh ( Akshay Kumar), PK Sharma ( Anupam Kher), Joginder ( Rajesh Sharma) and Iqbal ( Kishore Kadam) pose as government officials and conduct bogus raids on corrupt business men and politicians. Apart from looting these corrupt officials from their ill earned gains, they also make it a point to “slap” them for good measure.


The CBI notices this pattern and asks their best officer Wasim Khan (Manoj Bajpayee) and that’s when the chase begins. It becomes a strategic game of chess, with our antagonist, Wasim Khan, making his moves, quietly, like a tiger honing in on it’s prey.


Right from the word go, the film keeps you rooted to your seats with it’s gritty camera work, the pumping background score and the performances by the cast. Akshay Kumar shines as the calm, composed brains of the gang. Anupam Kher gives one of his best performances as PK Sharma, a middle aged gentle-man, who is caught in the middle of a financial burden, a fear of getting caught someday and still  trying to lead his gang. Manoj Bajpayee is brilliant as the cunning, honest and extremely manipulative and determined CBI officer.


I heard a few people lament that the film has no humor. Yes, it doesn’t ‘ve humor -the way we have seen it till now. The humor is purely situational and will surely bring a smile on your face or make you guffaw- if you have the taste for it.


I also heard a few folks lament that there’s no action in the film. Well, this one is a “heist” film, which is more about brains than brawn. If you are looking for high octane action, I would suggest that you could go for the brain dead “Race 2” or “Players”.


A special mention has to be made for the set pieces used throughout the film. Director Pandey has made the film so authentic, that for some time, you would be “transported” to the 80’s.His attention to detail is painstaking and brilliant.


The film does have a few let downs too- namely the visual effects, the unimportant love story and the useless songs. But, I won’t describe any of this because you wouldn’t take back any of this from this brilliant flick.


What you would take back is incredible set designing, some funny moments and credible performances.


Watch it if you love a good “heist” flick.


Special 26 ~ The Magic of Excellence
Feb 08, 2013 10:27 PM 28264 Views

Special 26 is a one of its kind con-job Indian Movie which has everything in place, including its entertainment value. This heist drama is a surprise and has really met the expectation from the ‘A WEDNESDAY’ Director, Neeraj Pandey. A Master Mind, 26 people and a mantra ‘ Asli Power Dil Mein Hoti Hai (the real power lies in the heart)’ has created magic on the silver screen that you will relish .


Special 26 is inspired from the true incidents of 1980s where few people posed themselves as CBI Officers has raided many politicians and businessmen across the nation but most of them never published in the newspaper due to the involvement of Black money. This movie’s last heist drama is inspired by the 1987’s real life robbery at the Opera House Branch of TBZ jewellers in Mumbai by the fake CBI officers.


Special 26 is a story of Ajay Singh (Akshay Kumar) who wished to a CBI officer but unfortunately he couldn’t make out in the interview. Later on with the help of three people Sharmaji (Anupum Kher), Joginder (Rajesh Sharma) and Iqbal (Kishore Kadam) he blueprint a Plan which no one has ever imagined in the history. They heist 49 people posing as CBI Officers without getting caught so they plan for the 50th and the Final Master Game. But four of them alone cannot do the same , they need a team of 26 people, their own Special 26. Will they get their Special 26? Will they succeed in their Master Plan?


Neeraj Pandey , the Director, first and foremost along with his creative team should be applauded for the cinematic magic they have shown to portrait the India of 1980s. Very few Indian Movies actually put a thought and labour like the way Neeraj has done whether it was the Miniature Indian Airlines, Cars of the 1980s, Kolkatta Market, Connaught Place, Traffic and roads of Delhi It was really hard to believe that movie has been made in 2012-13. Second, The story and screenplay is intelligently written and the climax is mind boggling ( with one flaw Vidya Balan’s Kahaani is still the best of Indian Cinema). Third, the Characters are well written especially Jimmy Shergill and Divya Dutta were the real surprise. Fourth, Performances are top notch from all the characters including the supporting ones. Fifth, Background score and music was really a surprise and appreciating. Neeraj has indeed has given one of the best of 2013.


Performances, Akshay Kumar for the first time has given a performance I would like to remember as far as acting quotient is concerned. Anupum Kher needs no introduction and Manoj Bajpai has given the rock solid performances. As mentioned Jimmy Shergill and Divya Dutta were the surprise factor and all supporting cast has done a reasonably good job. Music, Background Score was a major strength and Music by M. M. Kareem and Himesh Reshammiya was pretty good and lyrics by Irshad Kamil penned down nicely.


‘Special 26’ is the best movie so far in 2013 and is a gem of Con-Job movies in the Indian Cinema. Neeraj Pandey has given the enough reason to the audience to celebrate Cinema ONLY IN THEATRES!


‘ Asli Power Dil Mein Hoti Hai’


Regards


Your’s AvA Readers’


Feedback is appreciated


A disclaimer : The ideas, feelings, expressions and views expressed hereby are purely personal. The Critique/Reviewer tries to keep himself completely free from any status quo of the personalities related, award nominations or wins, box office performances with the reviewed Movie/Product/Service to give fair and unbiased judgment. Readers’ cooperation is solicited.


Not so special Chabbis
Feb 08, 2013 09:47 PM 3954 Views

SPECIAL 26 - MOVIE REVIEW


STATUTORY WARNING: This reviewer will not delve too much into the story of the movie on review, reckons a one line description will do just fine. For filmophiles who have suffered for years at the hands of sadistic reviewers including yours truly, all SPOILERS are at the end i.e. are only for those already done watching.


STORY: A thriller loosely based on a real life incident  that took place in Mumbai in March 1987 where in a daring heist, some con men posing as CBI officers conducted a daylight income tax raid on the Opera House branch of Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri in Mumbai, and disappeared with jewellery worth lakhs.


Five years ago A WEDNESDAY created ripples in Hindi cinema. With virtually no stars, (yep no heroine even ! ) no songs and released with zero publicity, it was a game changer. The angst of the protagonist ( a gut wrenching Naseeruddin Shah ) touched a raw nerve in the audience. It also ushered in an exciting new talent, Neeraj Pandey. This Bihari lad seems to have the uncanny knack of choosing the right subject. In 2008, terrorism was uppermost in the minds of the common man. Today, the man on the streets is fed up with all the muck (read corruption ) going around in politics today. Which is what SPECIAL 26 is all about.


SPECIAL 26 starts off on a high with the first scene itself bringing down the house. And like its characters who are always scampering around, the film moves at a feverish pace and the build up to the climax is quite superb, quite akin to a nail biting finish in a limited overs cricket match. Sadly, the climax is a big letdown and the twist in the end is quite unconvincing. Be that as it may, for most of its 120 minutes ( the length of the film is again a big plus ) SPECIAL 26 sparkles. Simply put, A WEDNESDAY was all heart. SPECIAL 26 is well, a smartly written film.


The background score is good in patches. There are three songs here and frankly, they add nothing of value to the overall goings on. Except for Akshay Kumar' s romantic track which should not have gone beyong the editing table, the editing by Shree Narayan Singh is brilliant. Bobby Singh has a great outing behind the lens and his sad demise is quite unfortunate. The writing and direction both credited to Pandey is razor sharp and his attention to detail is great. The attempt to recreate the era of the 1980s India is laudable.The DI works well in the title credits but jars at other places.


Above all, what makes this enterprise work are the performances. Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Rajesh Sharma ( in a restrained performance after his hilarious role in LUV SHUV TEY CHICKEN KHURANA ) and Kishore Kadam ( he is the surprise package )  make a fab team so much so that every time they pull off a daring heist, the audience roots for them. What can one say of Mr Kher ? In the last three decades, this actor has made us laugh ( DIL HAI KI MAANTA NAHIN, LAMHE, DDLJ )  and cry ( SARAANSH, DADDY, JANAM ) at will. Here again, as the common man getting back at a rotten system , he is in fine form. Akshay Kumar gives what is arguably his career best performance. The only grouse is that much like Nasser's character in A WEDNESDAY, little is known about Ajju here. Whether this was deliberately done by Pandey is something only he can answer.


Last but obviously not the least is the character of Wasim Khan played by the incomparable Hazraat, Hazraat, Hazraat Manoj Bajpai. Each and very scene of his is a delight to watch and inspite of his looks, when he is on screen, it is difficult to look at anyone else. To sum it up, SPECIAL 26 has more highs than lows. If only the climax had been better. Be that as it may, SPECIAL 26 is recommended as a one time watch. For sure !


SPOILERS


THE SCENE : There are quite a few contenders for this ( all with Bajpai in them as the common factor ) but  the ' dupatta ' wala scene with his wife's character takes the cake. It even has a nice ACT 2 at the end.


THE DIALOGUE : There is nothing like the extraordinary monologue by Nasser's character in A WEDNESDAY ( in the climax) here. But the best line is the one where in an interview for the CBI job, a character unwittingly blurts " I want to do my Country "


THE CHARACTER : No prizes for guessing this. The character of CBI officer Wasim Khan is one of the best written roles for a supporting actor in recent times. His scenes alone are more than worth the price of your movie ticket.


CBI Special
Feb 08, 2013 08:58 PM 26707 Views

This movie is based on true incident which occurred during era, when tracking the criminals was difficult considering the fact that cellphone technology had not made its inroads. Considering this fact nowadays the job of  cops, security agencies etc have become much more easier like crack opening a beer can.


Nowadays the investigating agencies are blessed with mobile traces, CCTV footage, Traffic Signal Monitoring and even advanced forensic science. The movie revolves around the politicians and business men with plenty of black and unaccounted money.


The crooks don the garb of CBI or Income Tax official and raid the victims after due research. All the true incidents seems to have occurred in 1980s and raid on jeweler was 50 one. Akshay is the mastermind well supported by Anupam Kher in pulling off many a raids and hoodwinking the victims into believing that they were really being raided. Even when they realize that they have been fooled they cannot complain since the source of income is dubious or unaccounted for.


The law of the land has to catch up since they get bolder and bolder and want to pull of a final heist with a famous jeweler, if one Googles he can arrive at the real name of the same. The film too gives an indirect clue to the identity of the famous jeweler located in Opera House Mumbai. How they go about systematically planning and recruiting assistants through a newspaper advertisement staying in a Five Star Hotel is a very interesting plot, which keeps one of the edge.


How the real CBI works around heist and tries to prevent the atrocious and audacious raid is the climax of the movie. Watch it for its climax and how the plot is treated by the director of Special 26 (Neeraj Pandey of Wednesday fame ). The role of Jimmy Shergil and Divya Dutta has been superbly planned and executed in the overall plot.


Manoj Bajpayee has done full justice of his role of CBI investigating officer who tries to trap the fake ones.  He plans his moves meticulously with foresight and inside information. Kajal Agarwal has displayed a cosmetic role to perfection.   I liked the cricket connection to this movie giving a new twist or clue to the original culprits.


This movie is dedicated to Ponty Chadda who was the distributor for many a Bollywood movies in Northern India and rescuing many a distressed film makers. The liquor baron ( 35 k crore worth ) was brutally murdered along with his brother at his farmhouse. I hope the cops get into the deep rooted conspiracy of murder of Ponty Chadda, who deserves justice. Let the savior of Bollywood movies in North rest in peace.


Thoda Namak Kam Tha
Feb 08, 2013 02:13 PM 3197 Views

There's a pattern which Neeraj Pandey follows in his films, probably he wants the police or the CBI to function in this manner. A Wednesday was clearly a masterpiece. About Special 26, I am confused, the movie was nice, not bad, the cast performance was apt but something, somewhere was missing.


Con movies have a stringent plot and the story revolves around the protagonist with few twists and turns here and there. About the positive points, the 1980's feel or essence was captured quite well. Akshay, Manoj, Anupam, Kaajal everyone has tried to give their best. Music by M M Kreem also had that nostalgic feeling.


But...But...the movie was not entertaining enough, at some points you start getting bored.


Bluffmaster, Bunty aur Babli (to an extent), Khosla ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye are few examples of highly entertaining con movies. It has to have a right mixture of glamour, humor, drama and action. Special 26 lacks in 3 of these departments. No glamour, negligible humor, Lots of drama and action only comprised of chase and slaps. Although the climax was much better.


But still, I will recommend this movie to someone who wants to see a clean, feel good movie this weekend.


Remains What It Was Meant To Be! - Shivom Oza
Feb 08, 2013 11:27 AM 7713 Views

Neeraj Pandey impressed one-and-all with his gripping direction and storytelling in the 2008 film, 'A Wednesday', which starred Anupam Kher and Nasseruddin Shah. That film worked because of many reasons – a tight gripping screenplay, an impeccable script, flawless performances, crisp editing (100 minutes), no ‘stereotyping’ (in fact, the movie itself was somehow based on ‘anti-stereotyping’), no ‘Bollywood’ gimmick such as item numbers among many more.


This one, ‘Special 26’, somehow goes back to the same school of filmmaking, which is more about gumption than gimmick! Based on true incidents, this Akshay Kumar-Anupam Kher-Manoj Bajpayee-Jimmy Sheirgill-Divya Dutt starrer is about the curious case of the fake CBI raids, which were conducted in the 1980s.


‘Special 26’ just stops short of being a gem! There are several flaws in this film. However, do watch it as seldom do Hindi film viewers get an opportunity to witness great stories.


We are introduced to this gang of four ‘fake’ CBI officers – led by Ajay (Akshay Kumar) and P.K Sharma (Anupam Kher). They conduct raids at the houses of corrupt politicians and businessmen and keep all the supposedly ‘seized’ money and jewellery for themselves. There is no particular reason why they do this. One might feel they are trying to get back at the corrupt politicians who are left scott-free after every allegation of corruption. It is also possible that this is their way of acquiring money through illegal practices.


However, their acts do end up looking like public service, considering that the so-called thieves are getting into trouble. Yet, it is fun to watch these fake officers do their thing and even more fun is to witness the reactions of those who are being raided. Now, these fun and games continue until the real CBI comes into play. Led by Waseem Khan (Manoj Bajpayee), CBI starts investigating into the matter and the film is set for a duel between the ‘fake’ and the ‘real’!


The plot, screenplay and dialogues are near-perfect. The cast is filled with acting powerhouses and they are even more brilliant than you would expect. Kajal Aggarwal does a decent job too. However, this film could have done away with her character, which is that of Akshay Kumar’s love interest. In fact, ‘Special 26’ could have done away with the entire romantic track, along with the songs.


Another complaint with this film would be the beeping out of the cuss words. Completely respect the filmmaker’s decision to do away with the foul language in order to make the film suitable for a universal audience. Yet, the replacements for those abusive words are not top notch. Either beep out the abusive language completely or at least use better replacements. Isn’t our Hindi vocabulary rich enough to accommodate offensive, and universal, words? The third complaint with the film would be the use of chroma effect.


Moreover, this effect has been used for relatively simple scenes, such as the long shot of the Kolkata skyline or the South Mumbai sea face. They could have changed the location instead of using the green screen effect, which kind of dilutes the impact of the respective scenes. The lone song that stands out in the soundtrack is ‘Dharpakad’ by the one and only, Bappi Lahiri! This catchy number plays out during the end-credits so stick around for that one!


The scenes have been brilliantly written –memorable moments include the raids conducted in Delhi and Kolkata, the banter between Anupam Kher and Akshay Kumar, Akshay’s penultimate scene with Manoj Bajpayee, Jimmy Sheirgill and Divya Dutta’s chemistry among many more.


The film has a few aberrations. However, it remains what it was meant to be – Special!


Shivom Oza


For more reviews, visit https://shivomoza.blogspot.in


5 star
Feb 01, 2013 11:40 AM 3568 Views

Ye movie sab se achi hogi kyuki is move me wo sab kuch hai jo har tarah ke logo ko pasand ayegi me is movie ko 5 star deta hu salman ki movie jaisi bakwas movi dekh kar me pak gaya hui akshay kuar bhut acha actor hai he is real super star in Bollywood and box office king.


YOUR RATING ON

Special 26 (Chabbis)
1
2
3
4
5

Recommended Top Articles

Recent Questions and Answers on Special 26 (Chabbis)

500
Have a question? Ask away!

X