Vibe Review: Kunal Kemmu's Chaotic Bollywood Ride

We meet Hardik (Kunal Kemmu) and Bugs (Sparsh Shrivastava) as two inseparable friends whose lives are so ordinary they practically blend into the wallpaper of their small-town neighborhood. They work, they bicker, they share meals - the kind of friendship where you don't need to finish your sentences because the other person already knows the ending.

Then a single event - a mix-up, a misunderstanding, a wrong place at the right time (director Kemmu keeps the exact trigger teasingly vague in the marketing, and the film relishes the reveal) - catapults them into a high-energy adventure that puts their survival instincts and their bond under a pressure cooker. Along the way, we encounter Madam H (Preity Zinta), a character so deliciously unpredictable she feels like she wandered in from a different, more stylish movie. Add Kareena (Vanshika Dhir), a no-nonsense presence who keeps the boys grounded, plus seasoned players like Yashpal Sharma, Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua, Aditya Kulshreshtha, and the legendary Sharmila Tagore in a role that will make you sit up straight.

The story is simple: two ordinary friends, one extraordinary mess, and a countdown to survival. But the screenplay finds its heart in the quiet moments between the chases.

Let me say the thing you're all thinking: Preity Zinta. Madam H. The woman has been away from the big screen for far too long, and she returns with a performance that is equal parts razor-sharp and gleefully unhinged. Every time she's on screen, the film's energy cranks up to eleven. She's having the time of her life, and it's contagious. If you were worried the years away might have dulled her spark, relax. She hasn't lost a single step.

Kunal Kemmu pulls double duty as star and director, and it's an impressive balancing act. As Hardik, he's the straight man with a nervous twitch and a heart of gold. As director, he shows a genuine flair for staging chaos - the action sequences are scrappy and inventive rather than polished and generic. This is a filmmaker who has clearly studied the Jackie Chan school of "everything is a prop, everything is a weapon, and the best fight is the one that looks like a mistake."

Sparsh Shrivastava as Bugs is the film's secret weapon. He's the chaotic counterpoint to Hardik's anxiety, and his comic timing is impeccable. The two share a chemistry that makes you believe they've been finishing each other's sentences since childhood. Their friendship is the film's actual plot - everything else is just the obstacle course.

But here's the thing: Vibe has an identity problem. It wants to be a slapstick comedy, a gritty survival drama, and a heartfelt buddy movie all at once. The tonal shifts are jarring. One minute you're laughing at Bugs trying to sweet-talk his way out of a catastrophe, the next you're supposed to feel genuine tension as the stakes escalate. It mostly works because the cast is so committed, but it's a bumpy ride. The 145-minute runtime also overstays its welcome by a good fifteen minutes, with a middle section that drags before the finale picks up steam.

The supporting cast is a treasure trove. Sharmila Tagore brings a gravitas that grounds the more absurd moments. Yashpal Sharma is reliably menacing. Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua's presence is a delight for fans of his work. And Vanshika Dhir as Kareena holds her own against the veteran ensemble - she's one to watch.

The technical side is solid. The music fits the mood, the action choreography is inventive, and the cinematography makes the most of the rural landscapes. It's not a glossy production, and that works in its favor - this feels like a movie about real people in unreal situations.

Pros:

• Preity Zinta's triumphant return - she's magnetic, hilarious, and utterly commanding as Madam H.
• The central friendship between Hardik and Bugs feels genuine and earns its emotional beats.
• Inventive, scrappy action sequences that prioritize creativity over budget.
• Kunal Kemmu's direction shows real promise - he has a distinctive voice behind the camera.

Cons:

• Wildly uneven tone that ricochets between comedy and drama without warning.
• Overlong runtime with a sluggish middle act.
• Some plot threads get tangled and never fully resolve.
• The humor doesn't always land, especially in the first act.

Vibe is the cinematic equivalent of a road trip with your best friend: chaotic, occasionally frustrating, full of wrong turns, but ultimately something you'll remember fondly. It's a comeback vehicle for Preity Zinta that delivers exactly what it promises, and a directorial debut from Kunal Kemmu that suggests even better things to come. Don't go in expecting a tight, polished thriller. Go in expecting a good time with two guys who have no idea what they're doing - and a woman who knows exactly what she's doing. That's the vibe.