Laxmii Review: Akshay Kumar's Massive Efforts Too Cannot Save This Messy Flick!

Director Raghava Lawrence took over a mammoth task when he attempted to remake his hit Tamil flick Kanchana in the form of Laxmii. Furthermore, the movie had grabbed immense buzz due to Akshay Kumar's transgender role but unfortunately the film fails to retain the spark of the original. Despite full efforts of the filmmaker and a massive determination by Akshay for his character, the film proves to be a sinking ship.

The movie revolves around Asif (Akshay Kumar) who is on a quest to eradicate superstitions and fear of ghosts from the people. But he himself gets embroiled in a similar situation when he gets possessed by the spirit of a vengeful transgender Laxmii (Sharad Kelkar). Much to the dismay of his wife Rashmi (Kiara Advani) and her family members, the spirit through Asif creates a havoc on its path to vengeance. 

The screenplay of the movie proves to be the weakest link. One cannot understand Asif humanizing with the spirit so suddenly despite him hailing from a different school of thought altogether. There is lack of depth in the plotline as well as the characters. Despite being a horror/comedy, the movie fails in both the departments. The scenes where Asif is trying to bond with his wife's family looks forced and does not derive any laughter. Though the movie's message regarding the empowerment of the transgender community does not go unnoticed in the second half, the movie fails to strike a chord when it comes to its storytelling. 

Filmmaker Raghava Lawrence tries to blend the horror and comedy but fails to do so. The movie catches up pace in the second half with Laxmii's compelling back story and her attaining her revenge. However, even those power-packed scenes rush quickly without striving to connect with the audience. 

Talking about the performance, Akshay manages to put in a complete effort when it comes to his character. However, he is more of a delight to watch during his transgender scenes rather than the usual ones. His energy and passion during his possessed scenes run deep and manages to keep one hooked on. Kiara Advani makes a fresh and vivacious presence and complements Akshay. But she does not have much room to perform in the second half. It is Sharad Kelkar who steals the show as Laxmii. One cannot take one's eyes off him as he delivers the right amount of depth and intensity in his powerful performance. The other supporting star cast like Rajesh Sharma, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar and Manu Rishi Chadha add their own tint of laughter in some of the scenes but most of them look over-the-top and caricature laden. 

This Akshay Kumar starrer would have invoked some claps and roars in the big screens but pass off as just average as an OTT release. However it deserves a one-time watch for Akshay's honest efforts and a message pertaining to the liberation of the trans community.