Bollywood has spent plenty of time turning spies into larger-than-life action heroes, but Kunal Kemmu’s VIBE takes a very different route. Written and directed by Kemmu, the film places an unlikely everyman at the centre of an espionage adventure and mixes secret missions with friendship, romance and plenty of comedy. Starring Kunal Kemmu, Preity Zinta, Sparsh Shrivastava and Vanshika Dhir, the film is at its best when it stops worrying about being a conventional spy thriller and simply lets its characters have fun.
VIBE follows Hardik, a man trying to rebuild his life after completing rehab, whose attempt to settle into an ordinary marketing job suddenly takes him into the world of espionage. His childhood friend Bugs becomes the bridge between his mundane new life and a secret mission involving a major threat to India. What follows is deliberately quirky, occasionally unpredictable and considerably more interested in comedy than the serious spy dramas that have dominated Bollywood in recent years.
An Unlikely Spy Story Begins With Friendship
The film starts in Mumbai in 2023, with Hardik returning from rehab and struggling to figure out what comes next. His closest friend, Bhagirath Bhargav, better known as Bugs, refuses to give up on him and manages to get him a regular office job. Hardik is hardly thrilled about spending his days in a 9-to-5 marketing role, but his situation changes when he meets Kareena, a Canadian-educated intern who immediately catches his attention.
Their developing relationship gives the first part of VIBE a distinctly romantic-comedy flavour. Hardik’s attempts to impress Kareena provide some of the lighter moments, while her connection to the larger story gradually becomes more important than it initially appears. Just when the film seems to be settling into a workplace romance, the narrative takes a sharp turn towards espionage.
That shift comes through Preity Zinta’s Madam H, who heads a fictional intelligence agency called Vigilance Intelligence Ballistic Espionage. A terrorist threat involving Abu Al Sayeed brings Hardik and Bugs into the agency’s orbit, eventually turning two ordinary men into extremely unlikely participants in a secret operation. The basic idea is deliberately absurd, and that is where VIBE finds much of its personality.
The funniest part of the setup is watching Hardik and Bugs prepare for their new roles. They are given an extremely short window to learn what they need for their mission, creating plenty of opportunities for physical comedy, awkward training and their contrasting personalities to collide. Their friendship remains the emotional centre of the film even after the story becomes much bigger.
Kunal Kemmu and Sparsh Shrivastava Carry the Comedy
The strongest relationship in VIBE is not the romantic one. It is the friendship between Hardik and Bugs, and Kunal Kemmu and Sparsh Shrivastava understand exactly what makes their pairing work. There is an easy warmth between the two actors that makes their scenes feel spontaneous rather than overly constructed.
Kemmu is particularly comfortable in the comic portions of the film. Hardik’s personality allows him to use expressive reactions, casual dialogue delivery and his familiar comic timing without turning every scene into an obvious punchline. Even when the screenplay becomes predictable, Kemmu’s performance gives the character enough charm to keep the audience on his side.
Sparsh gets an opportunity to move away from the kind of performance audiences may associate with his earlier work. Bugs could easily have become the stereotypical best friend whose only purpose is to support the hero, but Shrivastava gives him enough individuality to make the partnership feel balanced. His chemistry with Kemmu becomes one of the reasons the film remains enjoyable through its weaker stretches.
Their bhaichaara gives VIBE its heart. The espionage plot provides the larger stakes, but the friendship provides the reason to care about what happens to these characters. Whenever the movie returns to the pair’s comic equation, it feels more comfortable in its own skin.
The Supporting Cast Adds Plenty of Colour
Vanshika Dhir makes her Bollywood debut as Kareena and gets more to do than simply serve as Hardik’s romantic interest. The character is involved in both the lighter romantic portions and the film’s more dramatic turns, giving Dhir opportunities to work across different tones. She holds her own opposite the more experienced cast and shows enough potential to make the performance worth watching.
Yash Pal Sharma and Dinesh Lal Yadav, popularly known as Nirahua, add another layer of comedy as members of Madam H’s team. Their dialogue exchanges provide some of the film’s lighter moments, particularly when the story starts leaning more heavily into its spy premise. Their presence helps prevent the intelligence-agency portions from becoming too dry.
Sharmila Tagore also appears in a special cameo, adding another familiar face to the ensemble. Her appearance is one of those additions that gives the film an extra bit of personality without fundamentally changing its central story. The cast overall works best when the film allows its performers to play into the absurdity rather than treating every espionage development with complete seriousness.
Preity Zinta, however, is less convincing as Madam H. She has the screen presence necessary to play the head of an intelligence agency, but some of her dialogue delivery lacks the authority the role requires. Her action sequence also does not have the impact expected from such an important character, occasionally making the scene feel more awkward than thrilling.
Where VIBE Loses Its Momentum
The biggest problem with VIBE is that the film sometimes seems unsure about exactly how far it wants to take its comedy. The premise practically invites a full-blown spoof of Bollywood spy movies, yet the screenplay occasionally pulls back and starts treating its action material seriously. That tonal hesitation becomes more noticeable in the second half.
There are still plenty of jokes, and many of them work because Kemmu understands comic timing. The humour generally feels fresher than the recycled punchlines often found in conventional spy comedies, while the friendship between Hardik and Bugs keeps the lighter sections moving. But the film could have been considerably more memorable if it had committed completely to its absurd side.
The screenplay also has a few twists that do not completely hold together. Some developments can be anticipated before the film reveals them, while others feel like they exist mainly to move the story towards its next action sequence. The result is a movie that remains entertaining without always being narratively tight.
The transition from comedy to action in the second half may also divide viewers. If you arrive expecting the film to maintain its breezy comic rhythm throughout, the increased focus on espionage and action can feel like a change of direction. The individual pieces are enjoyable, but they do not always fit together as smoothly as they should.
What Works and What Doesn’t
VIBE works because it has personality. Kunal Kemmu does not simply make another serious spy thriller with jokes inserted between action scenes; he builds a story around an ordinary man who finds himself in a situation far beyond his experience. The friendship at its centre gives the film warmth, while the performances keep the comedy moving even when the screenplay becomes uneven.
The weakness is that the film stops short of fully embracing the opportunity created by its own premise. A more committed spoof could have pushed the humour, spy clichés and absurd situations much further. Instead, VIBE occasionally moves between parody and conventional espionage drama without finding a completely comfortable middle ground.
The result is not a genre-defining comedy, but it does not need to be one to work as an entertaining theatrical experience. There is enough charm in Kemmu and Shrivastava’s partnership, enough energy in the supporting cast and enough unexpected material in the plot to make the film an easy one-time watch.
VIBE Movie Review: Final Verdict
VIBE is a breezy spy comedy that works best when Kunal Kemmu and Sparsh Shrivastava are simply being friends. The film’s unusual premise, comic chemistry and supporting performances make it entertaining, while Kemmu’s direction keeps the pace moving without allowing the story to become too heavy.
Its biggest missed opportunity is the decision not to go completely wild with the spy spoof angle. A sharper screenplay and stronger commitment to its comic identity could have transformed VIBE from a fun watch into a much more memorable one. Still, if you are looking for a light-hearted Bollywood entertainer with friendship, romance, action and humour, VIBE has enough going for it to earn a watch.
PopcornRealm Rating: 3/5
VIBE Movie Review FAQs
What is VIBE about?
VIBE follows Hardik, a man rebuilding his life after rehab, whose ordinary job unexpectedly leads him into a secret espionage mission. His best friend Bugs becomes involved with him as the story moves from comedy and romance into spy action.
Who directed VIBE?
Kunal Kemmu wrote and directed VIBE, while also playing the lead role of Hardik.
Who stars in VIBE?
The film stars Kunal Kemmu, Preity Zinta, Sparsh Shrivastava and Vanshika Dhir, with Yash Pal Sharma, Dinesh Lal Yadav and Sharmila Tagore also appearing in important or supporting roles.
Is VIBE a serious spy thriller?
No. VIBE combines espionage with comedy, romance and friendship, using an intentionally unusual premise rather than following the tone of a conventional Bollywood spy-action film.
What works best in VIBE?
The friendship between Hardik and Bugs is one of the film’s biggest strengths. Kunal Kemmu and Sparsh Shrivastava share strong comic chemistry, which keeps many of the film’s lighter scenes engaging.
What is VIBE’s rating?
VIBE gets 3 out of 5 stars. The film is entertaining and has a fresh comic approach to the spy genre, although its uneven writing and tonal shifts prevent it from reaching its full potential.
