Naam Shabana
The poster features Taapsee Pannu running and Sniper-rifle aim-pointer appears on her. At bottom appears title of the film. Images of rest star-cast appears at the top.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byShivam Nair
Written byNeeraj Pandey
Produced by
  • Shital Bhatia
  • Aruna Bhatia
Starring
CinematographySudheer Palsane
Edited byPraveen Kathikuloth
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • March 31, 2017 (2017-03-31) (India)[1]
Running time
147 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹25 crore[2]
Box office₹60 crore[3]

Naam Shabana (transl. The name is Shabana) is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Shivam Nair and written by Neeraj Pandey. The film is a prequel to the 2015 film Baby with Taapsee Pannu reprising her role as Shabana Khan.[4] It also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran and Manoj Bajpayee with Akshay Kumar, Madhurima Tuli, Elli Avram, Anupam Kher, Danny Denzongpa, Murali Sharma, Taher Shabbir and Shibani Dandekar make special appearances.

The film was dubbed into Telugu and Tamil languages and released on 31 March 2017. The Tamil title was Naanthan Shabana whereas the Telugu title was Nene Shabana.[1]

A day after its release in Pakistan, the film was banned there.[5] The film received mixed reviews but was a box office success.[6][7][8]

Plot

The film shows the origin story of Shabana Khan, who works as a proficient field agent with Ajay Singh. It begins with two Indian agents working under Ranvir Singh chasing an international arms dealer named Mikhail. However, he kills them both and escapes.

A year later, Shabana, a college student who trains as a Kūdō fighter, falls under the agency's radar and starts being followed by them as a potential recruit. One of her friends, Jai, who is in love with her, asks her on a date and confesses his love for her. He asks her about her past, and she tells him that she had been kept in juvenile detention for killing her abusive father, who used to physically assault her mother. This event is what brought her to the agency's attention. During their bike ride home, Shabana is a victim of eve teasing from a group of four drunk men in a jeep, resulting in Jai getting killed and the assailants fleeing. The main assailant escapes justice after being identified as the son of an influential man.

Frustrated with the police, Shabana receives a call from an unknown number asking if she wants to avenge Jai's death. The caller, agent Ranvir Singh, agrees to help her take out the killer in exchange for Shabana joining a secret agency. Shabana agrees and receives information on the killer's whereabouts and the promised help that will aid her in killing them. She travels to Goa, where the killers are currently lying low. Keeping watch at a club, she is protected by another agent, who Ranvir tells her is their best. When she asks why they are helping her, Ranvir tells her she is indispensable to them, and since this is important to her, they will help her as best they can. She decides to kill only the main assailant, leaving the others to live in fear for their lives. After she kills the guy in his hotel room, Ajay Singh, who protected her at the club, helps her escape.

Following this, Shabana is recruited into the secret agency on a trial basis, where she receives extensive training in physical fitness and fighting techniques. The story then focuses on a global arms dealer and supplier, Mikhail. Three Indian agents track down Tony, Mikhail's right-hand man. Tony tips them off to a German doctor who has surgically changed Mikhail's face. By the time the agency contacts the doctor to find out how Mikhail looks, Tony kills all three agents and escapes, revealing that he is Mikhail. Ranvir discovers Mikhail is planning another plastic surgery to change his face.

Shabana is sent to kill him with Ajay and Omprakash Shukla's help this time. Shabana enters the operation theatre disguised as a patient and is about to kill Mikhail. To her surprise, he is awake as he had refused to take anesthesia during the operation. After a fight in which Mikhail almost strangles Shabana, she finally manages to kill him and escape from the police with Ajay's help.

Cast

Special appearances

Production

Development

Taapsee Pannu was trained in mixed martial arts for her role in the film.[9] In October 2016, Prithviraj Sukumaran joined the cast of the film and shot for a cameo role.[10] Akshay Kumar was signed to play a cameo in the film, reprising his role from the previous film.[11][12] Anupam Kher was signed to play the role of a technical agent.[13] French stuntman Cyril Raffaelli was signed to choreograph the stunts of the film.[14] For the preparation of the role of Pannu's character as a spy, producer Neeraj Pandey took guidance from a full time consultant, an ex-intelligence officer.[15] Varun Dhawan was also rumoured to be a part of the film, however, the actor claimed later that he was not part of the film. [lower-alpha 1]

Filming

Principal photography of the film's first schedule began in September 2016 in Malaysia, where Kumar and Pannu shot for stunt sequences.[19][20] Filming of the first schedule was completed in late October 2016.[21] The film's second schedule was started in November 2016 in Mumbai.[22] The shooting of the film was wrapped up in February 2017.[23]

Music

The songs of the film are composed by Rochak Kohli and Meet Bros.[24] Lyrics are written by Manoj Muntashir and Kumaar and released by T-Series. The film score is composed by Sanjoy Chowdhury.

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicSinger(s)Length
1."Rozana"Manoj MuntashirRochak KohliShreya Ghoshal4:34
2."Zinda"Manoj MuntashirRochak KohliSunidhi Chauhan4:00
3."Zubi Zubi"Manoj MuntashirRochak KohliSukriti Kakar, Rochak Kohli4:10
4."Dil Hua Besharam"KumaarMeet BrosAditi Singh Sharma3:46
Total length:16:30
Tamil tracklist
No.TitleLyricsMusicSinger(s)Length
1."Naalumaney"Rajesh MalarvannanRochak KohliChinmayi4:34
2."Yeadho Konjamey"Rajesh MalarvannanRochak KohliJanani Madan4:00
3."Zubi Zubi"Rajesh MalarvannanRochak KohliRita, Rochak Kohli4:10
4."Paayindhidum"Rajesh MalarvannanMeet BrosNincy Vincent3:46
Total length:16:30

Release

On April 9, 2017, the film was banned in Pakistan by its Central Board of Film Censors.[5][25][26][27] It had been shown in Pakistan starting on March 31, 2017, as long as certain scenes with a terrorism theme were cut.[25] One day after an Islamabad theatre showed an uncut version the film was banned from all theatres in the country.[27]

Reception

Box office

The film was produced on a budget of ₹50 crores.[2] Its first-day gross was approximately ₹32 crore, and the film finished its first weekend with an estimated gross of ₹70 crores. The film was a decent performer with above average collection.

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 29% of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 2.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Taapsee delivers some knockout punches and is sincere enough. Manoj is brilliant, though he has just dialogue-baazi and no action to support him. As for Akshay, he is happy to lend his superstar-presence and bask in the girl power."

Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express wrote, "What does come as a surprise, however, is just how much of a drag the film is. Except for a few stray sequences in which the limber Taapsee Pannu goes after the bad guys, and the ones in which co-star Akshay Kumar moves in to demonstrate how the big boys do it, there is nothing either novel or interesting about the film."[28]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Initially, it was rumored that Dhawan was to be a part of the film which is not a sequel.[16][17] Dhawan later cleared about his involvement and being not a part of the film.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 "Naam Shabana: Taapsee Pannu shares Tamil, Telugu trailers, leaving fans asking for more". The Indian Express. 26 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Naam Shabana box office collection day 5: Taapsee Pannu film earns Rs 23. 80 crores". 4 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  3. ↑ Hungama, Bollywood (1 April 2017). "Box Office: Worldwide collections and day wise break up of Naam Shabana - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  4. ↑ "'Naam Shabana' is spin-off, not prequel to 'Baby' Taapsee Pannu". DNA India. 15 March 2017.
  5. 1 2 Jha, Subhash K (9 April 2017). "Now, Naam Shabana banned in Pakistan". Deccan Chronicle.
  6. ↑ Pandey, Prachita (10 February 2017). "'Naam Shabana' Trailer: Taapsee Pannu DARES to do what no other man does in this action packed film!". DNA India.
  7. ↑ Shiksha, Shruthi (29 March 2017). "Naam Shabana: Why Akshay Kumar Has Lesser Portions Than Taapsee Pannu In Baby Spin-Off". NDTV.
  8. ↑ "Meet 'Naam Shabana's' strong and interesting mix of characters". The Times of India.
  9. ↑ "Naam Shabana: Guess who trained Taapsee Pannu in martial arts for the film?". Hindustan Times. 21 March 2017.
  10. ↑ Sidhardhan, Sanjith (10 October 2016). "Prithviraj heads to Malaysia for cameo in Naam Shabana". Times of India.
  11. ↑ "Cameos to look out for this year". The New Indian Express. 9 March 2017.
  12. ↑ Dedhia, Sonil (14 February 2017). "Taapsee Pannu talks about Akshay Kumar's extended cameo in 'Naam Shabana': I like this role reversal". Mid-Day.
  13. ↑ Kameshwari, A (20 March 2017). "Anupam Kher: After Naam Shabana, I hope they make Naam Shukla". The Indian Express.
  14. ↑ Coutinho, Natasha (29 January 2017). "Hollywood stunt director for Taapsee Pannu". Times of India.
  15. ↑ "Naam Shabana based on a real-life spy and her operations in Malaysia?". Hindustan Times. 18 March 2017.
  16. ↑ Sharma, Sarika (10 February 2015). "Varun Dhawan to work with Akshay Kumar in 'Baby' sequel?". The Indian Express.
  17. ↑ Singh, Prashant (10 February 2015). "Varun Dhawan to work in sequel to Akshay Kumar's Baby?". Hindustan Times.
  18. ↑ "Varun Dhawan not a part of Akshay Kumar's 'Baby' sequel?". DNA India. 12 February 2015.
  19. ↑ "Taapsee Pannu-starrer 'Naam Shabana' shoot begins". Times of India. 28 January 2017.
  20. ↑ "Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu shoot for Naam Shabana in Malaysia". The Indian Express. 14 October 2016.
  21. ↑ "Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu wrap up first leg of shoot for 'Naam Shabana'". Deccan Chronicle. 28 October 2016.
  22. ↑ "Check out: Taapsee Pannu shoots for Naam Shabana on the streets of Mumbai". Bollywood Hungama. 9 November 2016.
  23. ↑ "Check out: Team Naam Shabana wraps its shoot". Bollywood Hungama. 22 February 2017.
  24. ↑ Ingle, Dhairya (2 December 2016). "Akshay Ropes In Rochak Kohli And Meet Bros For Naam Shabana". SpotBoyE.
  25. 1 2 "Naam Shabana banned in Pakistan, Censor Board says scenes related to terrorism 'not fit'". Financial Express. 9 April 2017.
  26. ↑ "Pakistan bans 'Naam Shabana' a day after its release". The Times of India. 9 April 2017.
  27. 1 2 Ghosh, Samrudhi (9 April 2017). "Naam Shabana withdrawn from Pakistani theatres because terrorism theme too sensitive?". India Today.
  28. ↑ Gupta, Shubhra (30 March 2017). "Naam Shabana movie review: Taapsee Pannu's action, Akshay Kumar are highlights of this film". Indian Express. The Indian Express. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
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