Citadel: Honey Bunny Review – Has the Hollywood Franchise Model Dull Raj & DK’s Spark?
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Citadel Honey Bunny Image credit X
Citadel India's spin-off led by Samantha Ruth Prabhu & Varun Dhawan was the much-awaited expansion of the Russo brothers'-led spy-genre universe. The Family Man and Farzi duo Raj & DK helming the project had raised expectations sky high. Unfortunately, Citadel: Honey Bunny is a lackluster one that lacks the creative genius in Raj & DK's earlier projects.
Raj & DK: A Resilient Creative Journey
Raj & DK have previously tested the limits and sensibilities at the Indian cinema as well as with streaming. They kicked off 2018 with the sleeper hit Stree and followed this up with The Family Man, a series that received praise for its writing smarts and fierce political commentary. With every project they solidified their reputation for pouring heart, humor and depth into complicated plots. So when Hollywood royalty in the form of the Russo brothers came calling, fans expected nothing short of one with a Raj & DK touch. Yet Citadel: Honey Bunny manages to be a bit of a miss.
The Plot: A Familiar Set-Up with Little Payoff
In 2000, Honey Bunny takes us to an inconspicuous life led by Honey (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) in Nainital with her little daughter Nadia (Kashvi Majmundar). One usually mundane day quickly turns into a life-or-death situation when dreads that something is wrong. From there, the film flashes back to 1992 where the backstory unfolds with Honey’s supportive friendship toward Bunny (Varun Dhawan), a stuntman who also lives a covert existence as an undercover spy. Their chemistry pays homage to the quintessential Bollywood jodi format.
Although it could be the kind of story that explores characters with both depth and emotion, the plot nonetheless plays out familiar. Honey Bunny resorts to a generic spy formula instead of utilizing the emotional depth that defined The Family Man. The reveal of Bunny's double life is a potentially high-stakes moment, but the script fails to provide the kind of narrative depth Raj & DK have delivered time and again.
Bland Dialogue and Predictable Writing:
The writing here is one of the biggest surprises with Honey Bunny and that isn't a good thing either. The dialogue by Raj & DK and Sita Menon lacks the trademark wit and fire that we have grown to expect from the duo. Gone are the crisp, vulgar jokes of Farzi or Guns & Gulaabs; replaced by such dry, cliched dialogue as “what if it falls into wrong hands?” The dialogues of the show read more like a half-hearted attempt at imitating Hollywood’s spy thrillers and none of the rich culture that Raj & DK are known for.
Whereas The Family Man placed its story in real-world geopolitical tensions existing since the post-9/11 era, Honey Bunny revolves around cliched threats of “world domination.” The lack of concrete, relatable conflict makes the story feel like a diluted version of the real thing, and more Hollywood than Raj & DK.
Samantha and Varun: Performances That Struggle to Shine
Citadel Honey Bunny Image credit X
Just like she drew out her action hero hidden talent in The Family Man Season 2, Samantha Ruth Prabhu continues to shine bright with action scenes. The focus is excellently on, her character Honey goes all out in a 10-minute-bomb action sequence that indicates she tried hard. But he doesn't imbue her with even a fraction of the personality and motivations that would make her a good lead. The scenes where she doesn't seem to be in her element feel like wasted opportunities for an actor of that caliber.
Giving any kind of sparkle, heat and glimmer to the show is oddly missing in Varun Dhawan as though similar but with slightly more charm gives life to his character Bunny, larger than life Varun presence could have done better. Unfortunately, his chemistry with Prabhu feels lukewarm compared to that with his fellow spies played by Soham Majumdar and Shivankit Singh Parihar, whose muddle-headed roles may be minor but are relatable.
And even, veteran actors Kay Kay Menon and Sikander Kher — known for their intense screen presence also come up short. Menon, who served some electric crackling in Farzi, seems muted here and Kher barely makes a mark.
Action Without Substance:
The action scenes are all very well done, true to Raj & DK form, and you might as well call them 'Honey Bunny' bonus stages. The cinematography and choreography are clean too, while Prabhu ably performs her own stunts. But even good action has its limits, and the lack of a solid narrative cannot be replaced. The Family Man blends the action sequences with character moments and moral complexity, to heighten the emotion. In the case of Honey Bunny, they frequently feel detached from the narrative, as though they were added for flash instead of substance.
The Missing Element: Raj & DK’s Signature Flair
The absence of typical Raj & DK style sets Honey Bunny apart from the duo's previous works. More often than not, they're mixing the humour specific to their culture with moments that are so poignant I can't help but feel something. Honey Bunny tries to bring some Bollywood influence by way of Honey being a fan of old films and Fearless Nadia before the cultural markers come off as imposed. They lack the substance to be remembered by the audience.
Conclusion: A Dimming of Raj & DK’s Spark
If anything, Citadel: Honey Bunny is also a reminder of how Raj & DK remain underutilised even on an international level. Beyond the shiny production and an occasionally convincing action sequence, the series is hamstrung by unoriginal writing, weak character development and a cultural shoehorning. Viewers who tuned in for Raj & DK's trademark humour and narrative complexity may well be left disappointed.
Honey Bunny really does not overcome modesty: the spy drama fray is beset by high expectations nowadays. Citadel: Honey Bunny is a rare miss for Raj & DK, who are trendsetters rather than followers; it begs the question of whether creators in this tier should be collaborating with strangers and it implies that maybe not all partnerships work far from home.
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