Vijay 69 review: Anupam Kher shines as an angry, foul-mouthed triathlon aspirant in this endearing takedown of ageism

Does life end at 50? Or at 60? For Vijay Mathew (played by Anupam Kher), life begins at 69. Vijay is best described as the Boomer Kabir Singh. A short-tempered, foul-mouthed geriartic man finds himself lost when his family organizes his funeral (while he is still alive!) It is a moment of reckoning—a spiritual awakening—of sorts which makes Vijay question if he has accomplished anything worthwhile in his life.

His list of achievements is winning a Bronze medal in the National Swimming Championship and….that's about it. In order to prove (to himself or perhaps the ageist folks around him) that he isn't entirely useless, Vijay decides to break the record for the oldest person to have completed a triathlon.

Vijay 69 Movie: Plot

The subtle existentialism felt by Vijay is relatable. If you don't achieve something tangible which the world recognizes as a legitimate achievement, one is made to feel that they havent lived a full life. Since when did this capitalistic urge to achieve goals become so important?

More importantly—do our lives matter only if we achieve something of value (or rather, which the world sees as valuable)? Instead of exploring answers to these questions, Vijay is hell bent on proving to the world that he isn't a complete failure, thus somewhere looking the validation from the very people he despises. Vijay comes across as endearing, even if he is flawed and short tempered.

Vijay 69 Movie: Performances

The unlikely bond he forms with his arch nemesis, an 18-year-old Aditya, who is competing to break the record of the youngest person to have completed the Triathlon, comes as a surprise. Seeing the two competitors forge a bond where Vijay stands against Aditya's father's bullying is heartwarming to watch.

What doesn't work in the film as much in the film is the vlogging angle. We see Swati, a GenZ social media creator whose YouTube channel hosts videos of Aditya-Vijay's intra-colony rivalry in addition to “two frogs getting married” to each other. The supporting cast members are caricatures at best, annoying at worst, the weakest being Chunky Panday whose accent as Mr Bathena gave this critic traumatic flashbacks of Kajol's abomination of a Haryanvi accent in ‘Do Patti’.

Vijay 69 Movie: Writing And Direction

Chunky Panday is simply unwatchable. In fact, his twang, which he very clearly puts on, is very unconvincing and jarring, to the point that it brings down the performances of other cast members. Mrs Bakshi is another ditzy, air-headed caricature who is simply unlikeable.

What works in Vijay's journey is just how spunky and outspoken he is. Simply put, Vijay is a no nonsense man who doesn't take s**t from anyone. He has spirited arguments with the triathlon committee members, a showdown with his rivals and a physical confrontation with (nosy) journalists. Still, Vijay stays true to his values.

Vijay 69 Movie: What Works, What Doesn't

What works well in the film is Vijay lamenting and ruminating over his lover Anna, who lost her life to cancer. Like last month's ‘The Signature’, it will make you root for Vijay who feels lost and lonely having lost his wife to a life-threatening disease. How I wish the film had focused more on Vijay's outspoken nature rather than the ins and outs of a triathlon.

While this critic doesn’t agree with Vijay's incessant need to prove himself to a world that constantly undermines him, Vijay 69 is a brilliant attempt at exploring the alienation and social exclusion faced by the elderly. It is a must-watch, even if it doesn't get everything right.

Star rating: 3 / 5 stars

Vijay 69 is now streaming on Netflix India.