The show fits right into the style of Raj and DK sans the comedy, the rawness and the drama will keep you hooked for a while. Set in the 90s and early 2000s it focuses on the lack of technology and old-school espionage. Its sequences set in the 90s will remind audiences of old movies like the action remains grounded to today’s time. The makers find a good mix of old aesthetics, cinematography and modern writing for spy thrillers. The show has ups and downs, but performances like that of Kay Kay Menon will bring you back to the story.
Honey Bunny begins in the 90s and follows an aspiring actress Honey who has the looks and talent but fails to follow the rules of the game to stay and succeed in the industry. She loses her job to others who do play the game, and her house to someone who can pay the rent. On the other hand, Bunny is enjoying his life as a stuntman and the secret life of an agent. To help Honey out, he offers her a new job to play as a decoy on their mission but it goes south almost costing her, her life.
Meanwhile, eight years later in the 2000s Honey gains control over her life. She and her daughter Nadia begin an ordinary every day until they are forced to start the ‘PLAY’ mode. When Samantha notices agents following her around, she initiates the secret code between them so that Nadia can run away and be safe. With professional agents on their tail, it isn’t easy. But Honey doesn’t make it easy for them either.
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Honey Bunny runs through the story pretty fast, the show goes back and forth between the two years -1992 and 2000 every episode. It also builds a mystery about the two agencies and who is working for who throughout the run time. The end is what makes it a bit dull as the build-up through the six episodes isn’t satisfied with a cliffhanger. The show stays away from the usual high-tech spy-fi feels due to its setting in the 90s but the screenplay does not make up for it.
Kay Kay Menon may have the best performance throughout the show, but Varun Dhawan and Samantha have good chemistry. Varun sets the tone for the show’s action pretty early on and the quality only gets better throughout the episodes. Samantha also elevates the action with her Black Widow-esque moves. She also has great chemistry with the child actress Kashvi Majmundar who is seen playing Priyanka Chopra’s younger role as Nadia.
Despite the rounded action and direction, the screenplay falls short when it fails to give the audience moments to bond with the characters. The most impactful presence in the show and the plot is Kay Kay Menon’s Vishwa. He also brings out the best of Varun Dhawan during their scenes together, and there are a few with very varied emotions.
SEE ALSO: Fans Think Varun Dhawan, Samantha’s Honey Bunny Is Better Than Priyanka Chopra’s Citadel; Here’s Why
Overall, Citadel Honey Bunny is a fun watch and elevates the experience of the franchise as a whole. It also adds more to Nadia’s character and her experience as a spy, an agent and a mother. Though the cliffhanger ending is a bit off, it will leave the audience hoping to see more. And the wait will only prove beneficial if released within 8-10 months.
Cover artwork by Patrick Gawande/Mashable India