‘Vibe’ Review: Kunal Kemmu Passes The ‘Vibe Check’

‘Vibe’ Review: Kunal Kemmu, who not only stars in the film but also directed and wrote it, is a delight to watch on screen.

Written By : Arfa Javaid |  Updated at : 18 Sep 2026 04:11 PM (IST)

Vibe Review: Kunal Kemmu is the highlight of this action thriller comedy.
Source : YouTube/Amazon MGM Studios India
Vibe
3/5
September 18, 2026 | Hindi
Action/Thriller/Comedy
Watch Trailer/Teaser
Director

Kunal Kemmu

Starring

Preity G Zinta, Kunal Kemmu, Sparsh Shrivastava, Vanshika Dhir, Dinesh Lal Yadav "Nirahua", Yashpal Sharma, Salem Kali

Platform

Cinema

Vibe Review: I’ll admit it - I almost skipped Vibe in theatres. The trailer screamed “seen this before”, with the kind of setup Bollywood has recycled enough times to make you wonder if there’s anything new left to say. But I’m glad that I kept aside my prejudice and watched it.

And even if it is too early to say, I don’t mind saying that Kunal Kemmu is Vibe. He isn’t merely the lead actor here. He is the film’s pulse, its biggest hook and, quite often, the reason you’re still completely invested when the story starts taking a few wild turns.

Right from the opening credits, Vibe refuses to let you settle into autopilot mode. No checking your phone. No talking to the person sitting next to you. No “how much longer?” calculations. It has your attention.

How? Kunal finds a rather clever way to do it. He kicks things off with a voiceover explaining what all those familiar credit terms like “media partners” and “special thanks” actually mean before the story has even begun. It’s meta, mildly cheeky and, more importantly, tells you exactly what kind of ride you’re in for.

How Is The Story?

The story follows Hardik (Kunal), who has just come out of drug rehab. His friend Bugs (Sparsh Shrivastava), concerned about him, decides to take 10 days off from work to help him find a job. But destiny has other plans. Bugs’ boss ends up hiring Hardik at the office because he doesn’t want to let Bugs stay away from work for that long.

On his first day, Hardik meets Kareena (Vanshika Dhir), an intern at the company, and falls for her. Bugs, naturally, isn’t exactly thrilled with the idea. He makes Hardik aware of the strict policies in place and asks him to stay away from her. However, Hardik, being Hardik, asks her out and she agrees. This, however, was the only start of a “relationship” nobody had imagined. 

And then there’s Madam H (Preity Zinta), a government agent tasked with tracking down a dangerous terrorist after agents spoke in code about a “Hrithik Roshan” movie. Before long, Hardik and Bugs find themselves tangled up in her mission, and that’s when the film really kicks its madness into high gear.

The biggest strength of Vibe is that it rarely sits still. Whenever the narrative slows down, the soundtrack kicks in. When things get too serious, a joke usually arrives just in time. And when you think the film might finally calm down, another ridiculous situation is waiting around the corner.

Yes, there are moments when Vibe goes a little too far. There are perhaps more fight sequences than the story really needs, a few scenes feel deliberately over-the-top, and one stretch does remind you a little too much of Alpha. But the film has enough to breeze past most of these bumps before you have too much time to dwell on them.

Performances

Kunal Kemmu is the heart, soul and engine of the film. His comic timing is on point, his one-liners land, and there’s an infectious ease to his performance. The funny thing is, you actually start missing him whenever he isn’t on screen.

He knows exactly how much to push Hardik’s eccentricity without turning him into a caricature, and that balance works beautifully. As a director, writer and actor, Kunal clearly knows the kind of space he wants this character to occupy, and he owns it.

Preity Zinta, however, feels strangely out of sync with the film. There’s a disconnect in her performance that makes Madam H feel less convincing than she should. Her deputies, played by Yashpal Sharma and Nirahua, actually leave a stronger impression in their comparatively smaller roles.

Vanshika Dhir looks every bit the part of Kareena and delivers a promising debut. There’s an effortless charm to her performance, and she holds her own opposite Kunal.

Sparsh Shrivastava is largely spot-on as Bugs, bringing the right amount of frustration and comic exasperation to the character. A couple of his emotional moments don’t land with quite the same impact, but overall, he fits comfortably into the film’s chaotic rhythm.

Then there are the cameos. Uorfi’s brief appearance works perfectly well for what it is, but Sharmila Tagore is criminally underused. In fact, you can’t help wondering what the film might have looked like had she been given the space that Madam H gets.

Verdict

As Kunal’s second directorial outing, Vibe comes with exactly the kind of chaotic, carefree energy its title promises. It’s funny, unapologetically commercial and clearly not interested in taking itself too seriously. The film’s background music is “vibe” too. 

It delivers exactly what its trailer promised. “Comedy. Yes. Romance. Yes. Action. Yes. VIBE. Absolutely!”

And with Daayra also playing in theatres right now, if you’re deciding what to watch, Vibe makes for a more entertaining night out or movie date. 

Published at : 18 Sep 2026 04:01 PM (IST)
Tags :
Kunal Kemmu ENtertainment News VIBE

Breaking News, Anytime, Anywhere - Download ABPLIVE on Android and iOS now!
View More
Sponsored Links by Taboola