Varun Dhawan And Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s Series Is A Sparkless Spy Saga

Title: Citadel: Honey Bunny

Directors: Raj and DK

Cast: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kay Kay Menon, Saqib Saleem, Sikandar Kher, Kashvi Majmundar

Where: Streaming on Amazon Prime

Rating: 3 Stars

Six episodes into Citadel: Honey Bunny, it’s hard to tell whether the series is a gritty espionage thriller with a heart or a family drama with occasional spy antics. Positioned as a prequel to the original Citadel, this Indian spin-off dives into a backstory for fans and newcomers alike. Yet, if you’re hoping for high-octane thrills akin to the original, prepare for a lukewarm plunge.

We meet Bunny (Varun Dhawan), a stuntman-turned-spy who ropes in Honey (Samantha Ruth Prabhu), a struggling actress, for a covert mission. Years later, the duo reunites to save their daughter, Nadia, as past betrayals loom ominously. The show tries to weave its way through a labyrinthine narrative, leaping from the lush valleys of Nainital to the chaos of Bombay, then bouncing across Europe from Bucharest to Belgrade, only to loop back again. Yet, despite the globetrotting adventure, the series feels more like a travelogue lacking a soul than a pulsating spy thriller.

In the realm of Citadel tropes, Honey Bunny ticks the boxes: identity swaps, shadowy operatives, and alliances that disintegrate faster than a sandcastle at high tide. However, these clichés are recycled with little imagination, often feeling like pale imitations of the original series’ complexities. The non-linear storytelling attempts to mimic the narrative acrobatics of its predecessor, but the disjointed structure leaves you dazed rather than dazzled.

The emotional undercurrent is the series’ defining gamble, focusing more on strained relationships and quests for loyalty than adrenaline-pumping action. Bunny and Honey’s fractured bond should have tugged at our heartstrings. But alas, Varun Dhawan’s Bunny barely whispers instead of roaring. His stuntman-turned-spy lacks depth, offering only surface charm that fails to impress. Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s elegance and physical prowess as Honey can’t elevate the role. Their on-screen chemistry disappoints, burdened by uninspired writing that robs them of any spark. The dynamic between them feels forced, like mismatched puzzle pieces that simply don’t fit, leaving the relationship both unconvincing and unsatisfying.

Supporting performances don’t fare much better. Even Kay Kay Menon, usually reliable for a riveting turn, is left floundering as Guru aka Baba. Saqib Saleem, Simran, Shivankit Parihar, and Soham Majumdar wittingly or unwittingly make up a rogues’ gallery of forgettable faces, dutiful but dull. There’s no energy, no scene-stealer to inject life into this limp assembly.

Surprisingly, young Kashvi Majmundar as Nadia stands out. Her innocence is endearing, and despite limited screen time, she outshines her on-screen parents with delightful ease.

Set in the 1990s and early 2000s, the series aims for a moody aesthetic with its washed-out grey palette but achieves mere monotony. The sombre hues fail to evoke the era’s grit or enhance the narrative’s tension, instead rendering scenes drab and stripping away excitement rather than amplifying it.

Overall, the series feels like a shallow dive into a rich, untapped ocean of potential. It is a spin-off without enough spin, making you want to tread cautiously.