Singham star Ajay Devgn has probably had the busiest Diwali of the season! DCP Bajirao just dropped the teaser for his upcoming film Azaad only a few days after the successful launch of his film, Singham Again this Diwali. Set in a horse-based period drama, Azaad features the multifaceted Devgn alongside two new faces with familial roots in the industry — his nephew Aaman Devgn and Raveena Tandon’s daughter, Rasha Thadani; both of them will be making their acting debuts in this epic historical tale.
The teaser opens with a voiceover recounting the legendary story of Maharana Pratap and his loyal steed Chetak, who bravely fights the British Army. He escapes brutal English armies but while doing so the horse goes missing. A younger boy played by Aaman, is tasked with finding him. In a key moment of the teaser, Aaman’s character can be seen hesitating when asked to find his own horse. The narrator reassures him with a stirring line saying “If you don’t find your horse, your horse will find you”. The video also gives audiences a glimpse into the transformations of the two newbies on the block — Rasha appears as a regal figure, while Aaman looks to be playing a warrior with a fierce spirit. Additionally, Diana Penty is also featured playing Devgn’s love interest.
While Azaad might remind some of the classic Black Beauty, which is told from the perspective of a horse, this film places more focus on the human characters. The central theme revolves around loyalty, family, and sacrifice — much like the legendary bond between Maharana Pratap and his horse.
What netizens have to say
Most Bolly-buffs have mixed reactions to the movie. While the Ajay Devgn Fan Club is hyped to have yet another opportunity to see the actor in a role similar to the one he played in RRR (2022) alongside NTR, Ram Charan and Alia Bhatt. “This is awesome 💯💥💥#AamanDevgan 🔥🔥 All the best 🙂#AzaadTeaser #Azaad,” read a comment on X. “Looks like another HIT after #SinghamAgain 👌👌🔥🔥,” read another.
Others express positive views on the plot and the sound score. “Only waiting for Amit Trivedi’s music to drop💥,” was one comment on Reddit.“Excited for Amit Trivedi’s music and Swanand Kirkire’s lyrics,” read another.
But for many, the aesthetic of the film reminded them of old 80s/90s movies with a bigger production budget. A common complaint also seems to be the overuse of Hollywood’s favourite ‘Mexico/India filter’ to give the film a more historic feel. Additionally, netizens are not impressed with the first look of the “nepo babies” according to their comments.
“Movie looks good, Nepo bacche look expressionless,” said a netizen hilariously on Reddit. “Story is unique. Haven’t seen most of the mainstream movies revolving around and Animal. (Here it is a horse) But these nepodas/nepodis will ruin it,” said another. “Yup. This is what we have done. Now we have the same films as in the 80s and 90s but just better production value. MASS! MASS! Literally going backwards,” was one more opinion.
Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, known for his work on films like Kai Po Che, Kedarnath and Rock On, Azaad promises to bring his signature style to the screen: taking a simple, heartfelt story and transforming it into a rather dramatic experience. The film is being produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Pragya Kapoor, adding further promise to the project. Azaad is set for release on the big screen in January 2025.
