“Citadel: Honey Bunny” is the prequel for the Russo Brothers’ “Citadel.” Set between 1992-2000, the series is about Nadia (a character in “Citadel,” here played by Kashvi Majmundar) and her parents, Rahi Gambhir—aka ‘Bunny’ (Varun Dhawan) and Hanimandakini—aka ‘Honey’ (Samantha Ruth Prabhu). Bunny works as a stunt performer in Bollywood and a spy for an agency run by Baba (Kay Kay Menon). Honey—a struggling actress—joins Bunny’s team in hopes of earning extra money. Honey’s role as an agent will require her to decide if the people she and Bunny are working for are the right people. In “Honey Bunny,” the series flashes back to the year 2000; we see Honey as a single mother to Nadia, on the run from a group of assassins. Bunny is making an effort to get to her before the assassins do. The story’s unfolding reveals the genuine origin of “Citadel.”
“Citadel: Honey Bunny” is developed and co-written by Sita R. Menon, along with Directors Krishna D.K and Raj Nidimoru. While dialogues are written by Sumit Arora and exclusively produced by the Russo brothers. Ever since I first saw their first Hindi film, ’99, I’ve been a huge fan of Raj and DK. And with the new series “Citadel: Honey Bunny,” they again knock the ball out of the park.
Good Directorial and Screen Writing Throughout
Raj and D.K. do a great job of telling a story in someone else’s universe for a change in film writing. The writing for the both prime characters are admirable. The writers explain the backstory well without being excessive. It immediately entices us into their world. The directors infuse their brand of humor in the 6-episode series, which perfectly aligns with the story. The story unfolds in a traditional manner. Unlike their other works, this series doesn’t have many twists and turns. This can make it predictable, but the overall story compensates. The series—which encompasses family, friendship, love, loyalty, betrayal, and moral dilemmas—generates an emotional center by using its quieter moments to explore them.
It’s my belief that Raj and DK are underappreciated for their ability to project action with great accuracy. Their accuracy in their early movies, such as “A Gentleman,” is evident and their action is perfectly synced and balanced. Similar, in this series the action is dexterous, visually astonishing, inward, and yet believable. Each fight combat is genuine, and there are some action choreographies that requires you to rewind, rewatch, and then express gratitude. It is how they have maintained different styles and approaches for guns based on each character’s personality.
Hard-hitting Action Shown Expertly
Speaking of other details, Cinematographer Johan Heurlin Aidt does a good job capturing different eras of time and covering the action sequences perfectly. Yannick Ben, Aejaz Gulab, and Dian Hristov—who are action directors—have worked hard and deserve a great applause for their efforts. Sumeet Kotian’s editing maintains the tightness of the episodes, even if there are some parts that feel a little slow. The length of each episode varies from 42 to 55 minutes, which creates a pace that is both engaging and sometimes stretched. The music performed by Aman Pant—especially the theme—is captivating and enhances the appeal of the show.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu is a shining light, providing life to all characters in this universe. Her performance and transformation as mother are remarkable. She fits perfectly into the role of an action pack of women capable of fighting the world. All of her actions are believable because they’re seamless. It’s evident on-screen that she doesn’t mess around. The way in which she carries out some of the intense action scenes are exemplary.
When it comes to being an action hero, Varun Dhwan is not appreciated as much as he deserves to be. When I witness him in action, there is a different passion within him that necessitates the presence of an action hero. His role of Bunny brings a sense of warmth and calmness to the story in spite of all the chaos. He brings Raj and D.K.’s humor to life with his ability to lend smiles to viewer’s faces. His ability to perform the action in this series is stunning. The hand-to-hand combat and gun scenes are highly effective, demonstrating his skill as a genuine future action star.
Well-written and Engaging
Kashvi Majmundar, who portrays Nadia, is a remarkable performer on-screen. Her convincing portrayal of a sharp child with great intelligence is impressive. Her bond with Samantha Ruth Prabhu is convincing and magnificent. Kay Kay Menon’s performance as Baba is once again impressive, along with the entire supporting cast.
“Citadel: Honey Bunny” is a spy series that is well-written and engaging, featuring both emotional and action elements. Despite some lack of precision in the plot, the action sequences, performances, and cinematic quality are the reasons why it’s worth watching. This is a must-see for anyone who enjoys fun action drama. The series is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
