Critical response

Thugs of Hindostan received generally negative reviews from critics.[108][109] While the performances of
Bachchan and Khan drew praise, both Acharya's direction and screenplay were criticised.[110]
Rachit Gupta of The Times of India gave the film two and a half stars out of five and shares the
sentiments of most reviewers: "[It] looks like a million bucks, [but] it doesn’t feel the same way". He
praised the production design and cinematography, but criticised the lack of suspense and "the
predictable nature of the writing... [which] doesn’t help the movie at all". The visual effects were
commended, but the pace and running time was criticised.[59] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV rated the
film two and a half stars out of five and called it "big, bloated, [and] bombastic", asserting that it
"banks solely upon action and spectacle for impact". He criticised the screenplay and budget's
inability to raise the film. He found that Shaikh played some sequences well, while women were
overall less represented. He felt it was "ultimately too tacky and unconvincing to lay legitimate claims
to being India's answer to Pirates of the Caribbean".[111] Nandini Ramath of Scroll.in labelled Thugs of
Hindostan a "trite, uninvolving" film. She felt sequences filmed in the sea were "sluggishly directed",
and "the ones on land fare no better". The action scenes were tagged "flat and uninvolving" and the
background score as "insistently ponderous."[112]
In a positive review, Rohini Nair of Firstpost appreciated the use of metaphorical allegories in the film
and praised Bachchan and Khan's chemistry. She wrote of Kaif: "She writhes and contorts in
sequinned hotpants as the plot builds towards its climax". Nair wrote that "all is forgiven in the rip-
roaring, all muskets blazing finale sequence of the film". She raises expectations for a
sequel.[113] Gupta praised the performances of both Bachchan and Khan; Khan for his "comedy and
banter" and Bachchan for his "heroics and the intense dialogues". The ensemble cast, was,
however, condemned.[59] Chatterjee commended Khan and Bachchan for bringing "everything that
they have", in his review.[111] Commenting on the uneven distribution of screen time, Ramath stated
Bachchan "lumbers through the movie and looks exhausted". Khan's chemistry was praised, and the
scenes were stated to "came to life" with him with his dialogues.[112]
Taran Adarsh, film analyst for Bollywood Hungama, opined the film was "[a] King-sized
[d]isappointment." He felt several good moments in the first half of the film, were hindered by the
"formula-ridden plot, screenplay of convenience, and shoddy direction".[114] Writing for the Hindustan
Times, Raja Sen remarked that the film is “Pirates Of The Caribbean without pirates or
Caribbean”.[115] Shubra Gupta of The Indian Express termed the "a massive cherry-picking enterprise
from big entertainers of the past, many of them YRF’s own", and referred to it as "a boring affair".
She criticised the screenplay and the plot, and noted that the characters' interactions with each other
felt heavy-handed". Gupta, however, praised Khan: "[W]hile he’s around, it’s bearable. Just
about".[116] Ankur Pathak of Huffington Post India stated that the film "was so awful that it felt like a
satire of itself". He termed the film "a vanity project that tries to cash in on the profitable wave
triggered by the Baahubali movies".[117] Rahul Desai of Film Companion sums up the retort: "[It is] the
Bollywood manifestation of Halloween – an amusing, self-gratifying but altogether pointless fancy-
dress ball designed to trick audiences under the guise of treating them".[118]
Among overseas critics, Joe Leydon of Variety gave it a generally positive review, stating the
"expensive and exuberant Bollywood masala delivers the goods as a satisfying popcorn
epic."[119] Mike McCahill of The Guardian rated the film three out of five stars, referring to it as an
enjoyable irreverent romp.