Vibe Movie Review: Kunal Kemmu is back with his second directorial venture, and this time he has mixed friendship, comedy, action and espionage into one unusual package. Released in theatres on September 18, 2026, Vibe stars Kunal Kemmu, Sparsh Shrivastava, Preity Zinta and Vanshika Dhir in important roles. The film has been certified A by the CBFC and runs for roughly 2 hours and 26 minutes.
After the success and popularity of Madgaon Express, expectations were naturally high for Kunal Kemmu’s next directorial outing. Instead of making another conventional comedy, Kemmu takes his characters into the world of secret missions and national security. The interesting part is that his heroes are not trained spies. They are ordinary guys who suddenly find themselves caught in a situation far bigger than anything they could have imagined.
So, does Vibe successfully combine comedy and spy action? Let’s take a closer look.
Vibe Movie Story
The story revolves around two close friends, Hardik Sharma, played by Kunal Kemmu, and Bhagirath, aka Bugs, played by Sparsh Shrivastava.
Bugs is a responsible and hardworking software professional, while Hardik is almost the complete opposite. Hardik is carefree, unpredictable and not exactly the kind of person you would expect to find anywhere near a serious government operation.
Bugs even tries to help Hardik get a job after his return from rehab. Hardik eventually joins the company and becomes interested in Kareena, played by Vanshika Dhir.
Things take a dramatic turn when Hardik’s seemingly ordinary life suddenly connects him to a much larger investigation. He and Bugs are pulled into a secret operation involving intelligence officials and a dangerous terrorist threat.
The Central Board of Film Certification’s official listing describes the film as a spy comedy about two friends who become involved with Indian intelligence agencies while trying to stop a terrorist planning a major attack.
That basic premise gives Vibe plenty of opportunities for comedy. The fun comes from watching two men who are clearly not trained for this kind of situation trying to survive a mission that demands seriousness, courage and quick thinking.
Kunal Kemmu’s Performance
Kunal Kemmu is clearly at home in the comic portions of Vibe.
As Hardik, he plays a character who can be frustrating, funny and surprisingly clever at different moments. Rather than presenting him as a typical Bollywood action hero, the film allows him to remain flawed and slightly ridiculous.
His expressions, dialogue delivery and reactions provide many of the film’s lighter moments.
Several reviews published on release day have also highlighted Kemmu’s comic timing and his command over humour as one of the film’s major strengths.
What makes the performance interesting is the contrast between Hardik’s personality and the serious circumstances surrounding him. He doesn’t suddenly transform into a perfect spy. That keeps the character closer to the film’s comic identity.
Sparsh Shrivastava as Bugs
Sparsh Shrivastava provides an important balance to Kunal Kemmu.
His character Bugs is more responsible and grounded, which makes his friendship with Hardik entertaining. The two characters have very different personalities, but their friendship is at the heart of the film.
The chemistry between the two actors gives the movie much of its warmth. Even when the spy plot becomes complicated, their relationship keeps the story connected to something familiar.
The friendship angle is arguably one of the most accessible parts of Vibe. You don’t necessarily have to be interested in spy movies to enjoy watching two friends get themselves into increasingly ridiculous trouble.
Preity Zinta Brings a Different Energy
Preity Zinta returns in a role that takes her into a more action-oriented space.
She plays Madam H, a powerful intelligence officer who becomes involved in the mission. Her character provides a contrast to the chaotic personalities of Hardik and Bugs.
The casting is particularly interesting because Kunal Kemmu has explained that he wanted to present Zinta in an action avatar that audiences had not commonly seen from her before.
She brings authority to the role, while the film uses the difference between her serious personality and the protagonists’ comic behaviour for additional humour.
Comedy and Dialogues
Comedy is where Vibe appears most comfortable.
The film doesn’t treat its spy setting with complete seriousness. Instead, it finds humour in the fact that ordinary people have suddenly been thrown into an extraordinary situation.
The dialogue-driven comedy and character interactions provide several entertaining moments. Some jokes are deliberately silly, while others depend on the chemistry between the characters.
However, not every joke lands equally well. This is one of those films where your enjoyment may depend heavily on how much you connect with its particular style of humour.
Reviews from The Indian Express, India Today and Bollywood Hungama all point toward the film’s comic energy as a significant part of its appeal, while also noting issues with its balance and pacing.
Action and Spy Elements
The action side of Vibe is designed to complement the comedy rather than completely dominate it.
The film has plenty of spy-movie ingredients: secret missions, intelligence officers, danger, suspicious characters and a high-stakes threat.
The CBFC certificate confirms that the film retained its action sequences while receiving an A certificate; the certification also included a minor profanity-related modification and an anti-drug disclaimer.
The challenge is that the movie has to constantly switch between two tones. One moment it wants to be a goofy friendship comedy, and the next it wants the audience to take its action and threat seriously.
This tonal shift works in some scenes better than others.
First Half vs Second Half
One of the recurring points in early reviews is the difference between the film’s first and second halves.
The opening portion benefits from the chemistry between Hardik and Bugs. Their personalities, friendship and awkward entry into the spy world create a natural source of comedy.
The second half becomes more focused on the mission and action. Some reviewers felt that the movie’s comic energy becomes less consistent once the story moves deeper into the thriller side.
This doesn’t mean the second half stops being entertaining. Rather, the film’s strongest identity appears to come from its characters and comedy, so the shift toward action can feel less effortless.
Direction by Kunal Kemmu
As a director, Kunal Kemmu once again shows an interest in stories built around flawed characters and unusual situations.
With Vibe, he takes a simple spy-comedy setup and gives it a friendship-driven personality. The film doesn’t try to become a traditional patriotic spy thriller.
Instead, it asks what would happen if two completely unprepared friends were suddenly thrown into a national-security mission.
That idea gives the movie its unique flavour.
Kemmu’s experience as an actor also seems useful when handling comic scenes. He understands timing, reactions and character-based humour, which are important ingredients in this kind of film.
Final Verdict: Is Vibe Worth Watching?
Vibe is an unusual Bollywood entertainer that combines comedy, friendship, action and espionage.
Its biggest attraction is the pairing of Kunal Kemmu and Sparsh Shrivastava. Their friendship gives the movie an emotional centre, while Kemmu’s comic performance keeps the lighter portions moving.
Preity Zinta adds another interesting layer with her action-oriented intelligence-officer role, and Vanshika Dhir brings freshness to the cast.
The film isn’t completely consistent. The change from comedy to action can affect the pacing, particularly in the latter portion, and some jokes may work better for certain audiences than others. Several release-day reviews have similarly described the movie as entertaining while pointing out its uneven tonal balance.
Still, Vibe has its own personality. It doesn’t appear interested in being a conventional spy thriller. Instead, it takes two ordinary friends and drops them into an extraordinary situation, creating comedy from their confusion and lack of preparation.
Vibe Movie Review Rating: 3.5/5
Should You Watch Vibe?
If you enjoy Kunal Kemmu’s style of comedy, buddy films, quirky characters and light-hearted spy stories, Vibe is worth checking out in theatres. If you are expecting a serious, realistic espionage thriller, the film’s deliberately goofy approach may be quite different from what you expect.
For fans of friendship-based Bollywood comedies, the chemistry between Hardik and Bugs is likely to be the biggest reason to give Vibe a chance.
In short, Vibe is a chaotic Bollywood spy comedy that gets much of its entertainment value from friendship, humour and Kunal Kemmu’s comic timing.
