Ruslaan

Ruslaan is an 2024 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Karan Lalit Butani and produced by K. K. Radhamohan. It stars Aayush Sharma, alongside Sushrii Shreya Mishraa, Jagapathi Babu and Vidya Malvade. The music was composed by Vishal Mishra, Rajat Nagpal and Akashdeep Sengupta, while cinematography and editing were handled by G. Srinivas Reddy and Rajendra Bhaat.

Ruslaan was released on 26 April 2024 to mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, where the film became a box office bomb.

Cast

 * Aayush Sharma as Ruslaan
 * Sushrii Shreya Mishraa as Vaani
 * Jagapathi Babu as ATS officer Sameer Singh, Ruslaan's adoptive father
 * Vidya Malvade as Mantra, Ruslaan's handler
 * Beena Banerjee as Aabha
 * Sal Yusuf as Ozan
 * Sangay Tsheltrim as Lee
 * Aruna Beniwal as Saba
 * Jaswinder Gardner as Manju
 * Nawab Shah as Ruslaan's father (special appearance)
 * Suniel Shetty as Shinoy (special appearance)
 * Zaheer Iqbal as Raheel (special appearance)

Casting
The film was initially titled as AS04 and stars Aayush Sharma in the titular role. Sushrii Shreya Mishraa plays the female lead, while Jagapathi Babu plays a pivotial role in the film.

Soundtrack
Music of the film was scored by Vishal Mishra and penned by Shabbir Ahmed.

Release
Ruslaan was scheduled to release on 12 January 2024, but was postponed and released on 26 April 2024. NH Studioz acquired the film's theatrical rights.

Critical reception
Critic Saibal Chatterjee for NDTV gave 1.5 stars to the film but praised Aayush Sharma and wrote that "The eponymous hero is played by Aayush Sharma, who, too, goes all out to prove a point - the lead actor wants to be acknowledged as a heavy-duty action hero capable of carrying an entire film on his shoulders."

Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated 0.5 star out of 5 and expressed her opinion "Watching Ruslaan takes you back to that era, and it makes you wonder if Hindi cinema will ever learn."

Sana Farzeen of India Today rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "While the Aayush Sharma film had the potential to be an engaging drama like 'Mission Kashmir' or a cat-and-mouse chase like 'Tiger' and 'Pathaan', it missed the mark."

Titas Chowdhury of News18 rated 3.5 out of 5 and stated that "Despite its idiosyncrasies, Ruslaan entertains because it is unapologetic in its appeal. Aayush Sharma manages to carry the film comfortably on his shoulders."

Times Now rated the film 3 out of 5 and praised Aayush Sharma's performance and wrote that "Aayush Sharma delivers a standout performance as Ruslaan, seamlessly transitioning between moments of vulnerability and fierce determination. His portrayal brings depth and authenticity to the character, making Ruslaan a relatable and compelling protagonist."

Riya Sharma of DNA India gave 3.5 stars and wrote that "This is Karan L. Butani's second directorial venture and his ability to lend the hero relatability and make the audience root for the protagonist is his biggest strength."

Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost rated 2.5 stars to the film and stated that "Every time the nation is under threat, there’s always one man, and only one man, fit for the job to get the job done. And Aayush Sharma jumps into the bandwagon of names that already boasts of the likes of Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Tiger Shroff, and Vidyut Jammwal."

Rohit Bhatnagar of The Free Press Journal rated the film 2 stars out of 5 and opined "Aayush impresses with his action and stunts and even looks technically sound but sadly, he too couldn’t save the film from being watchable."

Rishil Jogani of Pinkvilla rated the film 2.5 out of 5 and stated "Ruslaan has good, watchable action and few scenes succeed to grab the attention of the viewers."