Anupam Kher, the actor, is on a roll, thanks to the ever-expanding OTT space. He has now given himself the freedom to explore countless characters that are usually not explored by commercial Hindi filmmakers anymore. He is able to deliver every role with utmost sincerity, depth, and vulnerability. Only a few weeks back, in The Signature, Anupam Kher took on the role of an elderly citizen who is struggling to come to terms with his wife being comatose. In the new Netflix Original, Vijay 69, Anupam Kher in the lead deals with the crisis of being reduced to the role of a grandfather who cannot have any dreams or goals of his own.
Spoilers Ahead
Was Vijay dead or alive?
Vijay 69 began with Vijay Mathew walking along the seaside when his neighbor, Mrs. Bakshi spotted him. Suddenly there was a sound of someone plunging into the water, and the next day everyone, including Vijay’s family and friends, assumed he was dead. Deeksha was Vijay’s daughter, and her family were devastated when the church assumed he was dead even though the body was not found. Vijay’s grandson Akhil, son-in-law Abhilash, and best friend Fali Bathena were distraught as well. Fali Bathena went on to give a eulogy speech when Vijay showed up and said he got drunk and crashed at a shady hotel.
Vijay was livid at his family, who’d purchased a coffin. The contents of Bathena’s eulogy speech made him realize his best friend did not know him that well. He revealed he was a national-level bronze medalist, but beyond that, he had not achieved anything in his life, which caused a crisis in his mind. Vijay was also a widower who’d lost his wife Anna to cancer. She always encouraged him to pursue his dream of swimming, which came to a halt because of her medical treatment and subsequent death. Vijay was also known for his bad temper and his tendency to use expletives on a frequent basis during his angry outbursts.
Why was Vijay interested in taking part in a triathlon?
Vijay was looking for a goal that would help him get going and give him something to work with. During a meeting of the society members, he came across Aditya, the son of his neighbor, who was planning to run the triathlon and wanted to set a record for the youngest person to complete it. Since Vijay was a national swimmer and had continued teaching swimming as a coach; he assumed he had it in him to apply for the triathlon and secure the record of the oldest man to complete, as he was sixty-nine years of age.
What were Vijay’s obstacles?
Vijay’s obstacles were his family, friends, and neighbors, who were under the impression he was too old to start training and finish a triathlon. The committee set up to choose who would run the triathlon was not keen on Vijay as a candidate because of his age and the fear he might pass away halfway into the sporting event. Vijay’s daughter Deeksha pointed out issues related to his age and health and requested that he not do anything that would only harm him further. Vijay’s only support came from his rival from his younger days, who was now the chairman of the athletics federation. His friend was impressed with Vijay’s will to compete, and he guaranteed he would help his friend sign up for the triathlon. A young and passionate coach, however, took it upon himself to help Vijay and began his rigorous training to compete for the half-triathlon and later the big leagues.
Did Vijay lose the half-triathlon?
Vijay began his training, and the only obstacle was cycling on a slope, which was a crucial part of the triathlon. Vijay’s competition was Aditya, a young boy in his late teens who had a verbally abusive and emotionally stunted father for a coach. He was more concerned about the glory that would come with winning the triathlon and making a record. Aditya’s father was also trying to undermine Vijay at every turn by involving the media and spreading fake news about him. During the half-triathlon, Aditya injured himself and Vijay could not ride his bike up the slope and fell off his two-wheeler. Thankfully, he didn’t suffer any major injuries, and the doctor advised him to take two weeks of rest before starting his training again, which agitated his best friend Bathena and Deeksha.
How did Aditya and Vijay help each other?
During his recovery period, he and Aditya began to bond, as Vijay thought the young boy needed guidance, when all he got was yelled at by his father. Aditya had a girlfriend who wasn’t allowed to meet him during the training, but she was his biggest support system. Soon after getting discharged, footage of Vijay being aggressive towards a journalist went viral. As a result, the company who sponsored his shoes, clothes, and bicycles backed out because they felt he was not a viable candidate anymore.
Vijay’s coach was also forced to withdraw because of his negative image, who was consistently angry and openly badmouthing people he disliked. Aditya, as a part of healthy competition, offered to train him secretly by sharing his father’s shoes and his own bicycle to train with. Aditya introduced his girlfriend Malti to Vijay. Her solution was to portray them as bitter rivals for television and social media, just like in the WWE. This was done to generate hype about the two and especially Vijay, who was finally receiving sponsorship as a result of this very public display of this rivalry. Both had ultimately become good friends and were looking forward to the triathlon.
Why was Vijay disqualified?
Aditya’s father was a bitter rival who made sure the media unearthed as much information against Vijay as possible to affect his position with the triathlon committee. Aditya’s father was an emotionally distant parent, and he was only interested in the fame that would come to him. Aditya may also receive scholarships on the basis of this triathlon, which he could brag about. He did not want Aditya to be overshadowed by Vijay, who was running to make a different record altogether. Since Vijay and Aditya’s motives behind taking part in the triathlon were different, the enmity on behalf of the latter’s father did not make sense. To his shock, the triathlon committee learned of Vijay’s health history of almost suffering from a heart attack. This forced them to disqualify Vijay from the event, as they were not willing to risk anything in case he suffered another heart attack during the event. The committee was not wrong in disqualifying Vijay, as they were just doing their jobs. It was the way they found out that was a tad bit pathetic, as Aditya’s father went really low by splashing the news.
Vijay was firm about completing the triathlon as he felt he would leave the world knowing he had achieved a massive goal for himself, something his late wife had also wanted for him. Both were deeply in love and shared a liking through a Hindi song, “Aage bhi jaane na tu.” The song’s lyrics said that it was crucial to live in the present and enjoy the moment, since there was no point pondering over the past and the future. Vijay was doing this for himself, and the dream he shared with his wife when she was alive. Since Anna’s death he had a lot of time for himself to achieve his goal. His daughter Deeksha also came around and apologized for behaving badly with him. She could finally see her father was deeply affected by the disqualification. Deeksha lets him know that despite everything she knows about her father, she still sees him as a hero who never gave up on his dream and continued living for it.
Even though Vijay could never become an international champion, he chose to continue teaching swimming to keep his passion going. His daughter was only concerned for him as Vijay was not getting any younger. She wanted him around as much as he could be. Vijay, however, wanted to be someone who wouldn’t be seen as just a grandfather figure. He wanted to be a role model to his grandson as well. Vijay’s friends were also upset with the disqualification. They’d been vicariously living through him, while he was trying to fulfill something impossible at the age of sixty-nine. Him fulfilling his goal would also motivate his gang of friends, including Bathena, to do something out of the ordinary. Vijay had also promised the money he got from completing the triathlon would be donated to Bathena’s cancer clinic, the place where Anna was treated for many years. It was during her treatment that he met Fali Bathena and they have been inseparable friends ever since. This also shows the human tendency to be happy for the person you love and adore, and Vijay’s friends embodied that tendency.
Did Vijay win the triathlon?
Since Vijay’s disqualification the old man had been dejected as were his friend, Bathena, and his neighbor, Mrs. Bakshi, who was an ex-nurse. These friends always stood by Vijay as he was heartbroken over not being able to fulfill his only goal. Bathena and Mrs. Bakshi understood his pain at being left out because of their age and tried to comfort him. Their idea of comfort was to take Vijay to watch the triathlon. Even though he could not participate in it, his friends assumed he might as well witness it as a part of a goodwill gesture from their side. At the event, Mrs. Bakshi met with an old client of hers who turned out to be a cabinet minister. She shared Vijay’s grievances in full Indian style in the hope he would get a chance to participate in the triathlon. Mrs. Bakshi was a very good friend who went out of her way to get help for Vijay.
Vijay was allowed to participate in the triathlon thanks to Mrs. Bakshi and contacts. She overstepped her boundaries, but it favored Vijay. This called for a gross suspension of disbelief in the film, as Vijay had been disqualified for a reason, and to reinstate him at the last moment was a tad bit dramatic. It was as if the makers wanted to make sure the last-minute drama would help Vijay get his mojo back so he would be ready to compete in no time, which was slightly impossible as well. Vijay was given the jersey and bicycle at the last minute. He was able to ace swimming because of his history with the sport. He also saved Aditya from drowning, and we feel this was added for Vijay to score some brownie points just like Harry did in the film “Goblet of Fire.” Harry was given second place for saving his rival’s partner from drowning. This was used to make him look like a good person despite his nature of being angry and foul-mouthed.
Vijay was struggling with cycling, as he had during his training, and was unable to ride up the hill. It was Bathena that gave him a pair of headphones that played the song Vijay and Anna liked, to get him going and help him complete the triathlon. Vijay was on the verge of having a physical breakdown because of his health. It was this song, and Vijay’s memory of Anna attached to it, that gave him the strength to power through till the finish line. Vijay was always seen as a person who chose to be safe, and his profession throughout his life also gave the same image. This triathlon gave his life a purpose and meaning.
Vijay 69 ended with Aditya also finishing the triathlon, and his father was happy, but everyone knows what his intentions were. Vijay also completed at the same time, but he was surrounded by his family and friends who were proud of him. Aditya and Vijay hugged as they had spent a lot of time training and being faux-rivals. Aditya respected Vijay for the man treating him like a person, unlike his father. Vijay also realized he’d needed the help of his family and friends to get through this. His son-in-law, grandson, and friends were rooting for him from the start. Deeksha was not in favor initially; but she eventually realized her father would be happy and would have helped him be at peace with himself with the completion of the triathlon. The last shot of Vijay had him seeing Anna, who was cheering for him from beyond, indicating she would be with him all the time. The family and friends coming together for Vijay helped him reach this stage and, as promised, gave all the money he received to Bathena’s clinic. Vijay was finally happy.
