Superstar Akshay Kumar's much-awaited movie "Rustom," featuring Ileana D'Cruz in the female lead, was released on Aug. 12 and received positive reviews and decent ratings from critics.

Rustom Promotion | Rustom movie poster

"Rustom" is a crime drama, inspired by real-life murder case involving Naval officer KM Nanavati that took place in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1959. The storyline of "Rustom" is about the Naval commander Rustom Pavri (played by Akshay), who gets married to Cynthia (Ileana). But soon after, he learns that his wife has been cheating on him with Vikram Makhija (Arjan Bajwa), leading the naval commander to kill Vikram. How the story unfolds after the murder forms the crux of the film.

Directed by Tinu Suresh Desai, the murder mystery will leave the audience with some nail-biting and edge-of-the-seat moments. The chemistry between Akshay and Ileana, the exotic locales and the brilliant performance by Akshay are the major highlights of the film. Ileana too has impressed the audience with her fine performance, say the critics.

This is the third time Akshay is teaming up with Neeraj Pandey. While Neeraj had directed "Baby" and "Special 26," which had Akshay in lead roles, he has turned a producer for "Rustom." Neeraj has jointly produced "Rustom" with Aruna Bhatia, Akash Chawla, Nittin Keni, Virender Arora, Shital Bhatia and Ishwar Kapoor. He has got brilliant production values, which are on par with Hollywood standards.

Critics say that "Rustom" has all the elements for the audience to keep themselves hooked throughout the film. 

We bring you some critic's verdict and ratings for the movie. Check them out in "Rustom" review round-up:

Manjusha Radhakrishnan of Gulf News said: "Watch this film if you want to see Kumar in all his noble glory. If you look carefully, perhaps a halo might even emerge from this honourable man. But if you are anything like me, this film would have benefitted hugely from exploring the cracks in his relationships."

Sneha May Francis of Emirates 24/7 said: "'Rustom', nevertheless, would've benefitted by a tauter edit. Its pace dips randomly, over songs and lengthy flashbacks, thus ruining its impact. But, much of the damage is salvaged by the striking performances. Akshay Kumar thankfully abandons his flamboyant Bollywood hero moves and muscle flexing urges to lend integrity and intensity to the celebrated naval officer. He's calm, understated even, only investing in his expressions to explore what prompted an officer to pull the trigger."

Rohit Vats of Hindustan Times said: "Lousy special effects and the language of certain characters are a few things that warp the authentic feel of the movie. Yet, somehow Rustom doesn't falter, except when you realise the movie two and a half hours long. Akshay Kumar ensures that you root for Rustom Pavri. After Holiday, Baby and Airlift, it's one more step for his brand of patriotism. It's an intriguing film for sure."

Surabhi Redkar of Koimoi said: "Rustom is a one-time watch. For those who just want to catch a flick without its relation to Nanavati case, it makes up for a decent watch. I plead guilty that I suggest this film!"

Shaheen Parkar of Mid-Day said: "With some tight editing, especially in the second half when the court scenes become a drag, it would have made for a more riveting watch. A great deal of attention has been paid to the detailing and production values, and that's commendable, and so is the direction.
'Rustom' is worth a watch for Akshay's sake."

Stay tuned for more updates.