India's Ultimate Warrior Episode 3 Review: Akshay Kumar proves he is a stuntman before an actor on Vidyut Jammwal's show
India Today
Akshay Kumar was the Guest Master in the latest episode of Vidyut Jammwal's reality show, India's Ultimate Warrior. The interesting task sans melodrama keeps you hooked, says our review.
"I call myself a stuntman first and then an actor," said Akshay Kumar while addressing the contestants of India's Ultimate Warrior. Episode 3 of the Discovery+ reality show featured the Bachchhan Paandey actor as Guest Master along with Dojo Master Vidyut Jammwal. India's Ultimate Warrior contestants are being tested every day on the qualities of a warrior. The aim is to unveil the true warrior in them. After testing the control and determination of the contestants in the first two episodes, only 12 out of 16 went ahead. And, now their focus has been put to the test.
Dojo Master Vidyut Jammwal greeted the contestants and asked them to close their eyes. Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar made a hero-like entry hanging from a chopper. The contestants had a smile on their faces upon seeing Akshay. However, the Bell Bottom actor had brought two new wild card contestants with him, which meant all the more competition for the trophy. Before kicking off the tasks, Akshay motivated everyone by sharing his story. He said that four contestants would be eliminated on that day, but that didn't mean they were not good. He said it meant that they would make a comeback. He shared how he was dejected when 12-14 of his initial films flopped, but he never gave up and is still standing strong, even after 35 years in the film industry.
The first task involved contestants sparring with Guest Master Akshay Kumar. Five contestants were selected to spar with the actor. It was interesting to see contestants engage with Akshay in the free-form fighting. The actor even shared pieces of advice with the contestants. Lekha Jambhulkar, who calls herself 'chhota packet bada dhamaka', amazed Khiladi Kumar with her agility and movements. After finishing the task, the actor hugged her with a huge smile on his face.
It's refreshing to see women on par with men and giving a tough fight to co-contestants. The next task was Dead Drop. When a contestant, Pearl Monteiro, was about to quit the task, Akshay, like a true mentor, talked her out of it and convinced her to give the task a try. Although, Pearl got eliminated post the Dead Drop task, she was able to overcome her fear. Along with Pearl, wild card contestant Rohit Singh also bid adieu to the show after a short stint .
Unlike the usual reality shows, there is no unnecessary drama on India's Ultimate Warrior. Although the show also focusses on interpersonal relationships between the contestants and the mentors, the third episode was more about the tasks and Akshay Kumar. There was not a single dull moment, and if you are a regular viewer, you would get to cheer for your favourites.
After showcasing his skills while sparring with the contestants and performing a mind-bending challenge called Dead Drop, the action star put their focus to test in the third task called Tag Fight, which involved every contestant. Each of them in a set of four had to assemble in a muddy pit and fight for their survival using their agility, skills, techniques and presence of mind. Akshay was monitoring the entire task and pushed the contestants to reach their absolute potential. Post the muddy fight, the mentors, Vidyut Jammwal and Akshay Kumar, had to decide the names of two contestants who would be eliminated.
At the Dojo, Akshay Kumar first announced the star warrior of the episode. The actor was super-impressed by Haryana's Suchika Tariyal, who is a judo athlete, and declared she was the star warrior. She didn't just ace the Drop Dead task but also the tag fight while competing with Pro MMA fighter Prakram Dandona. While Akshay and Vidyut had to decide on two names, Akshay requested the Commando actor to eliminate just one. Abhishek Mishra, who is a professional runner, was the third contestant to leave the show in the latest episode.
