Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia's mythological fantasy thriller The Vvaan hit theatres today, September 25, 2026, and the first wave of social media reactions has arrived - with audiences split down the middle on whether Deepak Kumar Mishra's directorial venture is a paisa vasool spectacle or an outright barbaad experience. The film, which also stars Nimrat Kaur, Maniesh Paul, Sunil Grover, Shweta Tiwari, Yo Yo Honey Singh, and Manu Rishi Chadha, opened to a mixed bag of tweets ranging from glowing praise for its visual ambition to sharp criticism of its pacing and screenplay.

The plot follows a rational urban man who defies his ancestral forbidden forest and awakens a divine goddess, only to realise that some powers exist beyond logic. He must then rise as the village's only saviour to protect his people from annihilation. It's a premise that blends action, adventure, and thriller elements with desi mythology - a cocktail that has clearly resonated with some viewers while leaving others cold.

Social Media Split: Visuals Win, Writing Loses

Early reactions on X (formerly Twitter) suggest that the film's strongest asset is its visual treatment and the performances of its leads. Several users praised Sidharth Malhotra's committed turn as the reluctant hero, with one tweet calling him "the beating heart of the film" and noting that he carries the emotional weight of the narrative with sincerity. Tamannaah Bhatia, returning to the big screen in a Hindi-language mythological fantasy after a string of South Indian successes, drew applause for her ethereal presence as the awakened goddess. "Tamannaah looks like she stepped out of a painting," one user wrote. "Her screen presence is divine - pun intended."

Nimrat Kaur, cast in what appears to be a pivotal supporting role, also earned mentions for bringing gravitas to the proceedings. Meanwhile, the comedic talents of Maniesh Paul, Sunil Grover, and Manu Rishi Chadha provided what many described as much-needed levity. Yo Yo Honey Singh's cameo as Hardy Thakur sparked a flurry of memes, with fans joking that his entry sequence was "louder than the background score."

However, the praise comes with a hefty dose of criticism. A recurring complaint centres on the film's runtime and pacing, with several users describing the second half as a slog. "First half builds intrigue, second half loses the plot - literally and figuratively," one tweet read. Another user was blunter: "The Vvaan has great visuals but a weak script. Style over substance, and not in a good way."

Direction and VFX: Ambition vs Execution

Deepak Kumar Mishra, who has previously helmed smaller-scale projects, steps into big-budget territory with The Vvaan. Twitterati acknowledged his ambition in constructing a mythological world rooted in Indian folklore, with the forbidden forest sequences drawing particular praise for their atmosphere. "The forest scenes are genuinely eerie and well-shot," one user noted. "You can tell Mishra has a vision."

But the VFX proved divisive. While some called the visual effects "surprisingly solid for a Bollywood fantasy," others dismissed them as "inconsistent" and "TV-level in places." A particularly viral tweet compared the film's climax to "a video game cutscene from 2015" - a jab that, fair or not, has coloured much of the online discourse.

The Verdict: Paisa Vasool or Barbaad?

The honest answer, based on early reactions, is that The Vvaan depends entirely on what you're looking for. If you want a visually ambitious fantasy thriller with committed performances and a touch of mythology, there's plenty to enjoy. If you're hoping for a tightly written, logically sound narrative, you may leave disappointed.

One tweet summed up the divide neatly: "The Vvaan is the kind of film you either love for its ambition or hate for its execution. There's no middle ground." Another user was more forgiving: "It's not perfect, but it's trying something new. In an era of remakes and sequels, that counts for something."

What's undeniable is that The Vvaan has sparked conversation - and in an industry where visibility is currency, that's half the battle won. Whether word-of-mouth tips the scales toward paisa vasool or barbaad over the weekend remains to be seen.

With a runtime that remains undisclosed and a TMDb rating yet to populate, the film's fate will rest on whether audiences embrace its mythological ambitions or reject its narrative flaws. For now, the tweets tell a story of a film that shoots for the stars but occasionally stumbles on its way there.

The Vvaan is in theatres now.

Source: Filmibeat