Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka (2026) [Film Review] — A Stylish Action Thriller Loses Its Way

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka arrives with the kind of title that promises scale, swagger, and a sharp sense of place. With Shakib Khan leading the cast and Abu Hayat Mahmud behind the camera, the film clearly aims to be a grand Bangladeshi action thriller with mass appeal. Unfortunately, the final result is far less exciting than the premise suggests. Instead of capturing the spirit, texture, and energy of Dhaka, the film feels scattered, inconsistent, and oddly detached from the city it claims to celebrate.

Story Setup: A Familiar Action Formula Without Enough Identity

The film follows a young underworld figure whose life moves through violence, romance, political backing, and larger-than-life action beats. On paper, that sounds like the kind of commercial entertainer Bangladeshi audiences often embrace. In practice, though, the screenplay feels stitched together from familiar ideas rather than built around a fresh vision. It borrows heavily from earlier masala films, but does not add enough originality to make the material feel new.

There is no shortage of events, but the story rarely feels cohesive. The narrative jumps between gangster swagger, romance, political maneuvering, and action spectacle without enough control over tone or time period. As a result, the film often seems busy instead of immersive.

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Dhaka Feels Missing from Dhaka

One of the biggest disappointments is the film’s failure to convincingly represent Old Dhaka. A movie with this title should ideally immerse viewers in the lanes, landmarks, flavors, and mood of the city. Instead, the portrayal feels strangely thin and inauthentic. The absence of recognizable Old Dhaka spaces and cultural details is difficult to ignore, especially when the film claims to be rooted in that world.

The culinary identity of the city is also barely acknowledged, which is a major missed opportunity. A story set in Dhaka should feel alive with its local atmosphere, but here the surroundings often feel generic rather than deeply connected to the place.

A Confusing Time Period and Sloppy Visual Logic

Another major issue is the film’s inconsistent period setting. At times, it appears to be set in the 1970s, then suddenly visual cues from later decades begin creeping in. The costumes, vehicles, mobile phones, television sets, and law-enforcement uniforms all seem to belong to different eras. That lack of continuity weakens the film’s credibility and makes it hard to stay invested.

The action sequences also suffer from uneven effects and weak visual construction. The film wants to be high-energy and explosive, but some of the VFX and staging feel outdated rather than thrilling. Instead of heightening the impact, these moments often pull the viewer out of the experience.

Performances: Shakib Khan Holds the Center, But the Material Lets Him Down

Shakib Khan does what he can with the role and brings the screen presence expected of a star of his stature. He remains the film’s strongest commercial draw, and his fans will likely appreciate his larger-than-life style. Tasnia Farin gets limited room to shine, while her character is pushed more toward glamour than depth. The supporting cast, including Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Nasir Uddin Khan, and others, adds weight in places, but the writing does not always give them enough to work with.

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Final Verdict: Style Without Substance

Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka had the ingredients for a powerful action thriller, but it stumbles badly in execution. The film is burdened by weak world-building, muddled chronology, borrowed ideas, and a frustrating lack of authenticity. There are moments that hint at something bigger, but they are never fully developed.

For all its noise and ambition, the film ends up feeling confused rather than commanding. It may satisfy viewers looking for star power and occasional spectacle, but as a representation of Dhaka or as a memorable action thriller, it falls short.

Rating: 4.5 out of 10