The first promo of Tezz has been released, while a poster promoting Agent Vinod is also out there – giving more than just a hint of how the film may be. Although the much-hyped clash between these films has been averted, with Tezz moving ahead to allow Agent Vinod a solo release, comparisons are bound to be made.

Says a source: “Both films have been much more than just ‘inspired’ by their Hollywood counterparts. So while it is a fact that Agent Vinod is based on the James Bond flicks, Ajay’s character in Tezz is based on Jason Bourne of the Bourne trilogy. Moreover, those who worked on Tezz vouch that its action has been conceptualised, designed and executed in a manner similar to that of the James Bond franchise.”

A senior actor involved in Tezz said: “We aren’t allowed to say much, but Tezz is turning out brilliantly. Yes, it has taken some time to reach the finish line, but every week spent on post-production has been worth it. The film boasts some heavy duty action and I am amazed at the way (producer) Ratan Jain has got the best guys in the business for the film. The man behind the action is the same guy who handled the Bourne movies.”

Although films like Dabangg and Singham have stuck to their desi (traditional) roots, Agent Vinod and Tezz are expected to bring a new dimension to the Bollywood action genre. “You don’t know how crazy and excited Priyadarshan (director) has been for Tezz. He seldom dedicates a full year to a film, but he has done that for this one. He is trying to explore various spectrums now. He wants to prove that he can make a cool-looking action film if he wants to. He has that fire in his belly and won’t rest until he has achieved what he set out to do. Tezz is his dream,” says another source.

Since Priyadarshan has made a career out of making comedies while Sriram Raghavan (director of Agent Vinod) has earned acclaim with gritty films such as Johnny Gaddaar and Ek Haseena Thi, it would be interesting to see if their desi Bourne and Bond manage to push the envelope when it comes to matching the high standards set by the Hollywood originals.

Here is some info about these highly anticipated flicks: l Agent Vinod is a Hindi action spy film written and directed by Raghavan. The film, produced by Saif Ali Khan under the banner of his Illuminati Films, features the actor in the title role alongside Kareena Kapoor. Originally set for release in December, Agent Vinod will now be released on March 23.

According to Raghavan, Agent Vinod is not a remake of the 1977 action film of the same name. He described it as “a realistic film full of action, thrills and characters”. l Tezz is a Hindi action thriller directed by Priyadarshan. It features an ensemble cast that includes Mohanlal, Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgan, Kangna Ranaut, Sameera Reddy and Zayed Khan. It is expected to hit theatres on 27 April. The stunt choreographer was Gareth Milne, the stunt co-ordinator for Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer and National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Tezz was earlier titled Bullet Train. – bollywoodhungama.com, additional information from Wikipedia.com