Warning: Spoiler alerts below.
This one is straight out of a Salim-Javed script from back in the seventies. It's a tad too late - by three decades or so, and may have become a super-hit back then. This one lives up to the promise of the preview/trailer. So, if you have seen the trailer, you've pretty much seen the film.
Not many would know that the lead character may have been based on Abdul Latif, though there are disclaimers at the beginning of the film that this is purely a work of fiction and not based on anyone living or dead.
Shahrukh Khan is pretty sincere, but looks like our director Rahul Dholakia was awed by the man and let the star in him take over, instead of focusing on a solid script.
I particularly liked how the director risks with a tragic ending, though. And also his take on jihad.
The pleasant surprise to me here was Mahira Khan. She showed potential, though she had very little to do on screen. It was nice to see that the director did not seem to compromise much, and that she was not left out after all the recent political controversies pertaining to artists from across the border.
Ram Sampath does come up with a fresh score, but it is wasted. There are far too many songs that are pretty misfitting.
One more thing - the screenplay was bad.
K Ravi Verma's action could have been slicker and realer, too.
The most enjoyable part of the film to me was the last half-hour.
As for Shahrukh, we have seen this act before. Nothing extraordinary. It would be nice to see him do something different. Or surprise us with a better act. This is getting routine. He needs to get out of the superstar mould. Either he does this or he gets over-the-top. Long time since he pulled off a Swades or a Chak-De! India.
The best thing about the film was the teaser.
The second best thing: Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Let's be honest: How many of u watched this for Nawazuddin Siddiqui? :)
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub also deserves special mention, for he comes up with a fine performance as Sadiq, Raees' right-hand man and childhood best friend.
Third, some memorable dialogues, like -
Jyada uncha mat ud, Katt jayega (Don't fly too high, you'll be cut)
Agar katne ka darr hota na, to Patang nahi chadhata,
firki pakdta
(If I had the fear of getting cut, I'd not be flying a kite.
I'd be holding the thread, instead.)
Gujrat ki hawa mein, Vyapar hai saheb..
Meri saans to rok loge, Lekin iss hawa ko kaise rokoge.
(There is business in the air of Gujarat
you can stop my breath... but how will you stop this air?!)
Din aur raat logon ke hote hai.
Sheron Ka Zamaana hota hai.
(Day and night is for people.
Lions have eras, instead.)
(Can someone tell me who wrote the dialogues, please?)
Fourth, the title, after the lead character: for it had little to do with bootlegging and was all about the life-story of fictional character Raees. Glad it was not a misnomer.
The last good thing about the film: The background theme, which was sadly wasted.
The biggest goof in this one: There is a scene just before intermission where Mahira tells Shahrukh that she is carrying. But then, post intermission, the story progresses a year ahead, and our hero and heroine still jump into a love song, where she doesn't show any signs of motherhood. She prances around with a perfect figure, and then a baby comes into their lives only at the end of it. May be some sort of a Guinness record for the longest pregnancy?!
What could have been better: The script, for the subject was fresh and could have had so much depth. And content. It surprised me that four of them could not lift the story. Yes, this one is written by Rahul Dholakia, Harit Mehta, Ashish Vashi and Niraj Shukla. Too many cooks spoil the broth, no?
The antagonists were meek and could have done more, like in the Shakespearean plays. Or a Vishal Bharadwaj film. Remember Saif Ali Khan in Omkara?
Wonder what the other release Kaabil looks like, which I expect to catch in the next day or two.
My verdict: 2.5 out of 5. As I left the movie-hall, I was left wondering how Dholakia would have handled it had he not had the star Shahrukh Khan. Like he did with the magical Parzania.
This one is straight out of a Salim-Javed script from back in the seventies. It's a tad too late - by three decades or so, and may have become a super-hit back then. This one lives up to the promise of the preview/trailer. So, if you have seen the trailer, you've pretty much seen the film.
Not many would know that the lead character may have been based on Abdul Latif, though there are disclaimers at the beginning of the film that this is purely a work of fiction and not based on anyone living or dead.
Shahrukh Khan is pretty sincere, but looks like our director Rahul Dholakia was awed by the man and let the star in him take over, instead of focusing on a solid script.
I particularly liked how the director risks with a tragic ending, though. And also his take on jihad.
The pleasant surprise to me here was Mahira Khan. She showed potential, though she had very little to do on screen. It was nice to see that the director did not seem to compromise much, and that she was not left out after all the recent political controversies pertaining to artists from across the border.
Ram Sampath does come up with a fresh score, but it is wasted. There are far too many songs that are pretty misfitting.
One more thing - the screenplay was bad.
K Ravi Verma's action could have been slicker and realer, too.
The most enjoyable part of the film to me was the last half-hour.
As for Shahrukh, we have seen this act before. Nothing extraordinary. It would be nice to see him do something different. Or surprise us with a better act. This is getting routine. He needs to get out of the superstar mould. Either he does this or he gets over-the-top. Long time since he pulled off a Swades or a Chak-De! India.
The best thing about the film was the teaser.
The second best thing: Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Let's be honest: How many of u watched this for Nawazuddin Siddiqui? :)
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub also deserves special mention, for he comes up with a fine performance as Sadiq, Raees' right-hand man and childhood best friend.
Third, some memorable dialogues, like -
Jyada uncha mat ud, Katt jayega (Don't fly too high, you'll be cut)
Agar katne ka darr hota na, to Patang nahi chadhata,
firki pakdta
(If I had the fear of getting cut, I'd not be flying a kite.
I'd be holding the thread, instead.)
Gujrat ki hawa mein, Vyapar hai saheb..
Meri saans to rok loge, Lekin iss hawa ko kaise rokoge.
(There is business in the air of Gujarat
you can stop my breath... but how will you stop this air?!)
Din aur raat logon ke hote hai.
Sheron Ka Zamaana hota hai.
(Day and night is for people.
Lions have eras, instead.)
(Can someone tell me who wrote the dialogues, please?)
The last good thing about the film: The background theme, which was sadly wasted.
The biggest goof in this one: There is a scene just before intermission where Mahira tells Shahrukh that she is carrying. But then, post intermission, the story progresses a year ahead, and our hero and heroine still jump into a love song, where she doesn't show any signs of motherhood. She prances around with a perfect figure, and then a baby comes into their lives only at the end of it. May be some sort of a Guinness record for the longest pregnancy?!
What could have been better: The script, for the subject was fresh and could have had so much depth. And content. It surprised me that four of them could not lift the story. Yes, this one is written by Rahul Dholakia, Harit Mehta, Ashish Vashi and Niraj Shukla. Too many cooks spoil the broth, no?
The antagonists were meek and could have done more, like in the Shakespearean plays. Or a Vishal Bharadwaj film. Remember Saif Ali Khan in Omkara?
Wonder what the other release Kaabil looks like, which I expect to catch in the next day or two.
My verdict: 2.5 out of 5. As I left the movie-hall, I was left wondering how Dholakia would have handled it had he not had the star Shahrukh Khan. Like he did with the magical Parzania.
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