RAEES – A True Blue SRK Film of the Year
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” Main aa raha hoon” and how SRK enters with a solid BANG! Enough of being a boring gentleman, a-doctor-next-door, a goofy hero or friendly cameos.
With RAEES, Shah Rukh means business
Currently, RAEES may be the victim of controversies but honestly it deserves none. Neither does it overly glamorise any anti elements in the society nor does it justify any wrong doings. It just pleads to be watched in a non-judgemental way.
Director Rahul Dholakia of ‘PARZANIA’ fame may have ruffled the feathers in his native land Gujrat by distorting the original history; but a rudimentary disclaimer in the beginning takes care of this uncalled for attention.
RAEES has ‘Badshah Khan’ written all over it in bold letters and is totally strewn with SRK elements. In fact, the angry young man of RAEES reminds us a lot of Big B of 1980’s from ZANZIR to TRISHUL to KAALA PATHAR. It is a classic Bollywood rags-to-riches adventure in a-la-Bacchan style; complete with a Robinhood act i.e (helping the poor ‘bastiwallas’ and ‘muhallawalas’ while earning the tag of ‘Garibon ka Masiha’ in bargain).
It may sound as a formulaic film but is thoroughly watchable only and only thanks to Shah Rukh Khan !!
Story is woven around the checkered life of a small time bootlegger, ostensibly called as Raees Khan who starts the ‘Dhanda’ early in life by carrying ‘English Bottles’ in his school bag in place of books. Call it ’Baniye ka dimaag aur Mian ki daring’, this master manipulator changes his fortune with his cool calculations and sheer dare-devilry but is ultimately sucked into the murky world of gang wars, gambling and extortions. Predictably, the law of land is above everyone and the man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals meets his nemesis, Inspector Mujavtar.
A class act by a consummate artist, Nawazuddin Siddique. The cat-and-mouse game ends on an emotional note of secularism and good samaritan deeds. Yes, the age old story of bad boy doing good is here for eons but director Dholakia adds dollops of realistic action, crackling dialogues, sizzling item song, fast-track sequences, a throbbing background score and commendable performances by one and all makes RAEES a winner in its own (Manmohan Desai) way.
Obviously, Raees Khan feigning ‘innocence’ on being connected to many inflammatory events with his over secularism seems unbelievable and also impossible. At times, SRK’s flashy character goes over-the-top but that is Badshah Khan for you; always larger than life.
Clearly, SRK rules the roost and almost gets his mojo back. It is here that he belongs to, a massy hero in a classy style. Devil wears killer pathani suits and walks, talks, acts like a super star, “total s-w-a-g”, whistles please!! His brutish bad fella looks with smouldering kohl-rimmed eyes speak louder than words.
RAEES may not be counted as his best act but it will certainly be his loved act.
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Nawazuddin Siddique acts as an honest, workaholic police officer in his trademark brusque and eccentric manner. An ordinary man without impressive physique or filmstar features, receiving maximum cheers and claps talks a lot about his acting chops. We wish he had meatier part.
Film’s wall-flower, Mahira Khan, a neighbouring country export, is nothing but a dull, aged face. We do not blame the girl for her hesitant dialogue delivery or nervous eyes because SRK charisma spares no one indeed.
The film boasts of one more (original) crowd puller, Sunny Leone, shimmies to the raunchy ‘QURBANI’ song but remains respectably provocative. With an item song in SRK film, she is obviously one step closer to the A- listers of Bollyclub.
Peppy numbers and filmy dialogues are sure to be the chartbusters in coming days.
