The era of damdaar Bollywood dialogues is back ! *drum rolls* "din aur raat insaanon ke hote hain, sheron ka toh zamana hota hai" are few of the many dialogues in this film, which elicit the single-screen brand of cheering and seetiyan from us.
Mahira Khan's name leads the credit list in the film and when "Shah Rukh Khan in and as Raees " lights up the screen, the excitement is infectious. Tried and tested ingredients of the typical Bollywood blockbuster, complete with 70s tadka have been employed unapologetically.
A notorious bootlegger who ensured that Gujarat remains a dry state only on paper, SRK's Raees is loosely based on Abdul Latif. The creative licence excercised is obviously to make the role large enough to accommodate Shah Rukh 's star power. The slow motion walk, the menacing tough looks and the bloody violence when Raees makes his entry – you know "picture ka hero" aaya hai.
Hamara hero follows his ammi jaan’s advise of “koi dhanda chhota nahi hota and dhande se bada koi dharam nahi hota”.
The action is relentless except for the scenes where romance makes a cameo in the form of his love interest Mahira Khan. She commits to her role with her usual verve but it's with Nawazuddin Siddiqui that Shah Rukh's chemistry is most electrifying .
If you are planning to go for Raees, it's important to remember that subtlety isn't on the menu. Also the plot is no great shakes . Till the interval the pace is engaging but post that, the proceedings become slightly laboured. Once SRK sheds his character's shades of grey in favour of the spotless white of a Hindi film hero, who can do no wrong and even if he does, his heart is of pure gold, the trajectory doesn't have many surprises in store .
Still for his loyalists there is Shah Rukh, his charm and tons of “miyabhai ki daring”. For the sceptics there is Nawazuddin’s brilliance .
Which ever way you see it, Raees is "kaabil" e tareef” (pun intended) .
3.5 QUINTS out of 5.
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