MovieNotes: Raees

Title: Raees (IMDB)

*ing: Shahrukh Khan, Nawazuddin Siddique, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Mahira Khan

Language: Hindi (with a sprinkling of Gujarati)

Director: Rahul Dholakia

Genre: Crime, Action, Thriller

Preamble

After many days came a trailer, which actually generated enough interest to go to the cinemas without waiting for any reviews. So there I was on the occasion of Republic Day watching a movie which would make lets say not make our Constitution's founding fathers very happy.

Basic Premise

Movie traces the life of Raees, a young boy who rises from the ranks of a foot-soldier in the bootleggging "industry" to a leader of setup. Meanwhile a police officer is hell-bent on plotting his downfall. 

MovieNotes

What works

The movie's setting of 1980s. All loud and macho with just the right amount of over-the-top action sequences with a healthy dose of one-liners thrown in to good effect. They had stopped making movies like this for quite some time.

The overall acting led by Shahrukh Khan and Nawazuddin and complemented by the support cast. The make-up artistes have also done a good job in ageing the characters as the movie progresses.

The story is fast paced (except a few songs here and there) which provide enough cover for all plot-holes. It might be an action thriller, but the movie is full of lighter moments. A young Raees stealing Gandhiji's glass-less-spectacles being the highlight.

What doesn't

The music. Says a lot that the most memorable song is the one borrowed from 1980 movie. In fact,, they could have easily cut down the a couple of songs as well.

The Others

Released in the current "intolerant" times, a movie based on a criminal's life tries to give out a message of communal harmony and national integration!!!

The makers could have dropped Mahira Khan completely. Her role seemed to have been heavily chopped out and what remained was to just smile when on-screen.

Always remember what you are taught in school. You never know which subject might come handy at what time.

At times the story seemed an analogue of Narcos (TV series based on Pable Escobar's life). Don't know whether it was deliberate ploy from the makers or just a coincidence. But there were obvious similarities in the depiction of the Colombian druglord in Narcos and a Gujarati boot-legger in Raees.

We can find honest policemen on screen but yet to find one decent politician. Wonder why?

Rating - 8/10. Points lost on music.

Previously on MovieNotes: Dangal