Kya cliché Mara!! Our cinema, like
our politics is driven by clichés. The viewer wants it, expects it and laps it
up with wilful glee. Rahul Dholakia gifts you Raees (Shahrukh Khan) – the
biography of a bootlegger from the land of prohibition Gujarat. The preface and
the premise: law is the start point of revolt. Our dizzy myopic criminal is no
Jean Val Jean and any strained attempt to justify the shift of a poor child
being initiated into the big bad world or crime is so spice filled that it is
clearly robbed of any social pretension or philosophical authenticity. This
main stream entertainer is obviously not meant to be taken seriously. It is no
task of a film maker to play social reformer, so Dholakia cannot be accused for
what he is saying. Having got SRK as the protagonist, he is absolved of blame
also for “how” he goes about saying it all.
It is the law Vs. persona and as a realistic reflection of our society,
personalities get the better of causes. Today we see everyone get populist.
Politics is fine art of deceit. Notice how the riot finds the acceptance of an
audience that is whistling approval. Aren’t we the ones who recite platitudes
in brad daylight? Finally Raees is about how well SRK is marketed.
The story line is very simple Raees is brought up in poverty by single Mom
(Sheeba Chadda). This justifies his juvenile initiation into bootlegging egged
and abetted by Jairaj Seth (Atul Kulkarni – welcome back!!). Soon he grows
larger than life in the company of buddy Sadiq (spirited performance from Mohd
Zashan Ayub), falls in love with Monisha (Mahira), takes up cudgels with the
political heavy weights and ensures he is the power centre. However the brewing
nemesis is ACP Majumdar (Nawazuddin Sidiqui).
The Tom and Jerry game is on. Lawlessness has a blast. Both sides do not
believe in the rule of law. The guy with the heart of gold and misty (Kohl
filled) eyes and the cool Khaki guy are engaged in a battle of wits. As the
police officer gets suffocatingly close to the erring criminal, the audience
has a full sweep show of how in real life crime is indeed getting larger than
life and nearer to reel life. Even as Raees (SRK) unwittingly helps a bomb
blast with the help of benefactor (Narendra Jha – his most important release
day – with his Kaabil too out there for the more discerning takers). Law has to
catch up and yet again the message is clear: law is an inadequate measure to
handle societal imbalances and crime.
The film is expectedly built around the star quality of Shah Rukh Khan who is
his usual self. In case you have been trapped into appreciating his school of
cinema here is another good outing. In case you believe he can make hamming a
virtue there is yet again proof of it in abundance. The star doubtlessly
Nawazuddin. This guy defies expression. Watch the film for his amazing
performance. The import of human resource is wholly unnecessary except for
diplomatic reasons and building cultural bridges. The chemistry between the
lead pair is conspicuously absent. Raees is a paise wassol outing.
Rating: 3 Stars
+: Nawazuddin and Mohd. Zeeshan Ayub
-: Too long. Clichéd.
L. Ravichander