Raees-movie-ReviewBOTTOM LINE
Masala Kills The Drama

OUR RATING
2.5/5

CENSOR
‘U/A’, 144 mins.


Shah-Rukh-KhanWhat is the film about?
Rise and fall of Raees (Shah Rukh Khan) as liquor mafia King in Gujarat.

How is SRK’s performance?
Shah Rukh Khan is good as usual. He has the swagger to carry a mass role but once again he has got shortchanged due to indecisive direction. It is not clear if the idea is to elevate the character and make him heroic or show in a realistic way making the gangster drama and conflict bigger than a hero.

What we get as a result is a performance that is not fully mass or threatening gangster with a raw and real appeal. At times it feels like he is trying too hard. All said and done he is the anchor of the film.


Director-Rahul-DholakiaDirection By Rahul Dholakia?
Rahul Dholakia is a National Award winning director. There is no question his ability to direct but making a commercial film is a completely different ball game. With Raees he tries exactly that and his weakness shows throughout the film.

The film opens in a terrific way, the whole Gujarat mafia set up is established neatly. The proceedings are neat whenever the director handles the realistic aspect of the narration. The dealings, the political nexus, the police problem they are all good. The problem shows whenever the heroism aspect has to be included in the narrative via Shah Rukh Khan. There is a clear and visible problem in blending that with the actual narrative.

Overall, Raees has some terrific moments but the film as a whole comes apart by the time we reach the end. It is the acting of Shah Rukh Khan and Nawazuddin Siddique that makes us sit through the end.


mahira-khanMahira Khan and others?
Mahira Khan is wasted as an artist. She neither has the glamor nor the acting skills. Additionally, the poor characterization makes thing worst. Nawazuddin-Siddiqui is as good as the star of the film, if not better. His individual scenes and confrontation with SRK are the really interesting bits of the movie. Rest of the cast is good on paper but none have an important role to make an impact or be memorable.

music-directorMusic and other departments?
Music by Ram Sampath is good. But it’s the background score which is a major highlight. It keeps even the dullest of moments alive. The cinematography is good. Editing should have been better. Dialogues are good for both the leads.


Nawazuddin-SiddiquiHighlights?
SRK
Nawazuddin Siddique
Few well executed scenes

Drawbacks?
Muddled Screenplay
Second half


sunny leoneAlternative Take
The story had all the ingredients to be a big success. Alternative Take would simply be a more cohesive narrative without additional masala that has been added for the sake of hero.

Did I enjoy it?
In parts

Will you recommend it?
Yes but with big reservations.

Raees Review by Siddhartha Toleti