Tag: John Abraham

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The Diplomat (“A True Hero needs no weapon): A focused rescue drama with a restrained John Abraham

Director Shivam Nair along with writer Ritesh Shah craft a fast paced tale drawing the viewers into the world of diplomats operating in a tense political atmosphere. The fast paced storytelling is also an hindrance due to the rushed nature. Thankfully the movie doesn’t become overtly jingoistic with unnecessary dialogue bazzi

Starcast: Sadia Khateeb, John Abraham, Jagjeet Sandhu, Kumud Mishra, Sharib Hashmi and others

Genre: Thriller/drama

Director: Shivam Nair

Writer: Ritesh Shah

Producers: John Abraham, Vipul D. Shah, Krishna Kumar and others

Music: Anurag Saikia

Cinematography: Dimo Popov

Banner: T- series Entertainment, JA Entertainment etc

Running time: 2 hours and 17 minutes

Shivam Nair’s The Diplomat focuses on the real life struggles of an Indian citizen duped by a Pakistani man. The Pakistani man played by Jagjeet Sandhu in the movie is already married several times. Sadia Khateeb of Raksha Bandan fame plays Uzma Ahmed. She seeks a refugee at the Indian embassy where John Abraham’s JP Singh works. He is an Indian diplomat working in Pakistan. In simple terms the story focuses on the physical and emotional turmoil faced by Uzma and how she eventually makes it back to India overcoming various hurdles starting from JP Singh’s initial distrust about her identity.

Sadia Khateeb as Usma in second picture

A strong aspect of The Diplomat is how it sucks the viewers into the world of diplomats. The tense political atmosphere in which they work has been wonderfully showcased. Given the environment that they work in to trust someone on face value isn’t easy and this comes out in an impactful manner in the way JP Singh is initially apprehensive about Usma. There is a cold hearted approach in the way JP goes about interrogating Usma, at the same time we see JP having a constant inner battle on whether she is actually innocent or a spy in disguise. This has been both wonderfully written and enacted.

As already mentioned the tagline of The Diplomat is a true hero needs no weapon. The way JP Singh operates even in the most volatile situation does absolute justice to this theme. John Abraham at no point goes out of character getting out of tricky situations with his mind power than using fists.

Given the background of India and Pakistan Shivam Nair and Ritesh Shah could have easily gone overboard with bombastic dialogues and crowd pleasing action however the makers do away with these troupes. Of course patriotism is an inherent part of a movie like The Diplomat and the character of Jageet Sandhu is purely evil playing on the Hindutva slant at at the same time though it doesn’t paint all Pakistan’s or Muslims as pure monsters. A good example of this is the character played by Kumud Mishra. He is a Pakistani lawyer who plays a significant role in Uzma going back home. Similarly there is a very crucial scene when the Pakistani Judge doesn’t succumb to the pressure tactics of Jageet Sandhu’s Tahir by telling him to not make his personal matter an India Pakistan issue. This is refreshing to watch.

Talking about the flaws the fast paced screenplay is both a plus and minus. Because of the fast paced screenplay some of the plot points aren’t properly developed. This is particularly true in the case of Tahir duping Uzma. Their interactions before the ordeal she goes through has been sketchily written. How she easily trusts Tahir talking about her failed marriage and the health issue of her daughter is just skimmed through. Even the subplot of the daughter is written in an haphazard manner and forgotten soon. Even the family track of JP Singh particularly his talks with the son breaks the movie’s flow. Lastly attempts at comedy through the character of Sharib Hashmi also becomes a speed breaker. Thankfully these screenplay defects don’t derail the movie completely, a major reason for that is an evolving bond between JP Singh and Uzma along with the emotional core of Usma’s struggles.

Sadia Khateeb as Uzma is the movie’s beating heart. She delivers a first rate act perfectly capturing the horror of a woman who is shocked by her own naivety in trusting a stranger and is desperate to get out of the hell. The way she portrays the fighting spirit of Usma is very commendable. John Abraham in a refreshingly different role plays his part with the right amount of restraint, the various shades of JP starting from the initial suspicion, then the inner dilemmas and eventually becoming a strong pillar of support has been wonderfully portrayed by the actor.

John Abraham plays the various shades of JP Singh well

Special mention must also be made of Jagjeet Sandhu. He plays the detestable Tahir with gay abandon making the viewers hate him to the hilt. Kumud Mishra in a small but important role also makes his presence amply felt. Revathy as Sushma Swaraj also does a fine job again in a brief yet important role. Sharib Hashmi though is thoroughly underutilized.

Jagjeet Sandhu plays the detestable Tahir with gay abandon

Talking about Dimo Popov’s cinematography his work deserves a specific mention in a tense chase sequence involving Tahir and JP.

Final word: The Diplomat is worth a watch particularly for those interesting in knowing how diplomats operate.

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Vedaa: A flawed yet a gritty social drama that touches upon caste-based violence and discrimination

In spite of a bloated second half director Nikhil Advani delivers a hard-hitting tale based on real events. Sharvari Wagh has delivered her career best performance.

  • Starcast: Sharvari Wagh, John Abraham, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashish Vidyarthi and others special appearances (Tammanna Bhatia and Mouni Roy)
  • Director: Nikhil Advani
  • Writer: Assem Arora
  • Producers: John Abraham, Monisha Advani and others
  • Production Companies: Zee Studios, Emmay Entertainment and JA Entertainment
  • Music: Ammal Malik and Manan Bhardwaj
  • Cinematography: Malay Prakash
  • Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Nikhil Advani has had a very interesting filmography starting from the romantic dramas Kal Ho Na Ho and Salaam e Ishq. He shifted gears successfully with the film D-Day a well-made action thriller. Nikhil further proved his versatility on OTT with the two seasons of Mumbai Diaries. Of course, the director has also fallen flat on his face with certain movies but there is no denying that Nikhil is a fascinating filmmaker. His latest directorial is based on some real-life incidents dwelling into the oppression of lower caste. Vedaa alternates between a social drama and a high-octane action thriller with dollops of blood. This mix doesn’t always work particularly the long-drawn climax however there is no denying that Nikhil Advani makes an important statement.

Vedaa alternates between a social drama and a high-octane action thriller

The story of Vedaa deals with an ambitious Dalit girl played by Sharvari Wagh. Vedaa aspires to be a boxer breaking the boundary of social stigma. However, that is easier said than done given her family background and the upper caste bigots. Abhishek Banerjee in his second release of the week plays an unhinged antagonist who firmly believes that one cannot toy with the firmly established caste system. The actor is simply phenomenal which I will elaborate on later. John Abaraham on the other hand is a typical hot headed solider who faces court martial for his rebellious streak. His character Abhimanyu comes to the village of Sharvari, his father-in-law stays here. Abhimanyu tries to lead a normal civilian life but an honor killing incident changes everything. Vedaa’s brother falls in love with an upper caste girl, she also reciprocates but expectedly there is no happy ending. Abhimanyu becomes the guiding force of Vedaa echoing Mahabharata.

Sharvari Wagh’s Vedaa aspires to be a boxer breaking free from social stigma

A strong aspect of Vedaa is how Nikhil Advani has showcased the humiliation that Dalits go through. Even after so many years of independence the social and economic conditions of Dalits leave a lot to be desired. There are some hugely disturbing scenes like the one where Vedaa is assaulted by upper caste hooligans, but she is not a position to fight back. There is also a scene where lower caste men rub their noses on the ground. Of course, the treatment is more in your in your face unlike Article 15 that was more nuanced but still these moments leave a strong impact.

Vedaa also benefits from the strong characterization of the central role. Sharvari Wagh starts off as a timid girl but gradually the character grows in confidence becoming a strong rebel. A scene which deserves a particular mention is Vedaa’s confrontation scene with the younger brother of Abhishek Banerjee’s character. A very violent fight ensues with Vedaa taking out all of her pent-up frustration. Sharvari proves to be a worthy action heroine, on a side note cannot wait to see her kick some serious ass with Alia Bhatt in Alpha.

Abhishek Banerjee proves himself as a supremely talented artist with his portrayal of Jitender Pratap Singh. The actor does a wonderful job in portraying an intimidating villain. He gives John Abaraham more than a tough fight in the hand-to-hand combat sequences. It is hard to believe that this is the same man who played the role of Jana in Stree 2. He is that good.

Abhishek Banerjee proves himself to be a supremely talented artist

The second half of Vedaa has numerous car chases and action sequences. These sequences offer a thrilling ride for the viewers. There is constant tension about how Vedaa is going to emerge victorious from all this. However, it has to be said that the fights become too elongated as well and the climax in particular becomes a never-ending saga. John Abraham’s Abhimanyu Kanwar is pumped with numerous bullets but still he stands up. The gritty texture of the first half is in complete odds with these scenes. Similarly, Abhishek Banerjee is seen walking normally even after being shot in the stomach.

Talking about John Abraham the actors hulk like presence goes completely with the role. Abhimanyu is a man of few words letting his fists doing the talk. However, John’s performance feels like a letdown in comparison to his character of Jim in Pathaan.

Vedaa’s music also leaves something to be desired. The only song that makes an impression is Arjit Singh’s ‘Zaroorat Se Zyada’. Malay Prakash’s cinematography coupled with Manoj Sikka’s sound design deserves a major appreciation. The hinterland of Rajasthan has a lived-in feel.

Vedaa in spite of some flaws is thought provoking making the viewers root for the titular character.

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An overview of how 2023 has been a game changer for some Bollywood heroes

From Shah Rukh Khan and Sunny Deol to Ranveer Singh, these Bollywood actors made a comeback of sorts in the current calendar year.

2023 has been a remarkable year for Bollywood in more ways than one. The success rate of films is much higher than last year.

Additionally, some of the major stars have made a smashing comeback after a series of duds — be it Shah Rukh Khan with Pathaan and Jawan, or Sunny Deol with Gadar 2.

Shah Rukh in Pathaan and Jawan

There was a period when Shah Rukh Khan was struggling to deliver solid box-office hits. Films like Jab Harry Met Sejal (2017), Fan (2016), and Zero (2018) are major examples of this.

Rahul Dholakia’s Raees (2017) was a box office success but it was nowhere close to what Aamir and Salman were delivering with 3 Idiots (2009), Dangal (2016), PK (2014), and Sultan (2016).

In between, Shah Rukh played an adorable shrink in Gauri Shinde’s Dear Zindagi (2016) which was a moderate success. But it was only a relief considering how the aforementioned films went.

Of course, he was appreciated for playing a supporting role in a female-centric movie headlined by Alia Bhatt.

After Zero, the actor took time to sign his next films as a leading man and the wait has certainly paid off.

Reinventing himself

At the age of 57, Shah Rukh Khan reinvented himself as an action star in both Pathaan (2023) and Jawan (2023). On the surface, both are masala flicks, but the presentation of Siddharth Anand and Atlee are as different as chalk and cheese.

In Pathaan, Shah Rukh was in equal parts charming and rugged. The actor didn’t disappoint one bit — whether it was in the high-octane action sequences or in the more intense bits like the confrontation scenes with John Abraham.

In Jawan, the Bollywood Badshah further pushed the envelope with his double role. And within that double role, there were a lot of variations.

For example, he is a vigilante who uses unconventional ways to speed up societal changes. He is also a military officer who has been accused of cheating the nation and suffers from partial memory loss.

Jawan can be described as a South Indian thali (meal) with a North Indian flavour. Shah Rukh got the pitch of the film perfectly and delivered a thunderous performance, particularly in the father’s role.

There is also Dunki coming up in December and it is expected to rake in good box office numbers, considering the directorial skills of Rajkumar Hirani along with Shah Rukh Khan’s star power.

Sunny Deol in Gadar 2

When the trailer of Gadar 2 was released, it was dismissed as outdated with not many giving it a chance. But the film’s collections surprised many trade analysts.

The nostalgia associated with Gadar (2001) definitely played a part in making it a box-office hit. But more than that, it is Sunny Deol as Tara Singh who sold the movie with his intense performance. Even at the age of 65, Sunny has a commanding presence that resonates well with the audience.

After a series of disasters like Bhaiaji Superhit (2018), Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se (2018), and Mohalla Assi (2018), the Bollywood actor is back with a bang with Gadar 2.

His performance particularly stands out in the emotional scenes that Tara Singh shares with his son Jeetay (Utkarsh Sharma). The action scenes are deliberately over the top but Sunny Deol sells them with his conviction.

Ranveer Singh in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani

Before the pandemic, Ranveer was having an absolute dream run with his varied characters. Whether it was the despicable Alauddin Khilji in Padmaavat (2018), the masala cop in Rohit Shetty’s Simmba (2018), or the young Muslim boy who has a fascination for rap in Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy (2019).

In all these movies, the Bollywood actor got critical acclaim as well as box office success. But post-pandemic, things started going downhill for the actor.

It started with Kabir Khan’s 83 (2021). Ranveer won rave reviews for his portrayal of Kapil Dev and so did the film. And yet, it didn’t achieve its full potential. The sudden hurricane of Pushpa: The Rise (2021) definitely played a spoilsport for this Ranveer Singh-starrer.

His next release Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022) was directed by a new director Divyang Thakur. The flick didn’t do well at the box in spite of tackling a socially relevant subject.

Much was expected from Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus (2022) but neither the director nor the actor could recreate the success of Simmba (2018).

A flamboyant Punjabi

The situation was looking grim for Ranveer too. But this year has been good for the actor, thanks to Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani directed by Karan Johar.

Ranveer’s Rocky is a flamboyant Punjabi guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. He is someone who is neither politically nor culturally sophisticated.

His life undergoes a metamorphosis after falling in love with a fiercely opinionated Bengali journalist Rani Chatterjee (Alia Bhatt).

The role of Rocky gave Ranveer ample scope to display both his comic and dramatic skills.

On many occasions, Ranveer brought the house down with his broken English. A good example of this is when Rocky attempts poetry to flatter Rani who is very amused.

On the other hand, he was also equally effective while displaying the fragile side of Rocky. For example, there is a brilliant dramatic scene where he apologises to Rani’s onscreen dad (Tota Roy Chowdhury).

Rocky gives a heartfelt monologue about how he has been conditioned to think in a certain manner from childhood. He also talks about the Cancel Culture and how none of us will learn anything if we keep on cancelling each other.

Ranveer also surprised one and all with his Kathak performance on the famous number “Dhole Re Dhola.” His sizzling chemistry with Alia was an icing on the cake.

Ayushmann Khurrana in Dream Girl 2

Ayushmann Khurrana already proved his credentials as a good actor in different genres. Whether it is Sriram Raghavan’s thriller Andhadhun (2018) or Anubhav Sinha’s social drama Article 15 (2019), he gave a series of hits before the pandemic.

However, post-pandemic, Ayushmann’s brand of cinema stopped working; they were not just outright disasters, none of them took a good opening either.

As a result, the Bollywood actor took the route of a masala comedy with the film Dream Girl 2 (2023). Dream Girl 2 definitely had the sequel advantage.

Dream Girl (2019) remains Ayushmann’s highest-grosser to date. Dream Girl 2‘s critical response was mixed but Ayushmann’s performance, particularly as Pooja, did receive a good response.

Dream Girl 2 earned over ₹100 crore at the domestic box office.

John Abraham in Pathaan

In the last few years, John Abraham has been following the route of Akshay Kumar — either playing a patriotic hero or doing slapstick comedies.

The likes of Pagalpanti (2019) and Satyameva Jayate-2 (2021) were disasters both critically and commercially. But, with Pathaan, John more than made up for his previous lacklustre outings.

His role as Jim was not just about being a dashing villain, there is also an emotional back-story about why he does what he does. As viewers, you might not agree with his actions but you do understand his resentment with RAW (Research and analysis wing).

There are certain moments where John Abraham expresses the angst of his character and he did a good job.

Akshay Kumar in OMG 2

Unlike the above-mentioned actors Akshay Kumar is not the leading man of OMG 2 (2023), nor is it a major supporting role. In OMG 2, he had only an extended cameo as the messenger of Lord Shiva in Human form.

Though there was not much scope for performance, Akshay still brought the right amount of divinity to his part. It is easily his most relaxed performance in the recent past.

Akshay Kumar also pulled off a Shiv Tandav with ease. After the debacle of Samrat Prithviraj (2022) and Raksha Bandhan (2022), OMG 2 must have been a much-needed relief for him.

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These Bollywood heroes and heroines made our jaws drop as onscreen baddies too!

Unlike many top actors who did negative roles later in their careers, Shah Rukh Khan started off his film career as an anti-hero.

It is hugely liberating for any actor who is relatively comfortable in one’s career doing roles that fall outside the conventional zone. It gives the artiste a certain abandon where he or she doesn’t have to pander to a certain image.

Following is a list of some Bollywood actors and actresses who have tried their hand at grey/negative roles and found varying degrees of success.

Let us start with “Bollywood Baadshah” Shah Rukh Khan.

Shah Rukh Khan

Unlike many top actors who did these kinds of roles later in their careers, Shah Rukh Khan started off his film career with a spat of anti-hero roles.

Both Baazigar (1993) and Darr (1993) made him a household name much before Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

The impact of Shah Rukh in Darr was so much that the audiences hardly remember Sunny Deol. Not surprisingly, the “Bollywood Baadshah” was the obvious choice for the remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Don (1978).

In spite of comparisons with Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh made the character of Don his own with his stylish performance in the 2006 release. The actor effortlessly played the negative shades.

Aamir Khan

Among the other Khans, Aamir Khan played a character with grey shades to great success in Deepa Mehta’s directorial 1947: Earth (1999).

Here, he played an ice candy man named Dil Navaz who falls in love with Shanta (Nandita Das), a Hindu woman.

Shanta works as a nanny for a wealthy Parsi Family. However, she loves a Muslim man named Hassan (Rahul Khanna).

This is something that Aamir’s character cannot digest. Partition and the ensuing family tragedy change him completely.

As a person who gets swayed by the hate around him, Aamir delivered a brilliant performance. He did a wonderful job of bringing out the many nuances of his character.

Saif Ali Khan

Saif Ali Khan also made a huge impression with his negative roles in Omkara (2006), Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020), and Adipurush (2023).

With Omkara, the actor successfully broke his urban image under the skilful direction of Vishal Bhardwaj.

Even in Adipurush, the actor brought certain energy whenever he appeared on the screen.

Interestingly, Salman Khan is the only Khan who did not play a negative role yet.

John Abraham

Before Pathaan (2023), John did several roles mainly consisting of chest-thumping patriotism and slapstick comedies. Nevertheless, most of these films didn’t click.

But the actor made a strong comeback in Siddharth Anand’s globetrotting entertainer Pathaan.

In Pathaan John’s Jim was not the regular clichéd villain. He is someone who is always a step ahead of Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, which adds to the victory of the protagonist at the end.

The action scenes choreographed between Shah Rukh and John had a lot of grit.

Jim also had a solid back story explaining why he does what he does.

After a series of sub-par outings, John Abraham was finally in form. The best part of his performance was how he expressed his angst in the more dramatic bits.

Tabu

In Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), Tabu played a double role — one of a dutiful daughter-in-law Anjulika and the other of her twin sister Manjulika who wreaks havoc in Anjulika’s life.

As Manjulika, Tabu let her hair down with a delightfully devilish performance. It was clear that the actress was having a blast.

Apart from Kartik Aryan’s comic timing, Tabu’s double act was another major reason why the film worked.

In Andhadhun (2018), the actress played the wife of a yesteryear movie star. Her character had many layers. She was erratic, vulnerable and deceitful all at the same time. She was simply brilliant in portraying these shades.

Tabu also made a huge impact with Maqbool (2003) and Haider (2014). Both these were adaptations of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and “Macbeth” respectively.

Ranveer Singh

There is no denying that Ranveer Singh’s Alauddin Khilji was more of a caricature meant to glorify the Rajputs in Padmaavat (2018).  But at the same time, his Khilji was easily the biggest backbone of the film.

Ranveer gave an electrifying performance which easily overshadowed both Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. As viewers, we wanted to see more of him on the screen.

Ranveer’s scenes with Jim Sarbh as Malik Kafur were way more enjoyable than the poetic romance of Shahid and Deepika.

Priyanka Chopra

In Aitraaz (2004), Priyanka Chopra played an ambitious woman for whom fame and glamour are more important than anything else. In this quest, Priyanka’s Sonia marries a much older man (late Amrish Puri). Her desire for fame and success is fulfilled, but she doesn’t get sexual satisfaction from her husband.

In order to fulfil her desires, she tries to seduce her ex-boyfriend Raj Malhotra (Akshay Kumar). However, Raj rejects her advances as he is a happily married man. Sonia gets upset by his rejection and falsely accuses Raj of sexually harassing her.

Priyanka played this role very early on in her career. It was a bold move that could have easily backfired, but Priyanka made a huge impact. In fact, she shined more than Kareena Kapoor, who was playing the conventional heroine.

Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt‘s Hollywood debut is not exactly a smashing one, particularly for those who have seen her work in Hindi films. But the actress needs to be credited for taking up a grey character in her very first Hollywood venture — Heart of Stone (2023).

She tries to procure it for the villain without knowing his actual purpose. In the process, she is pitted against Gal Godot, the main protagonist.

In the initial portions, we see Alia’s harsh demeanour towards Gal. There is a visible arrogance in the way she speaks to her.

However, there comes a point when Keya goes through an existential crisis. All this was well portrayed by Alia. There is also a tough fight scene between them in mid-air.

Ajay Devgn

In Khakee (2004), Ajay Devgn played a formidable opponent who creates havoc for the police officers, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar among others.

The actor brought a lot of quirks to his character. The subtle humour that he brought with his dialogues won the hearts of audiences.

His confrontation scenes with Amitabh Bachchan were easily one of the best parts of Khakee. With Khakee, Ajay Devgn showed that he can do a variety of roles.

Amitabh Bachchan

Amjad Khan’s Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975) is easily one of the most iconic villains that Indian cinema has seen. It is not an easy task to recreate that villainy given how firmly the character has been etched in the minds of the Indian viewers.

But Amitabh managed to play the new-age Gabbar Singh in his trademark style in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007). If we keep the comparisons aside, the veteran actor was also quite menacing as a villain.

Apart from the above-mentioned actors and actresses, others too did roles that fell outside the convention of hero and heroine.

For example, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan played a character with a lot of vengeance on her mind in both the Ponniyin Selvan films (2022, 2023).

Akshay Khanna in Race 1 (2008) was superb in his role as a scheming younger brother.

In Race 3 (2018), Anil Kapoor played an illegal arms dealer named Shamsher Singh. Of late, he has been doing more negative/grey roles, and the actor seems to be enjoying them also.

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Pathaan: An Entertaining Globetrotter With A Lesson On What Makes One A Patriot

Worth the four-year wait!

Pathaan (Hindi)

  • Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Ashutosh Rana, Dimple Kapadia, Gautam Rode, Gavie Chahal, Shaji Choudhary, and Salman Khan (cameo)
  • Director: Siddharth Anand
  • Producer: Aditya Chopra
  • Music: Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara
  • Runtime: 2 hours 26 minutes

In the climax of Pathaan, Shah Rukh Khan talks about how a true soldier doesn’t ask what the country has done for him but reflects on what he can do for the country. This one dialogue perfectly sums up the essence of the film.

In fact, Pathaan can be called SRK’s answer to those who question his patriotism time and again.

In style, Pathaan is reminiscent of the Tiger film (Ek Tha Tiger and Tiger Zinda Hai) and also 2019’s War. All of them have been produced by Yash Raj Banner.

This is an extension of that universe where the focus is on giving a complete package which will make the audiences, particularly the masses, happy.

The story

The movie begins with India’s revocation of Article 370 (Special Status of Jammu and Kashmir).

This affects a Pakistani officer who feels that India is doing a huge mistake. This officer joins hands with an ex-RAW agent Jim (John Abraham) who was wronged by his own people.

Aiding Jim in this mission is the mysterious Rubai (Deepika Padukone). Rubai is not what she appears to be and it is only in the second half that her real identity is revealed.

The rest of the story is about how RAW agent Pathaan (Shah Rukh) locks horns with Jim across continents and who eventually wins.

Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana play important parts.

What worked out?

As earlier said, the focus here is on giving a complete package and director Siddharth Anand does succeed in keeping the audiences engaged, more so if you buy into the treatment.

For any hero versus villain story to work, the antagonist must come across as equally strong and this is where the director succeeds the most.

John Abraham’s Jim has a solid back story. Jim isn’t your regular clichéd villain.

He is always a step ahead of our hero and this adds more zing to the victory of the film at the end. The action scenes between SRK and John have both style and grit.

What also helps Pathaan is the fast-paced screenplay of Shridhar Raghavan, particularly in the first half.

The non-linear narrative hopping from one continent to another is filled with interesting twists and turns. A perfect example of that is Deepika’s Rubai.

At one point, we feel that she is with John and the next second with SRK. This helps in increasing the curiosity of the audience.

One of my favourite scenes in the first half is how SRK gets his name Pathaan. His scenes with the locals of Afghanistan are filled with a certain warmth.

Another major highlight of Pathaan is the train sequence involving Salman’s Tiger and SRK’s Pathaan.

The elaborate action sequence of both taking on the baddies is a delight to watch, more so if you are a fan of the stars.

The interaction between the two superstars has moments of nice humour. Not surprisingly this sequence got the biggest whistle in the theatres.

The music by Vishal and Shekhar is quite groovy, particularly the song “Besharam Rang”.

What didn’t work out?

One major issue with Pathaan is the abrupt love angle between SRK and Deepika. It practically jumps out of nowhere.

More focus has been given to creating a sensual chemistry between the two stars rather than an emotional gravitas.

Deepika looks great in her action sequences and makes for a perfect action heroine. But beyond the glamour, there isn’t much.

In fact, Dimple Kapadia in a smaller role lends more gravitas.

Another major issue is the simplistic and clichéd manner in which it deals with the topic of patriotism. And the Pakistani angle doesn’t add much to the story.

The real eye feasts

As Pathaan, Shah Rukh has a blast playing a full-fledged action hero.  It is a part which gives him ample opportunities to be both rugged and charming and SRK doesn’t falter.

However, it is John Abraham who springs a pleasant surprise. After a series of subpar outings, John is finally in form.

He not only looks menacing but also shines in portions where Jim expresses his angst about being betrayed.

Verdict

For hardcore SRK fans, Pathaan is well worth the four years wait. For neutrals, it is worth a watch if you can get past the simplistic treatment.

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Not Villains; Victims Of Circumstances – Hussain Zaidi Books And Movies

This post is about three Hussain Zaidi’s books and the movies based on them. For people who are not familiar with his background it needs to be mentioned that he worked as a crime reporter in Mumbai for a very long time. These three books are: Black Friday: The true story of the Bombay blasts, Dongri to Dubai : Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia and Mafia Queens of Mumbai. Out of these two have already come as movies. The name of the first movie is same as the title of the book directed by Anurag Kashyap. Dongri to Dubai was made into Shootout at Wadala movie directed by Sanjay Gupta. It was about the first recorded police encounter in Mumbai of Manya Surve, an educated gangster. From Mafia Queens of Mumbai book the story of Gangubai  Kathiawadi has been taken for the upcoming movie titled with the same name. She was sold into prostitution by her boyfriend Ramnik Lal and later she becomes the madam of a brothel in Kamatipura. Gangubai did a lot of work for the well being of the sex workers and also orphans. Famous gangster Karim lala considered her as his rakhi sister and gave the command of Kamatipura area to her. This film is being directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and is likely to be released in the later half of 2021.

Mumbai avengers

All three movies have taken only one chapter of those books respectively. Apart from the above mentioned there is also a  fiction book called Mumbai Avengers which was made into Phantom movie directed by Kabir Khan. The story of Mumbai Avengers is set five years after 26/11 Taj attacks on Mumbai. It is about how a retired Indian army officer Gen. Sayid Ali Warris masterminds an operation to kill the conspirators of 26/11 with the help of policemen, tech experts etc. But in the movie it was portrayed as a one man mission played by Saif Ali Khan.  

1. Black Friday: The true story of the Bombay Blasts

This book mainly deals with the bomb blasts that happened in the city of Mumbai on March 12th 1993, how the blasts shocked the entire nation, its aftermath and most importantly the backstory of why they happened. Black Friday begins off with people going about their business as usual completely unaware of the calamity. Afterwards we see a detailed account of the blasts and from there we move on to the incident of Babri Masjid demolition and how it led to the blasts. There is a lot that Hussain Zaidi packs in the book from police officers who would break the law in the course of the investigation to the innocent and illiterate young Muslims who were dragged into this. Hussain Zaidi writes all these things in an engaging manner and makes you understand the root causes for these blasts. 

Anurag Kashyap did absolute justice to the book with his outstanding direction. It also helped that the film had powerhouse performers like Kay Kay Menon, Pavan Malhotra etc. 

2. Dongri to Dubai: Six decades of Mumbai Mafia  

Dongri to Dubai is an attempt to chronicle the history of the Mumbai Mafia. It is a story of many gangsters like Haji Mastan, Karim Lala, Chota Rajan, Varadarajan Mudaliar and above all Dawood Ibrahim, a young man who took the crime route in spite of having a father in the police force. It talks about how Dawood Ibrahim was used as a pawn by the Bombay police and eventually how he became the nemesis for them. His story is primarily about a boy from Dongri becoming a don in Dubai. As earlier said Manya Surve’s life is a brief chapter in this book and this was expanded by director Sanjay Gupta in his film Shootout at Wadala which was a sequel to Shootout at Lokandwala. An interesting thing about Manya is that he was a graduate who was looking to lead a normal life but he gets falsely implicated in a murder. He escapes from prison with the help of a muslim friend and later rises to huge prominence. He was known for his strategic planning and daredevilry. Manya Surve’s encounter was the first recorded encounter in Mumbai, as mentioned earlier. The book is divided into two eras and writer Hussain Zaidi’s narrative style is very gripping and engrosses you thoroughly. The stories of all the gangsters are very interesting and through them the writer tells you about how they operated their networks with the help of police officials themselves. 

Shootout at Wadala may not be as satisfying as Black Friday but it is still an engaging commercial entertainer which manages to successfully capture that period. John Abraham as Manya delivered a committed performance. 

3. Mafia Queens of Mumbai

Mafia Queens of Mumbai talks about a few female gangsters who made their way up in the world of male gangsters. The book was a collection of stories both from Kamatipura and Dongri. Recently there was an interview of Hussain Zaid where he said while researching for the book he found that female gangsters are more courageous, brave and manipulative than men. This feels quite true when you look at some of the stories in the book particularly Sapna Didi and Gangubai. Sapna Didi was the wife of a gangster who worked for Dawood Ibrahim. After her husband gets killed by him she decides to take revenge for his death with the help of another gangster. She takes two months of training at the place of Hussain Ustara by learning to ride bikes, using gun etc. She plans to kill Dawood at a cricket stadium but gets betrayed in the last minute and it is said that her murder was the most brutal murder in the history of gangsterism. Though she failed in killing Dawood there is no doubting of her bravery and courage.

Champion of sex workers’ rights

As far as Gangubai she actively championed for the rights of sex workers and their empowerment. There is a famous speech of her on sex workers and she even had a conversation with Jawaharlal Nehru to discuss their problems. In the book there is a conversation between her and Nehru where Nehru asks her why she ended up in this business when she could have found herself a nice husband. If true, Gangubai’s reply to this is very bold. She asked him whether he would marry her. This leaves Nehru red faced and she goes on to say it is easy to preach but tough to practice. All  the stories in the book are very unique in their own manner and you never feel any boredom. It is one of those books which can be rightly called as a page turner. 

With Sanjay Leela Bhansali helming it and a talented performer like Alia playing the title role it is expected to be a solid film.  I would end by recommending both to read Hussain Zaid’s books and see the movies based on those books. The specialty of Hussain Zaidi is he never caricatures any of the gangsters. He in fact humanises them. Portrays them as victims of circumstances rather than outright villains.