JOIN US'Radhe' movie review: On Eid, Salman Khan chooses to treat only 'die-hard' fans
Radhe
Director: Prabhudeva
Cast: Salman Khan, Randeep Hooda, Jackie Shroff, and Disha Patani
Rating: 3/5
Actor Salman Khan's movies usually cater to his die-hard fans while failing to satisfy intelligent cinephiles. Dabangg, a film that had everything from action sequences to an 'item number', worked because of its massy presentation. Nothing about it was remotely subtle or artistic. The star's latest release Radhe is no exception.
The film revolves around the journey of a rowdy cop who decides to 'clean' Mumbai by eliminating a deadly gangster. The storyline is as old as the hills and follows the 'good vs evil' formula, which has previously been used in films such as Sholay, Rowdy Rathore and Baahubali.
As commercial as it gets
A commercial action drama can keep viewers hooked only if it has two important ingredients -- a hero worth rooting for and an antagonist who one loves to hate. Radhe, luckily, has both these elements. The opening sequences introduce us to the antagonist, setting the stage for what is to follow. It is quite predictable but builds an aura around the character. The focus then shifts to Salman's character and this is where Radhe comes into its element. The action sequences cater to 'Bhai' fans, even though they aren't as intense as the ones seen in the Baaghi franchise or even Force. The washroom fight sequence is a highlight of Radhe but pales in comparison to the one seen in John Abraham and Emraan Hashmi's Mumbai Saga.
The romantic sequences are again tailored to suit the masses and are reminiscent of the ones seen in Wanted, Salman's first film with Prabhu Deva.
The bromance between Jackie Shroff and the Kick star is a bit over the top but works well in the Radhe world.
Punchy, oh yes!
Mass movies are usually synonymous with punch dialogues. Dabangg, for example, featured the iconic "itne chhed" dialogue that was as massy as can be. The film too has its share of one-liners with the 'commitment' dialogue being the pick of the lot. A few dialogues in Radhe are a bit cringeworthy, but even they are better than the ones heard in the underwhelming Race 3.
How about some 'tapori' swag?
Salman Khan is the heart and soul of Radhe and does justice to a character that often comes across as an extension of his real personality. His 'tapori' swag and bindass dialogue delivery may remind one of Balakrishna's performance in the Telugu movie Paisa Vasool.
Randeep Hooda holds his own against Salman, which is not an easy task. His intensity in the action sequences is another plus.
Commercial cinema isn't exactly the go-to place for strong female characters. Kajal Aggarwal, for example, did not have much to do in Singham. Similarly, Sonakshi Sinha was not really the star of Rowdy Rathore. Radhe pretty much follows the same pattern. Disha Patani does not really get too much scope but fares better than Ayesha Takia in Wanted. Her spunkiness and glam quotient are likely to remind one of Anushka Shetty from her maiden film Super.
Jackie Shroff essays a character that has shades of the one played by Arjun Rampal in Housefull.
Take it or leave it
The music is a mixed bag. The title track and Dil De Diya are worth a listen while Zoom and Seeti Maar are quite underwhelming. The Telugu version of Seeti Maar had worked due to the 'NTR, ANR, Megastar' line, which is missing in the Hindi one. The choreography is mediocre at best. Editing is decent as the film does not really drag. The background score suits the content.