Writer/Director: Rahul Dholakia
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Mahira Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Few actors in Bollywood are as beloved as Shah Rukh Khan. Ever since his toward recognition in the 1990’s, Khan has become one of the greatest actors in the film industry. Whether it is star-crossed lovers, gangsters or doomed superheroes, Khan has proven he can portray many characters. Arguably, Khan’s finest strength as an actor has always been his charisma. He has often been of those rare actors with the abilities to use his charisma to attract audiences to the theatres. Through his abilities to play characters which prove to be compelling, Khan has created a legacy that’s lasting. Known as the Badshah of Bollywood, Khan has stood the test of time as a great icon in Indian Cinema. Despite reaching the ages of retirement, Khan hasn’t lost his passions for making engaging entertainment. An icon in India, Khan has become a bold actor whose movies commonly attract audiences to the Cinema. Throughout his long-lasting career, Khan has appeared in several unforgettable movies which are definitely without a doubt worth watching.
I’m a fan of Khan and adore all the movies which he has made in his career. However, “Raees” definitely stands out as being his most overlooked movie. Released in 2017, Rahul Dholakia’s film offered an engaging portrait of Indian gangsters. Packed with breathtaking musical sequences, stunning storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a captivating Bollywood crime drama. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance by Shah Rukh Khan, who embodies a cruel Indian bootlegger. Although “Raees” is an engaging gangster drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It builds to a melodramatic conclusion without satisfying resolution. Nevertheless, it offers engrossing entertainment that will satisfy fans of Shah Rukh Khan.
Set in 1980’s India, “Raees” tells the story of a bootlegger that engages in a life of crime causing trauma. Shah Rukh Khan portrays Raees Alam, a clever bootlegger with talent for selling drugs in the Indian market. Raees has always gotten away with committing his crimes without experiencing a price to pay. However, Raees’ life comes in grave danger when he is hunted down by a ruthless police officer. IPS Jaideep Majmudar (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is a menacing police officer that is determined to apprehended Raees for crime he has committed. As his life is put in grave danger, Raees questions whether he can be a successful bootlegger. Facing threats that are dire, Raees wonders whether he will ever retain his business empire.
Rahul Dholakia has always been fascinated by the crime genre. An extraordinary Indian director, Dholakia has made engaging films about crimes in danger. His award-winning film “Parzania” offered a strong portrait of a family which is torn apart by riot violence in India. With “Raees”, however, Dholakia had made his first gangster movie. It marked the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture lives of Indian bootleggers that face adversities but he succeeded tremendously. Using stunning cinematography, Dholakia captures the life of an Indian bootlegger that faces adversity. Inspired by Brian De Palma’s “Scarface”, the filmmaker uses montages to convey intense hardship bootleggers face. For instance, the montages enhance the liquor selling scene. During this intense scene, Raees engages in the illegal trade of liquor through meetings. Using montages, Dholakia crafts a portrait of gangsters that’s engaging. Montages are complicated techniques. As Aditya Chopra’s “Mohabbatein” suggested, montages often elevate Bollywood films about college. That being said, it works immensely in this movie. Using captivating visuals, Dholakia captures the hardships which Indian bootleggers are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Raees” that merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood crime movies you would ever see. Inspired with Anurag Kashyap’s “Gangs of Wasseypur”, Dholakia created captivating musical sequences involving gangs through cross-cutting. For instance, cross-cutting elevates the Zaalima song. During this bold scene, Raees has a romantic encounter with Aasiya by singing a melody. Using stunning cross-cutting, Dholakia constructs musical sequences that are engaging. Furthermore, the musical score is magnificent. It gives the film an intense atmosphere capturing heavy burden gangsters bear. Through captivating production, Dholakia captures gangsters in tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Raees” is a film about gangsters which is compelling. The film is well written, expertly using silence to capture the hardships that gangsters experience. Evoking Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather”, Dholakia deftly uses silence to capture lives of gangsters in danger. For instance, the silence enhances the police confrontations scene. During this intense scene, Raees faces silence when he is arrested by police officers for committing violence. Through silence, Dholakia creates a portrait of gangsters that audiences relate to. Silence is a complex technique to use in film. As Karan Johar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” suggested, silence enhances Indian films about broken families. Nevertheless, it works tremendously in this film. Through an extraordinary screenplay, Dholakia captures Indian bootleggers which experience a price to pay.
One admires amazing performances.
Shah Rukh Khan delivers one of his greatest performances as Raees. Khan first achieved appreciation for playing romantic heroes in celebrated Bollywood movies. With “Raees”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to portray an Indian bootlegger that faces adversity, but he succeeds. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him in the past: intense, charismatic and menacing in his most transformative role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, courage and resentment faced by an Indian gangster that experiences tensions. It’s a captivating performance from one of the finest actors in Bollywood today.
While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Shah Rukh Khan, the supporting cast is also amazing. Mahira Khan is mesmerizing, capturing charisma of a woman that falls in love with a gangster that causes a dilemma. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is superb, capturing a police officer on a mission to solve crimes in his doomed city. Lastly, Sheeba Chaddha is unforgettable. As Raees’ mother, she brings wisdom to the movie
Despite its strong performances, however, “Raees” can’t quite capture gangsters in Indian society. If there’s a shortcoming to the movie, it lacks an engaging ending. It’s an over-the-top conclusion which fails to bring the movie to a satisfying resolution. Whereas this violent ending elevated Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed”, it clashes with the tone of this movie. Therefore, “Raees” is one of those Bollywood films that everyone will not adore
Nevertheless, fans of Shah Rukh will truly enjoy “Raees” and so would audiences seeking exciting entertainment.
Nearly 6 years following the release of a classic Bollywood crime film about a bold bootlegger seeking to become a notorious gangster, it’s a riveting reminder about an actor that has built a lasting legacy by his abilities to portray complex characters in unforgettable movies throughout his career audiences treasure.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 