THUGS OF HINDOSTAN: TWO THUMBS UP
Set in 1795, a few years after the British set up crown rule in erstwhile Hindostan, the movie depicts the conversion of a few Thugis (conmen) in overturning John(read: Robert) Clive’s India and its robust East India Company. The movie is pure fictional because such minor uprisings of the 18th century are largely undocumented, the first well-known rebellion being the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. This movie is a magnum opus where lavish sets are mounted and a lot of special effects are ingested into the visuals. But some of the CGI is very patchy what with eagles flying in every frame and the sun going down too fast like an iron ball sinking in water and what not. The action sequences are well crafted but the same technique of showing flying men and Spiderman-esque movements might seem repetitive. Fatima Sana Shaikh takes her craft seriously and is a delight to watch. The septuagenarian Amitabh Bachchan look fetching and his trademark baritone and towering presence as Khudabaksh Azaad fill every frame with valour and dignity. His brooding looks and quick blink of the eye manifest in his forever young “Angry Young Man” persona. Perfectionist Aamir is wonderful as the wayward “Firangi Mallar” and exudes charisma and spiritedness and is fearless in every frame opposite the formidable Bachchan. Ronit Roy, as the father of Fatima, Mirza Baig is superb in the opening act and sets the context of the movie. Ila Arun is fab in a brief role. Lloyd Owen as John Clive is strictly okay. Shanichar played by Md. Ayubb stands out as the Firangi’s sidekick and has a Deepak Dobriyal hangover. Ab-licious Katrina Kaif looks fetching but is wasted in two song-and-dance numbers. Prabhudeva’s choreography is not that good for “Suraiyya” number -Katrina’s gyrations are too fast and lacks grace. The Aamir-Amitabh chemistry comes alive in the “Vashmalle” song. The background score is superb, the lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya are catchy but they do not reflect the period feel of the movie. The songs, somehow, resonate in your heart long after you have left the theatre. There is a brief mention of Badabazaar in Kolkata and the fight is over the estate of Durgpur (In Bahubali it was Mahismati). Firangi Mallar is from Awaad and the visages shown in the movie like Dusshera, human pyramids ala Dahi Handi festival during Janmasthami clearly have Maharashtrian influences. The movie is influenced by Lagaan, Pirates of the Caribbean and even Bahubali (while depicting how Indians hit on each other in ancient days). The climax is light-hearted and funny and thankfully there is no item song with the main protagonists during the end credit lending some dignity and sanity in an otherwise “busy” screenplay cluttered with action, music, melodrama, romance and what not. Watch this movie to see the grandeur of a 300 crore YRF movie, the superlative chemistry between Amitabh and Aamir and the excellent performances of the rest of the cast and how the call of the motherland and the yearning for freedom supersedes all.
AninditaRoyMusings 