Movie Review: Radhe (2021)

The poster, which is funnier in Hindi, reading "Yuar Most Wanted Bhai"
Source: BollywoodMDB

Radhe is not a bad film, it is beautiful.

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder; and you need a certain eye to sit through a Salman Khan film. An eye accustomed to a dimwitted villain, an eye prepared to see a damsel in distress ably saved by the hulky hunk, and an eye all eyes for an eye for an eye, in other words: violence.

Radhe, touted as a sequel to the 2009 Prabhu Deva-Salman Khan hit Wanted, is a treat for these eyes. Though fans have been left a wee bit disappointed, Deva has meticulously maintained his decade strong manifesto of masala Bollywood. 

The plot is simple. Rana, the drug lord (Randeep Hooda) is wreaking havoc in the city. He has targeted the most vulnerable of the lot: students. With friends and fellow citizens of Mumbai city bawling over their intoxicated future, a messiah awaits. Superman Salman sets off to save the day, chucking his record of transfers and suspensions to the bin: "I will clean this city".

The film follows Radhe's clean sweep adventures in Mumbai as he interacts with fellow juniors at the crime branch, mediates between gang members, deals with Rana and in the meantime have some romance with Diya (Disha Patani), who expectantly turns out to be ACP Avinash's (Jackie Shroff), sister. But Shroff doesn't play the baddie brother in Radhe's love story, he's agreeable. One cliché is avoided, and that's that. 

To know more of the story and to put your bucks to some mindless action and humour, watch Radhe.

To the review. As I said, Radhe is a beautiful film for bhai fans, because Khan shines in all glory. He's all over the place, packs that Sallu punch in the relatively less crisp dialogues this time and makes sure his fans get the most of him and the money. After all, he's the producer too.

There's nothing much to talk about supporting characters here. Disha Patani plays the fashionista she is, possibly stepping into the shoes of Ayesha Takia. There's a lot of objectification of women, yes, and that is inadequately neutralised Bollywood style by adding a female police officer in the film. A brave woman police officer. Good to see but the objectification still persists.

From a multi supporting cast akin to most bhai films, I found the acting of Parvin Tarde to be hilarious. He is good. Over the top in over the top scenes, comical in comical scenes and rough and tough in rough and tough scenes. He has entered Bollywood as Dagdu Dada, the local gangster; let us hope he doesn't get typecasted, we've had enough of hackneyed aamchi Mumbai's saffron badboys already. 

Randeep Hooda is a great actor but he can give only as good as he gets. His performance as Rana is not near memorable, but it sure showcases his flair for negative roles. Rana, though, is the most Haryanavi he goes in the film. There's no accent, no cyss words and no waffles in Rana's life. He either plans or he shouts or he shoots.

And what was Jackie Shroff doing in a two-part action-comic role? Only bhidu knows.

Now coming to the omnipotent bhai. He, who always over powers villains, he who beats them to pulp, banging them on pianos, bashing their heads while they are made to wear a helmet, or simply shooting. The typical encounter "specialist".

That is the problem with bhai. His image pits him, almost like an epic. Bhai isn't even a wee bit vulnerable in front of the main antagonist. Superman Salman exudes such hope that he'll save the day and clean the city, no matter what. But bhai does something very different in this film. He finally has an onscreen kiss, even if he just kisses a paper. Enough of the tabloid, let's move on.

"Some people's faces show that they're going to die". I say this while watching every mainstream Bollywood action film. Radhe follows this principle diligently. It kills boring supporting characters, giving them varied shades of empathy for the least affect on their death. All sympathy and tears are for bhai and the people he protects. A small circle indeed, but then it gets easier on the mind and heart to cope and process morbidity, especially in these times. Then again, some people also have the fate of surviving through the film. For example, bhai hasn't lost his girl ever since Tere Naam. 

The music of the film holds no competition with Wanted. Its saving grace is the catchy Sajid-Wajid title track and the Devi Sri Prasad Seeti Maar remake. One cannot expect flowery lyrics here, but one would certainly be disappointed with "Zoom zoom teri sexy-sexy aankhon mein". No major qualms with that from my side; after all Wanted too had the chart-topping "Love me love me love me, your mama says you love me, papa says you love me, oy love me baby love me (Haha!)". I personally miss Wajid after hearing the songs of the film. The title song was the last thing he composed before his death last June. With Sajid-Wajid gone, bhai's music would lack that zany punch to it. The kind of magic that would make theatres go crazy with frenzy and turn them into dancefloors. How I missed the theme of Wanted, the "Most Wanted Track" while watching Radhe, as it was replaced by a Radhe Radhe chant. No, not this song. 

Oh and the dances; I expected better from a Prabhu Deva film in the dance department. All I got was Salman Khan twerking with the lady and an obligatory Jacqueline Fernandez item song. But anyway, at the end of the day, it's bhai and bhai all the way for Radhe.

Prabhu Deva would acknowledge that his films have their fair share of hooters, booters and shooters. He, along with Khan, has committed this film to the first lot. Fans, super fans, mega fans, who trust in Bhai's unbreakable vow, the quintessential dialogue which has been overused in the film albeit to whistles and hoots: "Ek baar jo maine commitment kardi, to fir main apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta". 

Taking off the fandom lens, I did not find Radhe a great film. I believe the three Khans of Bollywood have a lot of untapped potential which is wasted in typecast roles, i.e. perfection, romance and action. You know who is who.

But from the vibrancy of its buzz and promotion and gauging from the excitement of fans, Radhe suffers great injustice. The grandeur, the spiciness and the sheer sass of Salman Khan on screen is truncated to small phone screens now. No longer do cinemas resound with cries of "BHAI!" No longer do songs like "Seeti Maar" get people funky on their toes and dance the film away in a hall. No longer does Salman bhai run the box office. He just sells his film to a virtual playground open to piracy and hacking. Quicksand-ish for debutants but Khan is mature and sturdy enough a star to bank on at all times. 

I would not say Radhe is poorly written. Its showbiz doesn't allow writing that much primacy. Eventually it starts of crisp, but ends up lazily and funnily with a semi climax, a song and then the final climax.

If you've made it till here, chances are that you will either grill the film critically, or laugh it away frivolously. I suggest the latter. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in a circus, be a clown. Otherwise don't go to the circus. (Thanks Wordporn).

In other words, quit searching for logic in such films. I'd rather say, "soch mat seeti maar, seeti maar, seeti maar seeti maar seeti maar" whenever bhai makes a flashy entry in the film. 

Final verdict: #JusticeForRadhe, please! It deserves the big screen! And the crowds! The crores, well, might not.

P. S. This is a paid review. I am a Zee5 subscriber who had to pay ₹250 to just restart my rented film the next day. Good old Zee Plex gave me BookMyShow and cinema hall feels once again, except that I was watching the movie on my laptop and my speakers and my snacks. Felt that it's too much, considering all the piracy debate that is going on. It's a return of investment thing. But if bhai has taken a stand against piracy, I'm sure his fans would follow suit, and the entertainment industry would feel more secure about its fan base.