Read Our Guest Blogger Tipu Sultan’s Movie Review of Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015)
Tipu literally lives, sleeps and almost eats (with) movies. A student of Mass Communications, he excels in sketching, is brilliant with his razor-sharp writing and still reads Batman and Superman comics!
He also maintains a movie blog – Cineman Presents
Get in touch with him, if you wish at tiputhesultan@gmail.com
Bajrangi Bhaijaan is a fine film.
Yes, it’s corny and cliched and it has some ridiculous notions about how international borders work, but it’s also so much more than that.
Kabir Khan picks up a tale about people, relationships, religions and countries, and then goes to town telling it in a most heartwarming manner. There’s so much here that works and so much more that could’ve you almost feel bad it’s not actually as incredible as you wanted it to be.
Salman is terrific as the adorable buffoon, Bajrangi. He’s played this sort of part before and he’s quite comfortable in it, even if it entails strutting in a burkha. But it’s Harshaali Malhotra who destroys your heart as the silent Shahida. Even the secondary casting is impeccable, with Nawazuddin leading the charge playing yet another endearing character. His introductory scene which comes straight out of a video that went viral a few years ago is undoubtedly the best one in the movie.
But Bajrangi Bhaijaan is more than some good scenes. Despite the mediocre music, the jarringly excessive use of slow-mo and the overall OTTness of it all, it’s a special film. Special in the sense that it completely breaks out of the ‘South Indian remake’ template and drives comfortably closer to Hirani territory. Let’s skip Kareena Kapoor for this one.
Yes, it’s got Kabir Khan milking on every iota of emotional heft that he can ooze out of the ‘mute girl/kind simpleton’ scenario. And that includes the Big Twist in the end that’s playing in your mind right now. Yes, that happens too! But it’s ok. You want it, you need it from this movie.
After a barrage of shameful remakes and re-doings of the same histrionics that have made him, Salman Khan picks up the right project and takes a step towards the right kind of Bhai movie: big, bloated with nonsensical dancer numbers and improbable bloody situations, but with tons of heart.
Yes, it’s the heart that counts. Aur Bhai ka toh dil hi itna bada hai.
Rating- 3.5/5