Ek Tha Tiger: GRAND

Ek Tha Tiger is Bollywood back to its roots. It is escapist, unpretentious grand Yash Raj romance with all the standard ingredients in place only served by a different director playing across different locales. And what locales they are. Breathtaking.

We have the standard issue macho hero, gun wielding, gravity defying butt kicking alpha male, a ravishingly beautiful heroine who can kick her share of butt, a caring friend who has sweet lines to say most of the time even when chiding our hero, a boss who drinks whisky and sends the hero on mission to meet the lady and here is the most important one. No Mothers or Sisters. Thank God for small joys of life.

We all know when Salman Khan takes his shirt off its show down time only this time its subtle because of the director at the helm. Kabir Khan had made two decent films but this is one of the very few acts of some value he brought into this film. His eye for locales is intact and is as brilliant as it always has been. The thumping background score and the chartbuster soundtrack help too. Salman and Katrina’s romance was warm and delightful and short and the long drawn out action sequences are neatly done despite some tacky CG.

If we play out an an imaginary conversation between the makers (TM) and a common man on the road about this film it might go like this.

TM: Hey CM. What do you think a film should mainly have.

CM: A story

TM: (suppressing his laughter) Are you sure you want a story?

CM: Yes. Without a story a film will never work

TM: Do you want to see Salman Khan dancing to the best music available out there right now.

CM: You betcha.

TM: You like Katrina Kaif?

CM: Damn. I’ll give my left ear for a date. But I guess I have to watch her on screen.

TM: Ok. We have them both dancing together in our film.

CM: Sounds like a damn good one now.

TM: You like action sequences. Fights and all.

CM: I love’em

TM: We have a lot of them. You want to see breathtaking visuals of Iraq, Cuba, Delhi, Italy and London all in one film?

CM: No kidding?

TM: Absolutely not.

CM: Yes sir.

TM: Ok. Lets go to our movie. It is called Ek Tha Tiger and it has all the above in it.

CM: Holy Shit. This seems like a festival now. Well and truly.

TM: Do you still want that damn story?

CM: Hell. No