Salman’s Eidi is so disappointing
Logic has never been the strength of Salman Khan’s ‘suspension of credulity’ variant of films. But at least massy entertainment high on actiona and drama with right tadka of comedy has been his and his kind of cinema’s forte. Alas, the superstar’s Eidi, Sikandar, falls flat on this front too. Some films look good on paper and are lost in execution. Only Sikandar that starts off with the usual bad guy getting bashed up by our superhero is probably a project that should have remained on paper.
Till the first half, the Raja saheb aka Sanjay Rajkot (Salman Khan) and Rani sahiba’s (Rashmika Mandanna) cute love story in the backdrop of action is still bearable. By the second half, the narrative simply spirals out of context and control. Biting into innumerable concerns, from land grabbing to environmental pollution and even patriarchy, much of it is meant to be a bleeding heart’s cause celebre. Only the churn of events is yawn inducing with boredom writ all over it. Good news, unlike zillion Bollywood films, the villain is not gunning after the heroine and using her to get even with the hero. But even worse than bad news is, he goes after persons who have benefitted from her philanthropic act. Actually, momentarily our expectations rise what with the heroine portrayed as a saviour. She saves our superhero couple of times till she herself is caught in the crossfire. Her wish for organ donation is honoured by the grieving hero.
Door opens for another romantic interest? Wrong. Our hero Sanjay Rajkot is so guilt stricken that he sets en route his mission to meet all the three persons who have benefitted from his wife’s magnanimity. Letting the cat out of the bag is not quite our style of reviewing a film. But in a strangely stitched plot, we have no idea what to reveal and what to conceal. Salman’s ‘being human’ nature is amplified to an unimaginable level, a messiah with deep pockets. Royalty might be long dead, this Raja saheb squanders his wealth left, right and centre, all for the common good. The Good Samaritan would go to any length for his janta of Rajkot. If you are scratching your heads over why a film circling around a Raja’s ceaseless generosity towards his people is called Sikandar, the explanation is as incredulous as the plot.
Among its many tortuous and torturous twists is one which brings him to Mumbai. Face-off with the antagonist is imminent. Endearing Kattapa of Baahubali, actor Sathyaraj as Minister Rakesh Pradhan is created with such broad-strokes of villainy that he makes no impression whatsoever. Another talented actor Kishore, as Inspector Prakash, gets enough scenes but no room at all to work his way into audiences’ memory, let alone hearts.
Talking of heart, well only one man, need we name him, owns it. And he would go to any length to ensure his wife’s heart continues to beat in another woman. More drama ensues and more characters are introduced. What can fine actors like Sanjay Kapoor or Sharman Joshi do in a Sallu bhai film? Kapoor appears in a miss-and-blink part. Joshi doesn’t get to do much except utter Raja saheb ad infinitum. The only actor who manages to make a mark is Jatin Sarna as De Niro. Others like Kajal Agarwal, Prateik Babbar appear and disappear. So does Rashmika Mandanna, chirpy and robust.
Indeed, our superstar Salman Khan retains his swagger, looks good too and does not overact either. But the writing is so hyperbolic that histrionics or no histrionics, Sikandar boils down to one word; listless. One of Salman’s dialogues in the film goes, “Itni popularity to hai ki CM, PM ka to pata nahi par MLA, MP toh ban jaaunga… par apna field nahi hai.’ Only Sikandar makes us wonder is Bhai losing his chosen turf. As a rule Salman’s films are critics-proof but Sikandar is likely to be his fans’pet peeve too.
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