If the header is not self-explanatory, then over to Navjot Gulati for the rest. Read on.
THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILER. DO NOT READ, No, wait. READ IT IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS FILM.
I often hear an argument by filmmakers and film Buffs that masala films generate money for the smaller (better) films to be made, and they provide good time pass fun. Not so very long ago I also believed that, but on 1st June my belief went for a toss – from Andheri to Malad to Filmcity to some studio in the outskirts of Bombay(that’s where the most of this piece of crap was shot). I wasn’t mighty impressed by Rowdy Rathore’s (RR) promos but somewhere I could see the wickedness which Prabhudeva portrayed in Wanted and that gave me a hope that RR might be a good fun, but alas.
I firmly believe that staying true to the genre is the most difficult thing to do, and if you succeed in doing that, then a Singham or a Wanted is born. For me, Singham and Wanted are true to the genre. I have been using this word too much I guess. Yes, I’m. I like to call it the Punjabi Dosa (ok, I just coined it).
The ingredients are as follows :
1. An emotional story ‘inspired’ or ‘lifted’ or ‘officially bought’ from a Southie Film.
2. A big star who is famous in North India, has six packs to show and shirts to take off.
3. 5 well-directed action sequences.
4. Humorous dialogues.
5. An item number.
6. Peppy Music.
7. A very strong villain.
8. Standout performances by supporting cast.
By no means I’m endorsing these kinds of films. I’m just stating a fact. Now, let’s analyze Raddi Rathore on these parameters.
1. Emotional Story
A pickpocketeer doppelganger of a cop takes revenge from a crime lord in Devgarh. This revenge is for the cop’s murder after he is tricked into becoming the guardian of cop’s little daughter, who still has a walkman in 2012! Because? Precisely, there’s no reason. Nostalgia, i say. Well, whatever rest happens in the film is because of only one reason – that is what happens in the original film which they have got the right to remake.
And they also have a homage to Jadu, the alien from Koi Milgaya, as the Cop is suffering from a tumor and can only fight like a Hulk when water is sprayed on his head.
2. A big star with six packs who takes his shirt off.
I disappoint. No Bhaai. No Duggu. No Devgn. No Shirt off. Probably Akki was not prepared since this is his 1st action film in AGES (CCTC, Tasveer,Tashan, Singh is King, Family had NO ACTION).
3. 5 well directed Action sequences.
I will give a 5star to anyone who can point out those to me I as was busy yawning throughout the slow-mo punches and the blasting cars in CG, all lifted from the original film (Vikramarkudu).
4. Humorous dialogues.
An example of film’s humor?
Well, it was nonexistent.
5. An item number
Wanted and Dabbang had better. Even Singham for that matter.
6. Peppy Music
The music by Sajid-Wajid is functional. Won’t last beyond the weekend of the film.
7. A very Strong Villain
They cast a guy from Southie films called Nasseer, who is trying to hard do a Prakash Raj, and he is playing a Bihari guy whose voice has been dubbed. #Enoughsaid
8. Standout performances by supporting cast
The guy who played the photographer, he has made a living out of the phrase, Bhaiyya Ji Ismile. Singham had Prakash Raj’s comic act towards the end. I crack up whenever he says, “Yeh Cheating hain”. Wanted had Prakash Raj again. Also, it had Vinod Khanna in an unintentionally funny performance. In this film, we have Yashpal Sharma visiting Baapji, played by Nasseer, with his kids and begging him to help find his wife. Later on he sees her as the sex slave of the son of Baapji, and keeps quiet to avoid his irk. As pointed by Karan Anshuman in his Mumbai Mirror review, this has to be the most regressive scene in hindi cinema history. For me, the character of Yashpal Sharma defines the film.
Now, coming to my biggest problem with the film – the ‘sur’ of the film. The reason all the films I have mentioned have worked is because they didn’t take themselves seriously, but strangely for good 50 minutes Rowdy Rathore is cringe worthy with its stupid take on all sorts of regressive films that Dharam Paaji used to do with B-grade directors. And suddenly towards the last 30 minutes, it becomes a goof ball comedy where the villain is now scared of the Police Inspector, and it miserably fails while trying to pull off a Prakash Raj.
Why It should Flop.
If this film also goes on to have a steady run from Monday, then it will give rise to many clones which will take our cinema nowhere. The ‘virus’ started with Bhaai, moved to Devgn, and now has reached Akki. I won’t be shocked if we see SRK doing such a film and making an ass of himself soon. Shahid Kapoor is already doing the remake of Vettai. And even bigger fear I have is that somewhere an aspiring filmmaker, after seeing the success of the film, will believe that the film is not about the script but the star (although it’s true but there are many who are trying to change that).
The day is not far away when Tushar Kapoor will ask Ekta Kapoor to ‘relaunch’ him in a southie remake, or for that matter, even, ‘Uday Chopra’. Be prepared for it or spread the word and make Raddi Rathore a weekend phenomenon which tanks Monday onwards.
(P.S – I’m not against masala films but the ones made ‘Badly’ like Buddha Hoga Tera Baap and now Raddi Rathore. Also, I have intentionally left out many points mentioned in other reviews/posts because I am also trying to be original 😉
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 
One of the major reasons Vikramarkudu became a hit was that there were no other bearable movies in theaters that season. These guys probably didn’t consider that before buying the remake rights.
And also 20 mins. of bearable comedy in Telugu was entirely because of the comic timing and chemistry between the hero Raviteja and comedian Brahmanandam.
I would like to believe you as I’m not a big watcher of Southie films..
@twit2g2 is spot on, Vikramarkudu is barely watchable purely on the merits of the comic timing of Brahmanandam, Raviteja and of course SS Rajamouli.
@ Navjot,
Charity starts at home..Kindly explain why you went and watched “Raddi Rathore”.?
Can’t you make out what you gonna get after watching those “Over the top promos”?
I don’t remember any Item Song in “Singham”???
I hope you don’t have personal agenda behind this post.
what about “Chunk of trash” that is subjected to people in form of so called path breaking films….By the way production houses need films like Raddi Rathod to keep their business running.. The surplus generated from these films help fund so called intelligent cinema…
Please all Critics and Pseudo Intellectuals kindly don’t watch “Raddi Rathod” and walk the talk… But then how will they spew venom and drive sadistic pleasure…
P.S – I will be watching Shanghai and Gangs of Wasseypur first day and yes i liked RR too…
I went to see it coz i had liked Wanted. Same director. Also i have a keeda to watch all hindi films that release in theaters. I have no personal agenda boss. What will I gain out of this? Yaar meri problem is type ki film se nahi balki ghatiya tareeke sey banai hui is type ki filmon se hai..mujhe bakhoobi maloom hain ki aisi filmo se paisa generate hota hai..And i don’t know which path breaking film u r referring to so can’t comment. I can guarandamtee that Majority will love Shanghai and GOW..dekho dekho..
mai bas intna keheta hun Ilaka Khan ka Dhamaka Khiladi ka
Even Anurag Kashyap is supposedly producing a remake of Magadheera and I cant even think of Son of Sardaar both of which are Rajamoulli’s original Telugu hits.
And how will Akshay Kumar remove his shirt when he is flat chested as if an iron was pressed on it. Rowdy Rathore is insanely bad cinema.
I have already abused/shown displeasure to AK for doing that but he claims they have changed the screenplay and made it subtle..waqt aane par pata lag jaayega.. And i was being sarcastic when i mentioned the shirt thing :p
maghadeera is terrible.
reading AK had done changes,i’m comforted
and may be MD remake will be a reply to stupid and disloyal remakes happening
Well you could have just mentioned navjot that it is a Ravi teja remake.. Not a mahesh babu, not a surya, not a vijay, not a upendra movie but a RAVI TEJA remake.. Exploring that point would have explained why it is the kind of movie it is..
what’s wrong with Raviteja? No I am not a fan of Raviteja but I am curious to know how it matters!
I dont understand the languages but I have seen most of the good/watchable stuff like dokkudu, BM, magadheera, pokiri, Ghajini, bala, vikram movies and yes Vikrmamrudu. Just felt Ravi Teja’s massy appeal, personality and acting style is a little more crass than what mahesh Babu or Surya does( Baby faced stud vs lech jackass). remaking vikramaradu frame to frame meant rehashing an already sub standard movie. But then i might be wrong to stereotype him cos I havent seen much of ravi teja’s other work…but have caught glimpses of him terrorising me in hindi reruns of Don seenu on Set max 🙂
THe Only reason Akshay Kumar wont be able to take his shirt off is, BIG BOSS. Havent watch the film yet [probably wont watch ever] but I am sure that there will be some close ups of his Big Boss Baniyan in the film. 😛
Bingo! 😀
Haha, there was a scene where he is seen wearing a vest of the band he endorses.
well!! we have some sort of relief with “ekk tha tiger” as the promo promises a decent screenplay. think about the positive coming outs… a storyless, senseless crap movie is crossing 100 crores .. i wait for the times when bhai, devgan or akki will come out with a equally magnificent scripts and humor! 🙂
Whenever I see a south Indian film(Not the masala ones) I think “why don’t they remake this film” and whenever I see a remake of a south Indian I think “Why would someone remake this film”.
Till we as audience STOP watching them they will keep getting made.
Maryada Ramanna (itself inspired by Buster Keaton’s “Our Hospitality”) is actually a charming and entertaining little film. Hopefully the remake is good.
SOS u mean? I hope so..I don’t want a BAD film to spoil my diwali like last year :p
You are a few years late with this appeal. The damage was done with Wanted. Bollywood needs only one maddeningly successful film to keep rehashing the formula for years to come.
Yeah..agreed but then its better late then never 🙂
the only difference btwn u n mihir fartnavis is ur angreji is quite simple to read!
movie is entertaining, n that’s wht it is made for, nt to take our cinema anywhere! i like these south ‘masala’ remakes, cz the subtitle ruins the very essence of word ‘masala’, u dnt get the music, u dnt get the humor…..!! n i hate when smebdy touches a classic like subramaniapuram to remake it in hindi or any other language,u can never justify a cult classic with ur remake on the name of “tribute”!
Plus, it should flop because it doesn’t have realistic lyrics. Like… http://bit.ly/LoTbiJ
I also want this film to flop.The more money this film gonna generate is going to produce more rowdy rathores or gonna support a pretentious SLB movie..Either way cinema is gonna suffer..Thumbs up for the post
Actually think of it. If this movie makes tons of movie, SLB would prefer taking this route to spending time directing pretentious crap which will lose him money. So one good thing from Rowdy could be that SLB could stop directing!
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simply jealous….that shows from the writing itself 😛
I actually thought it was an alright one time watch. The mass has sure loved it going by the weekday numbers. So yes, it is turning out to be a superhit, and not just a hit. I hope that the success of this film doesn’t decrease the amount of screens that Shanghai will be allotted.
stupid comments first watch movie then give ur stupid comments and those sallu srk fan just go to hell and see ur stupid movies like ra one and body guard u dont desreve to see a good movie u r all cheap
Its a pity that a fine actor like Nasser has stooped so many levels down to play such wtf roles. Once a Kamalhassan film regular, anyone who has seen Kuruthippunal, Thevar Magan, Avathaaram etc. will vouch that he is a cut above the rest.
i wanted it to be good as i always thought akshay is a good actor but his choice of films fails him, so this cud be another action packed meal. sonakshi is just so unbearable to look at, i mean, she cud’ve played akshay’s aunt as well. but yes, the movie came out to be utter crap but as i expected, but then it did become superhit.
what were they thinking when they wrote the scene of offereing the third hissa to kishan bhgwaan ?
actually i’m confused, shud films be though provoking, mirror of real life or shud they be masaaledar and fantasy, an escape from reality.
there were no emotions in the movie, side actors were really in the sides, i was hoping till last, they may amount to something atleast.
the villian was a sheer no-one, not even a joker, let apart the fear factor.
could you please care to take a stand on your view after the humongous success of Rowdy Rathore, might be in another article?
the whole point of writing the post was that I could see the writing on the wall..as in that RR will be humongous blockbuster. Clearly It did not work but I tried 🙂
I like your stand…..you dont want a ‘bad’ remake, but you are not against Remake. I want to say there is nothing like masala films and ‘intellectual’ films now a days, as the demarcation lost its meaning long back. for example i would not say GOW a non-masala movie.
now in this discussion i want to add an example of Rajkumar hirani’s films. what we like to say it ?Masala or Intelligent cinema?? I would prefer to say them simply a GOOD cinema made out of creative genuineness.
Conclusively, i second your point that the problem is not in remake but in bad remake. What we need a GOOD cinema, though it a masala or intelligent or remake or original. And If A person making a film with good intention and is really a skilled craftman, he/she will surely earn money. And Example is 3 idiots.