It’s always an event when there’s an Aamir Khan movie coming up. And after the many ‘motion posters’ introducing the main players – Amitabh Bachchan, Fatima Sana Sheikh, Katrina Kaif and Aamir Khan, the makers of Thugs Of Hindostan have finally dropped a trailer! Of course, who doesn’t look forward to the trailer for an Aamir Khan film. It begins with a few ships sailing in the pristine blue videshi waters, and before you can say ‘Pirates of The Caribbean’ the film’s antagonists are introduced as zaalim angrez of East India Company.
Refreshing as it is, Amitabh Bachchan is making a comeback as an action hero, who won’t bow down to the ‘gunehgaar’ Brits. A role that is equal parts Khuda Gawah’s Badshah Khan and Bachchan’s mind-boggling special appearance in Hindustan Ki Kasam, we’re told his name is ‘Aazad’ and he’s the ‘Doosh-man’ heading the rebellion.
A part of his team is a fiery warrior (played by Fatima Sanaa Sheikh) who shoots three arrows at once – echoing the characters of both Tamannah Bhatia and Anushka Shetty from the Baahubali films. At this point, it is understandable for us to feel concerned about the length of her role.
Katrina Kaif appears in three scenes – two songs and one scene where she’s seen seducing Aamir Khan. In a fantasy-fiction film, where she could have played ANYTHING, Kaif has been reduced to something solely reserved for the male gaze.
Which lastly, brings us to Aamir Khan. Yes, a little bit of Jack Sparrow from Kanpur for sure. And also elements of the legendary misfit – Don Quixote, who ALSO rides a donkey. And the way he rattles off all the English words he knows in one breath is reminiscent of his role as Munna in Ram Gopal Varma’s Rangeela. Also, seeing his twirly moustache and the film’s pre-1857 setting, one can’t help but also think about Ketan Mehta’s Mangal Pandey: The Rising. But seeing Khan have the kind of fun he is, it is impossible to resist this self-confessed ‘bastard’.
All in all, Thugs of Hindostan seems to be bursting with ‘inspiration’ and that doesn’t always necessarily mean it is a bad thing. But with a director like Vijay Krishna Acharya, who was at helm of atrocities like Dhoom 3 and Tashan, one might cast their doubts over the film. We’ll find out for sure, this Diwali.
Watch the trailer here:
Thugs Of Hindostan releases on November 8, 2018.
