The Race franchise, like many others, is a no-brainer. You don’t walk into the film expecting great cinema. But the previous installments of the film, however logicless, have been intelligent, especially the first one. But Race 3 is just like, ‘no cinema’. One of the worst films I have seen in a while, Race 3 is a one-star film, for what reason, I will tell you. I’d give half a star extra for the beautiful cars that were there but I didn’t go to see them, and even if I don’t consider that, I was so dead bored throughout the film that I can’t even afford to give that half star.
I am not going to go into a bit-by-bit analysis of the film, because today I don’t have anything to say. On a normal day, I can talk a lot about extremes – like, I can talk a decent amount for a very good film, a decent amount for a bad film. But Race 3 is an example of terribly pathetic filmmaking. I think before the actors who lead the narrative, there should be a narrative to lead. Director Remo D’Souza and writer Shiraz Ahmed seem to have read the scripts of Dhoom, Jai Ho and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo just before writing Race 3. And even after that, they’ve written the worst script possible. The previous Races had great plot twists, good characters and the brilliant Saif Ali Khan to keep us engaged. But about ten minutes into Race 3, I wanted to walk out and this feeling was there till the end. Film mein hota kya hai, abhi tak samajh nahi aaya. Not because I am dumb, but kyuki bataya hi nahi. Parallel narratives start and parallel narratives end, and we don’t get to know.
Salman Khan just does not bring the texture that a film like Race needs. There were innumerable moments when I missed Saif Ali Khan on screen, and how. I believe Saqib Saleem is a good actor, but why would he choose to be a part of a film like this. Jacqueline Fernandez can fight well, has been trained in pole dancing, and that’s all she’s here to do. Daisy Shah’s Sanjana has a dream that “main shaadi karungi, 4-5 bache paida karungi, and then I’m done.” Done, matlab? I think it was integral to take her very seriously, when she said, “our business is our business, none of your business.” We should all listen to her and not go for the film. But, don’t you think this is her worst dialogue. She also says, “ise dil se nahi, dell kholkar dikhao.” Bobby Deol is, well, confused. he just cannot believe that he is in an action film, and even romancing Daisy Shah.
The only person who seems to have done some work is Anil Kapoor. He does the maximum he can with the writing and looks like a million bucks. I’m not sure if it is Rhea Kapoor who has styled him, but I think she has, and that’s some really great work!
There is a small bit that I want to read out from Wikipedia, but let’s keep it short. It basically says that Abbas Mustan (the dynamic duo who’ve directed the earlier films in the franchise) had finalised Saif Ali Khan in the film, but producer Ramesh Taurani wanted Salman Khan. And when Salman Khan was finalised, his condition was that Remo D’Souza should direct the film.
All in all, I will not let you go, before you listen to this:
And I also missed a song like Race Saason Ki. Allah Duhai Hai just didn’t do it for me.
If I had to rate the film, let’s not!
Bombay Balloon 