Tiger Zinda Hai Review - Salman Khan Is Clearly The Answer To World Peace

Tiger Zinda Hai is like the man who headlines it. It’s big-budgeted, flimsy, Aditya Chopra backs it extensively and yet it always fails to go the extra mile. The bhai is back, or ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ as we are told numerous amounts of times, in suspenseful tones, by different characters. Writer-director Ali Abbas Zafar’s biggest test is whether Tiger lives up to its prequel, Ek Tha Tiger, directed by Kabir Khan. My verdict? It doesn’t. In the midst of the snow-capped Alps, wolves that attack Salman Khan only to be thrown off with ease, and Katrina Kaif wearing close to nothing in sub-zero conditions, Ali forgets to instill human emotions into the perfect frames he creates. A perfect example would be as Tiger and Zoya watch the beautiful stars on their anniversary, both Salman and Katrina Kaif, who plays Zoya, are almost robotic in their ways of talking. Their comfortability around each other turns into awkwardness. That is a big problem. Their chemistry just doesn’t work.

And that’s supposed to set the tone for the film. 25 Indian nurses and 15 Pakistani nurses have been abducted by Yash Raj Films’ version of the ISIS, known as ISC. The ISC is headed by Abu Usman, played by a menacing Sajjad Delafrooz. Sajjad has this aching vulnerability that shines through, especially in his scenes with Poorna, played by a terrific Anupriya Goenka (who I hear is due in Padmavati next). He’s wounded, he has a story to tell, yet he’s hiding behind this facade of evil. The scene where Abu and Poorna bond as she helps him is skillfully made. What doesn’t work are the circumstances. Even how the nurses are held hostage in the hospital is unrealistic (it was actually based on a true story). So, as Abu Usman beheads American journalists, the nurses light candles and shrines to the gods. It’s sweet, metaphorical but immature.

Ali, again like he did in Sultan, overdoses on patriotism. While some of it does shine through and leave you happy, scenes like keeping a flag in your backpack just to make sure that when you defeat the bad guys, your will flag will top the ISC’s flag is unnecessary and doesn’t add emotion the the narrative. Ah. Emotion. Something that neither Aditya Chopra or Salman or Katrina add into the film. The scenes with Salman and Katrina in Vienna are robotic, and the scene where she’s chained up and they’re in harrowing circumstances, is more comedic than heartfelt. But, I salute Ali. For knowing where his strengths lie. Even if these strengths are commercially directed. So, Bhai fans wanted some kickass action and some top-class cinematography. They’re going to get that. Tiger Zinda Hai may well become the highest grossing Hindi film of 2017, because of Ali.

The director, the producers and Salman try to do too much to make the film memorable. It had potential. It was shocking to see the state of freedom of speech in Ikrit, Mosul and so many more places. One haunting, but nuanced constant through the first half is a little child who is always accompanying Abu Usman everywhere, holding a gun. That shocked me. What shocked me more is when that child is used as a suicide bomber. Tiger Zinda Hai will evoke little emotion, but it will invoke shock. And isn’t that sort of the best kind? So, yes. It’s convoluted, it’s stupid, it could’ve done without so much of the camera ogling Salman, but that’s not my biggest problem with Tiger Zinda Hai. The film’s base plot of the nurses being rescued, is very irrelevant. The film is based on a true story of nurses who fought their own way out with their own wits. A request to Aditya Chopra. While this may be a cash cow, give the women the credit they deserve and don’t let bhai snatch it all up. I’m going with 2.5 stars out of 5 for Tiger Zinda Hai. Yeh Franchise Hanging In The Middle Hai. See you in Part 3, Salman.