All eyes on Raees

 BOLLYWOODCALLING

Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan’s sizzling chemistry in the
upcoming film is just one of the many reasons to celebrate the trailer.

Shah Rukh Khan’s much-talked about upcoming film with Pakistani superstar Mahira Khan, Raees, has finally arrived with a spanking trailer and we are thrilled for more than a few reasons. For King Khan, the film is a return to a larger-than-life character after back-to-back experimental roles in films like Fan and the more recent, Dear Zindagi.

In the trailer, we learn that SRK essays a shalwar kameez wearing, kohl lovin’ bootlegger called Raees Aslam for whom business (dhanda) is god and who will continue to intoxicate Gujrat while Nawazuddin Sidduqui’s incorruptible cop is on his trail. Aside from seriously sharp action sequences, the kind that are rare for SRK, the film’s trailer also features Mahira Khan prominently who looks beautiful, comfortable and more to the point, shares electric chemistry with SRK. There’s also a menacing scene between the two actors during which the darker side of Raees emerges, one that terrifies Mahira’s character. In another sequence, she flirts with him and winks at him – and it all flows together.

Given all this, we’re also not surprised to learn that the Raees trailer is creating all sorts of records. Picking up 100k views in just three hours and 35 minutes, it has quickly acquired the title of the fastest trailer on YouTube to cross 100K likes and has surpassed the trailer of Sultan which raked in 100K likes in 42 hours, Dangal in 8 hours 48 minutes, Shivaay in 23 hours and MS Dhoni: The Untold Story in 12 hours. In 24 hours, it has picked up over 11 million views and by the time this story comes in print, it’ll be further ahead.

Part of the reason is that the film presents Shah Rukh Khan in a never-before-seen avatar. It’s also a good break for him to step away from contemporary romantic roles to something with a bit more meat. Since the film is set in the 1980s and Raees is running an illegal racket, don’t expect the Raj/Rahul urban cinema to appear in any form. 

Meanwhile the film’s release date, which has been pushed around, has been confirmed. So, on January 25, Raees will release which means it will clash with Rakesh Roshan’s home production Kaabil starring one Hrithik Roshan, who is desperately looking for a hit after the disastrous Mohenjo Daro.

Keeping Mahira Khan in the Raees trailer is also a courageous move by the film’s producers SRK and Farhan Akhtar. Given the tension boiling between the two countries, which ultimately culminated in a ban placed on Pakistani actors by the IMPPA as well as the decision made right here at home to not run Bollywood films in cinema, it’s good to see someone break rank and do what will certainly incur the wrath of intolerant forces that are as rampant in India as they are in Pakistan.

Though Mahira Khan has a sizable, memorable chunk in the trailer, the film belongs to Shah Rukh Khan and so it remains unclear if she will be heading to India once the promotional activities for the film begin.

“I think when we start promotions and if we find it necessary to involve her, we will bring her here,” said co-producer Ritesh Sidhwani while speaking to the media. “I don’t think there will be any restriction for her from the government or issuing visa to her will be a problem. We will decide about her involvement.”

Raees, which marks the debut of Mahira Khan in Bollywood, is a reminder of the edgier SRK films that he left behind for the sake of contemporary films with the likes of Yash/Adi Chopra and Karan Johar. As for Mahira Khan, with Raees finally releasing next month and a Shoaib Mansoor film on the cards, her film career should see another meteoric ascend. Or so we hope.