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‘Thugs of Hindostan’: Aamir Khan steals the show (IANS Review, Rating: ***1/2)
By Troy Ribeiro
Film: “Thugs of Hindostan”; Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya; Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ronit Roy, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, Sharat Saxena and Lloyd Owen; Rating: ***1/2
A straight-laced fiction mounted in a historical set-up, director Vijay Krishna Acharya’s “Thugs of Hindostan” is a sprawling, ambitious 164-minute epic action adventure.
The story begins Circa 1795 when the British East India Company tries to annex the princely state of Ronakpur. When negotiations fail, they assassinate its ruler Mirza (Ronit Roy) and his son Aslam. Mirza’s trusted Lieutenant Khudabaksh Azaad (Amitabh Bachchan) escapes from the British’s bullets, taking along with him Mirza’s young daughter Zafira.
Khudabaksh aka Azaad along with his band of Thugs, give a tough time to the foreigners as they aspire to free the country.
Threatened by Azaad’s growing popularity, the British engage Firangi Mallah (Aamir Khan), a small-time but ambitious con man, to locate and capture Azaad.
Everything about this film is in capital letters preceded by articles; the story befitting the intertextual clash of the good against evil, the mounting on the massive scale and casting of the leads.
While the two legendary icons of the Indian screen are pitted against each other, Aamir Khan steals the show with his flamboyance. He is the pulsating heart of the narrative. He brings his character to life with his energetic on-screen presence, priceless expressions on his visage, flawless dancing and agility during the action scenes.
While he is charming and convincing as an actor, his lines are bogged down by the superficiality of the character that makes him seem forced and a bit hollow, especially after his repeated cycle of smarts and tactics.
Amitabh Bachchan as Khudabaksh, a loyal guard-cum-protector of Zafira, is a character we have seen in some of his earlier films too. Luckily for him, his character stands out due to his sheer personality.
Katrina Kaif as Suraiya the dancer, is fabulous. She impresses us with her graceful and elegant dance moves, especially in the song “Suraiya jaan”.
Fatima Sana Shaikh as the warrior Zafira is impressive. So is Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, who plays Firangi Mallah’s friend Shanichar and Lloyd Owen as John Clive, the head of the British East India Company. They all leave an impact with their acting chops.
Visually, the film is magnificently mounted with visual and special effects. Manush Nandan’s cinematography captures the era created by Sumit Basu’s production design, costumes and locales to perfection. Each frame is a masterpiece, be it the wide angle shots or the close-ups.
The live action shots are seamlessly meshed with the computer generated images by editor Ritesh Soni.
The action sequences along with the stunts and dances are all astutely choreographed. The songs “Vashmalle”, “Suraiya jaan” and “Manzoor-e-Khuda”, blend into the narrative flawlessly.
While the first half is racy, the second half especially the climax and denouement drags a bit.
Overall, this film is worth a watch for Aamir Khan’s performance.
–IANS
troy/rb/bg
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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