Radhe is an action film directed by Prabhu Deva, starring Salman Khan and Disha Patani in lead roles while Randeep Hooda, Bharat, Jackie Shroff and Megha Akash play important supporting roles among others. The film is a remake of the Korean film The Outlaws. It is produced under the banner of Salman Khan Films and Zee Studios.
Radhe, played by Salman Khan, is a flamboyant cop in Mumbai, known for his 97 encounters and 23 transfers in a span of 10 years. He comes out of suspension for busting a drug mafia led by Rana (played by Randeep Hooda). He promises a schoolboy that he will clean the city before the board exams. Whether he manages to deliver on that promise makes up the rest of the story.
A film set in Mumbai, in which a relentless cop decides to rid the city of drugs, is the plot line and it is hard to remind one of Rajinikanth’s court. Like Darbar, this film too is based on Salman Khan’s screen presence and star value for most of its runtime. And Salman does not fail to give. His construction also lends authenticity to the fight scenes.
He has a formidable foe in the form of Randeep Hooda who slips into his character’s shoes quite comfortably. The face-to-face scenes or fight scenes between them stand out and are a delight to watch. But apart from these two, there is hardly any scope for any other actor to perform. Megha Akash and Bharat add on for useful performances, but they don’t make an impact due to poor characterization.
Disha Patani appears as Diya, a model who appears in various commercials. She plays the role of Salman’s girlfriend. These romantic parts serve as a speed breaker for a screenplay that is otherwise moving forward. In addition, romance lacks heart and serves as a signal to break into a song. The songs are stylish, and some of them are catchy. There is no doubt about it, but their number is very high.
At the same time, the background score works to some extent despite being loud in some parts. Camerawork also lends a useful hand, and creates a sense of urgency in many places. So, technically the movie might not be great, but it’s the bare minimum to sit you through a crisp period of less than 2 hours.
The film would certainly have worked better on the big screen if not for the pandemic here. Salman is enough to send the fans into fearless mode by repeatedly breaking the fourth wall in the first few minutes. There is no justice to the content on the small screen.
Radhe has a lot of flaws in the filmmaking side, but what keeps it going is Salman’s swagger and action sequences, even though the film lacks proper emotional underpinnings. Miraculously, the lack of emotion doesn’t affect the engagement. And Prabhu Deva keeps giving us a lot of them. Undoubtedly, this is the biryani thali for Salman fans this Eid.
Decision: Salman Khan’s performance and scintillating action sequences make Radhe a solid commercial entertainer.
