Tiger 3 movie review: Salman Khan's swag, Emraan Hashmi's villainy drive this testosterone-fuelled thrill-a-minute ride

Director: Maneesh Sharma

Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, Kumud Mishra, Gavie Chahal, Danish Bhat, Revathi, Simran, Vishal Jethwa, Riddhi Dogra

Where to watch: Theatres

Rating: 3.5 stars

The YRF Spy Universe began with Ek Tha Tiger but only retroactively. It really only came together with Pathaan, the film that brought the studio’s three biggest action films in one coherent cinematic universe. Pathaan’s success meant that the universe became huge. And therein lay Tiger 3’s challenge. How does one go bigger than that? How does one top a 1000-crore film that broke records and set new benchmarks in action set pieces? Surprisingly, Tiger 3 does come close. It does not surpass Pathaan but does a good job in being a worthy sucesssor. It is a good standalone action adventure while sowing the seeds for future instalments of the franchise. And it all rests on the able shoulders of Salman Khan. The superstar defies his age to give fans yet another trademark seetimaar entertainer.

Tiger 3 sees RAW agent Avinash Singh Rathore (Salman) hunt a double agent inside the Indian intelligence apparatus. He has suspicions that his wife and former ISI agent Zoya (Katrina Kaif) could be that mole. The investigations lead him to her former mentor and exiled spy Aatish Rehman (Emraan Hashmi), who has some sinister plans for both India and Pakistan. Now, Tiger must get the band back together and save the day in his style: guns blazing and bullets raining.

Tiger 3 is the usual masala action film that Bollywood has perfected over decades. In recent years, courtesy a new wave of filmmakers and some Hollywood influence, these films have also become slicker than before. In that production design and slickness, Tiger 3 scores full marks. The action set pieces are spetacular, the action well choreographed, and the stunts are sometimes jaw-dropping. It makes some entertaining viewing. But the story is another matter.

Tiger 3 suffers from the perennial problem that Bollywood action films have had – a weak plot that is predictable. None of the twists and turns surprise you. You can see every ‘surprise’ cameo, every ‘shocking’ reveal from a mile away. But then, Tiger 3 does not pretend to be a thriller. It is out to wow you with its scale and ferocity, not its cleverness. In that regard, it is more Pathaan than Vikram. The plot is coherent but contains more plot holes than one would like. There is copious use of plot armour for our heroes, putting logic aside on many moments. The requirement of suspension of disbelief is extremely high here, despite a somewhat realistic setting.

The film is propped up by Salman Khan as was the expectation. The ageing star manages to turn back the clock in the action sequences. But he really shines in the more emotional scenes. The film has a few moments where Tiger’s inner turmoil comes to the fore as the actor has finally decided to emote on screen (after ages it seems). I just wish there were more of those scenes than action set pieces where we can clearly see the use of stunt doubles. Emraan Hashmi is the other star of the show, bringing to the YRF Spy Universe another memorable villain after John Abraham’s Jim. His Aatish Rehman is menacing and likable at the same time, flirting with the line dividing villain and ant-hero quite sexily. In a role that did not require much performance-wise, Emraan still manages to bring to the screen some much-needed depth with his eyes and measured delivery.

The background score is a big plus as is the cinematography. Like Pathaan and War, the distinctive BGM used for the hero and villain sets the mood quite nicely, often elevating ordinary scenes to applause-worthy, whisle-worthy moments. And there are quite a few of them. And then there is that cameo – yes, the other Khan. The 6-minute sequence has me convinced that Salman’s best on-screen chemistry is with him and not any of his heroines. The spark they have is quite something else.

In all, Tiger 3 is an entertainer of the best kind. The one that will make you whistle, cheer, and clap, but also sometimes question the absurdity of the plot. But then, this film is delivering what it promised – a relentless entertainer in the garb of a patriotic thriller. Nothing more, nothing less!