There is something concerning the Salman-Katrina pairing. Something that goes deeper than a real-life affection. Even deeper than that crackling pitch-perfect chemistry that we see among endearing star-pairs, like Raj-Nargis, Rajesh -Mumtaz, Shah Rukh-Kajol…you name it!
Here in “Ek Tha Tiger”, we see a glance of genuine protectiveness in Salman’s eyes each time he looks at Katrina Kaif. That look suits the film’s purposes fine. “Ek Tha Tiger” is the affection story of 2 spies from different sides of the border who throughout the process their volatile sinister cloak-and-dagger work, fall madly in love.
As the lovers flee their enemies, they're pursued by do mulk ke dushman. That is nine mulk not up to where Shah Rukh’s Don was wanted.
Salman’s spy-hero code-named Tiger cuts throughout the chase, brings the name of the game agent’s role right down to an amiably human level, drawing secret alcoves of childlike vulnerability and, yes, humour from his character’s secret life, making the spy’s double life look doubly redeemable.
Every time Salman looks at Katrina his eyes melt. Kabir Khan taps the actor’s potential to replenish the screen to great advantage. Even while flexing his biceps through four continents in the superior staged action sequences in some never-seen rugged exotic spots of the earth (full marks to action director Conrad Palamisano) Salman gets a number of very quiet contemplative moments along with his beautiful co-star. For once the superstar looks neither bored nor distracted. And he isn’t impatient to transport on.
Ruminative reflective rich in self-mocking resonances, Salman’s spy in “Ek Tha Tiger” is a remarkably restrained and expressive character. He handles both the action and the romantic sequences with seamless empathy.
Katrina gets better with every film. As a girl who had a genuinely happy childhood that have been snatched away by the character of her profession, her eyes convey infinite pain. She conveys pain and love with as much elan as she kicks ass when you must. Yup, this lady rocks.
Kabir Khan whose earlier Katrina starrer “New York” defined Islamic isolation during periods of terrorism with gripping gusto, this time, decides to take pleasure in the espionage genre without trivialising it. The blend of action and romance is achieved with a fluency that we’ve seldom seen within the action-romance genre.
The storytelling is laced with a a lot of humour. Aseem Mishra’s camera-work punctuates the pungent drama of lovers at the run, capturing the bustle and the festivity of Ireland, Cuba and Istanbul with much warmth and affection and a detached fascination that's the opposite of touristic curiosity.
Kabir Khan has a watch for everyday details. Though his frames are arranged to convey aesthetics, the wonderful thing about the moments shared by lovers is rarely defined by their surroundings.
It’s an overly commonplace attraction seen in umpteenth Hindi films of each hue and diversity. What makes director Kabir Khan’s telling of this routine love story come alive, is the presentation and packaging, both unique but never over-punctuated.
Epic in design the film has an incredibly low choice of main characters.
Kabir works on building the affection story during the intelligently-written interaction between the 2 protagonists in place of their exotic environment or the incidental characters. Still, Girish Karnad as Tiger’s boss and Ranvir Shorey as Salman’s buddy-in-arms are first-rate. Never letting the script down.
It’s hard to make an intelligent film on intelligence without tripping over the barbed wires of politics and espionage jargon. Kabir Khan strips the affection stories to its bare necessities without diminishing the density of the drama.
“Ek Tha Tiger” is more a passionate love story than an actioner. Brilliantly scripted and deftly directed it’s Salman Khan’s best film in ages. As for his chemistry with Katrina Kaif, it's the stuff legendary love stories are made of.
Very few films make you sit on the fringe of your seat when the hero fights after which makes you recline in sighing submission when he romances his sweetheart, in equal measures.
“Ek Tha Tiger” gets it right. – IANS
