Salman Khan is back and how! Truly in his very own 'bang…bang' style. Agreed, 'Wanted' is no great cinema going by the yardstick of New Age films. The film just takes you back to the 90s, to a time when Salman was a huge draw at the box office. Yet it cashes in on what Salman has always been good at and makes a good job out of it. Of late, it seemed that Salman's magic was fading when it comes to delivering hits. And probably the star saw this film as a chance to pull up his socks and show to his detractors that he still is Salman Khan - loud, brash and full of attitude. The film actually rides on Salman's star power.
What's heartening is that the makers have been pretty honest about their work and have not tried to sell the movie as some cerebral stuff at any point of time. In a recent chat that we had with the director, Prabhudheva, he mentioned that he is not looking at winning any awards for the film. He knows there might be plenty of flaws but the attempt is to entertain. And entertaining it is, at least the second half, while the first half is passable.So, here's a hardcore action film served with ample amounts of comedy, which is sometimes loud. There are scenes that you will clap at and there are some which might turn you off completely.
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However, it is a classic case of "error in continuity" when it comes to looks. Salman Khan sports a different look in every scene which is not acceptable for any sane thinking person. If there has been so much effort in making a film, it only makes sense to take care of all these aspects. There are also problems with characters; some are taken for granted for the convenience of the story. Wonder why there needs to be a sexy sultry babe in every don's gang who is always happy to entertain the boss and also takes the gun when needed. Mahek Chahal displays oomph but is really not required in the film. So are so many other characters and scenes.
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The editing is pretty stylish which makes the overall experience great. However, the exotic locales and dialogues, including Salman's famous 'Ek baar main commitment de doon…', seem pretty much out-of-place. Music - both playback and background - is loud but watching Salman dance is real fun, especially when he makes his typical gestures. That, of course, was expected given an ace choreographer like Prabhu helming the film.
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'Wanted' promises action and it shows action. Action directors figure out newer stunts - read ways of bashing up the goons. Hilariously enough, Salman never gets a single punch in the movie, leave alone getting shot. He delivers on all counts be it action, comedy or drama. And this he does after a series of bad performances. Ayesha Takia does well in a limited role. Prakash Raj shows why he is a National Award winner as he plays a comic and deadly don. Mahesh Manjrekar is superb as a nasty and corrupt cop. Vinod Khanna gets a raw deal.
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Much like Aamir Khan's 'Ghajini', 'Wanted' is a remake of a Tamil hit called 'Pokkiri' (which was made in Telugu as well), hence there is little suspense left for those who have either seen or read about the earlier versions. While on one hand you may have films like 'Departed' on undercover cops and dons, on the other hand you have 'Wanted'. The former delves into proving that all spies are human too and are scared for their lives, the latter glorifies the heroics turning a person to a larger-than-life demi-god who just can't be hit by a bullet. Yet, for all its flaws, 'Wanted' is a must-watch if you are a Salman Khan fan. The film is aimed at the 'aam janata' and there is every possibility of the film becoming a runaway hit with the extended Eid holiday ahead. Welcome back, Salman !
