(Note: This story contains major spoilers)
Ever since Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff’s War released on 2 October, it’s being lauded for the popcorn entertainer that it is. Tiger Shroff’s sasta Hrithik avatar perfectly complements the original Hrithik’s larger-than-life, Greek-God persona in the film. It is undoubtedly one of the better action thrillers to have emerged out of Hindi cinema in the recent past. In fact, I might even go as far as to say that it has a certain Mission Impossible-esque vibe to it.
While War is not the kind of film that deserves or demands any kind of heavy-duty analysis, it does have its own set of bizarre, somewhat ridiculous sequences that deserve a mention. Some for its comic relief, others for the sheer out-of-the-box thinking. These sequences fit just right and prove that if the scripting is just good enough and the casting impeccable, the audience is more than happy to look past the little details.
1. How Did Tiger Shroff Make It to the Army *Without* a 20/20 Vision?
In a country where young boys grow up with the aspiration of joining the Indian army, it’s common knowledge that a perfect 20/20 vision is necessary to get into the academy, among other fitness criteria of course. But for the Yash Raj School of Soldiers? No way! Somehow, Tiger Shroff’s character has managed to fool the ENTIRE system and rise up the ranks despite having a blind spot in the peripheral vision of his right eye.
And only the omnipotent God-like Hrithik Roshan can catch his decades-old lie.
2. Can ISIS Leaders Even Talk Beyond a Few Grunting Noises?
As an audience, we’re over the problematic, stereotypical portrayal of Muslim villains. Kohl-rimmed eyes, long beard, unkempt hair.. it’s all a thing of the past. So War gives us something new.
In the first half of the film, Hrithik and his team head to Syria to catch hold of an ISIS leader. But here’s what’s different about him. The man can barely talk. Instead, he just makes aggressive, borderline comical, grunting noises. Because we all know that ISIS leaders are basically monsters straight out of a children’s cartoon show, right?
3. Hrithik and His Ace Dancing Skills Are.. Untouchable.
This one’s not a question. It’s a simple thought that I am more than happy to get behind because Hrithik’s dancing skills (and that razor-sharp jawline, and hazel green eyes and..) are all he has.
Believe it or not, Hrithik actually has an arm sling on, in the scene right before he breaks into the charming ‘Jai Jai Shivshankar’ choreography with his main man Tiger. But is that going to affect his MJ-like dance moves? Hell, no!
4. Plastic Surgery After Plastic Surgery... What Era Are We In?
Remember the 90s and early ‘00s when plastic surgery was THE plot twist of every other film? Or at least that’s what it felt like. War somehow tries to recreate that. Two major plot twists in the film revolve around criminals and traitors miraculously getting a plastic surgery overnight. But you know what’s worse? I still didn’t see it coming, and that’s definitely on me.
I just miss the good old days of Race when filmmakers actually put effort into creating conniving villains, you know.
5. You Can Play Road Rash In The Arctic Circle?
As a part of its world tour package, War takes us to a lot of places across the globe including the Arctic circle. And as someone who has never been to the Arctic circle, I must say that I was surprised to see Hrithik and Tiger race off like nobody’s business on thick sheets of sea ice. Who needs actual roads when you have a huge glacier instead?
6. Is a Satellite-Destruction Missile Only as Good as My Diwali Sutli Bomb?
In the second half of War, seconds before a wrongly targeted satellite missile is about hit a Titanic-size vessel, Hrithik Roshan narrowly escapes out of the ship. When the missile finally hits the ship, Hrithik is actually only a couple hundred metres away from it but he emerges unscathed. Honestly, my Diwali sutli bomb creates more impact than that missile.
7. Is It Just Me or Is That an ‘Om Shanti Om’ Reference?
When you’re a Shah Rukh Khan fan, everything can be a SRK reference if you want it to be. So humour me, will you?
In the climax scene, after a terribly long fighting sequence between Hrithik and Tiger (duh), Tiger is severely injured and lying on the floor of a church. To finally end Tiger’s life, Hrithik jumps off a semi constructed structure and brings it down on Tiger. So my question here actually is - Kya iss hi jhoomar ke neeche milegi Khalid/Saurabh ki laash?
8. Et Tu, Tiger?
What truly broke my heart was the realisation that Khalid (Tiger Shroff) was actually Saurabh who got a plastic surgery done so that he could pretend to be Khalid. All those romantic action sequences between Kabir and Khalid, their onscreen chemistry that practically froze time, their sizzling chemistry on the dance floor.. had it all been a lie?
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