Race 3 Movie Review: Anil Kapoor-Salman Khan Starrer Elicits More Laughs Than Thrills

Even though the film's director Remo Dsouza gets an ensemble of actors, he unfortunately fails to play to their strengths.

The easiest way to describe Salman Khan to Indian audience is - Bollywood’s biggest box office draw. He is a true entertainer who can act, sing, dance, fight, romance, do virtually everything to ensure his fans flock to theaters in huge numbers. What about logic? Well, what’s that? Considering that most of Khan’s films are meant strictly for his fans, the lack of rationality is what makes them completely worth the experience. 

So, don’t be surprised if we call Race 3 (might just smash all BO records) also Bollywood’s finest when it comes to no logic. But is Race 3 as entertaining as Salman's past projects? No.

Within the film’s first 15 minutes, director Remo introduces us to all the key characters – Sikander (Salman) as Shamsher Singh’s (Anil Kapoor) ‘sagey bete se bhi badhkar beta’, big brother to insecure siblings Suraj (Saqib Saleem) and Sanjana (Daisy Shah) and Yash’s (Bobby Deol) boss. 

Next, we are made familiar with the Singh family’s backstory. Shamsher was ousted from his village for killing his brother (Sikander’s father) after a bitter fallout. Since Shamsher is conniving and ruthless, he decides to raise Sikander like his own son, and expect his children Suraj and Sanjana to tighten their bond with him. But it is the duplicitous nature of Suraj and Sanjana that makes it impossible for them to be as close-knit with Sikander. 

And because Salman plays the intrepid savior of the Singh parivaar, who is constantly batting for 'parivaar, insaaniyat aur mohabbat', it is also important that he is seen doing over-the-top action sequences, ridiculous car chases, and well-choreographed fight sequences. While all of this is incredible to see on the big screen, it is really difficult to believe. How could he jump off a building looking elegant in a suit and guns in tow? How could he fly and even launch missiles in the film? Well, didn’t we mention earlier – like his stardom, Salman’s films often lack logic! 

However, we are happy that Remo at least spent some time in shaping the film’s antagonist Shamsher played by Anil, and make him a standout success. Since playing a villain is indeed the toughest thing in movies, we have to laud Anil - who is clearly not well versed in depicting the bad guy- but plays Shamsher in a way that it seems like he was born to essay the character. He isn’t necessarily the antagonist we would want to loathe, but definitely the one you’d want to cheer on for his cool Bhojpuri accent and a tad intimidating disposition. He might be evil and devious, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be funny. 

Even though the director gets an ensemble of actors, he unfortunately fails to play to their strengths. While the talented Bobby Deol is wasted in a wordless role, the comparatively new actor Saqib Saleem doesn’t have anything consequential to do. Characters played by Jacqueline Fernandez and Daisy Shah turn out to be bland caricatures that mouth bizarre dialogues like “Mai paida hi weird hui thi” and “Isko dil nahi Dell kholke dikhao”. 

The first half of Race 3 is painfully boring, and the romantic interlude simply ruin the barely-there narrative. Nothing is more infuriating than the film’s badly done romantic track Selfish featuring the leads, which feels both forced and artificial. Other clunky songs – Bas Party Chale on, Heeriye, Allah Duhai Hai only slacken the movie’s pace. The second half is comparatively engaging (courtesy twists and turns) and helps you sit through the predictable ride. 

Don’t expect the film to work with non-Salman movie goers because it’s amateurishly written, and clearly weighed down by bad direction, pretentious dialogues and poor performances.