Ek Tha Tiger

With Ek Tha Tiger, Kabir Khan resonates that a director is indeed the captain of the ship and irrespective of the royalty travelling aboard , if you can’t steer, you will sink. I also think Katrina Kaif, henceforth should only work with Kabir, until she can prove her mettle as an actor. I was pleasantly surprised by what Mr. Khan is capable of under a director who may not mind riding along but is very capable of holding sail in a star tsunami.

The story is about Tiger a secret agent with RAW, whose life’s status quo “apne aaage na peeche, na koi upar neeche…rone waala..na koi rone waali…” allows him to be the best dare devil undercover agent the country has ever produced.
Tiger soon gets assigned on a mission to track down Professor Kidwai, who teaches at the Trinity College, London and is suspected of sharing his findings with Pakistan’s Defense establishment. Whether the professor is directly responsible or purely the sacrificial lamb is what needs to be investigated.

After many failed attempts of trying to befriend the professor, Tiger meets Zoya, a student who teaches dance at the university, works part time at the professor’s residence and is the only other living creature besides the professor’s dog, to have access to his private life. Disguised as Manish a writer working on a book called ‘India’s Great Minds’ he finally manages to squeeze a leg in. The series that unravel hereon punch the purr right out of our desi Tiger. Who is the professor? Does Zoya really exist? In a situation, what would Tiger choose, love or to live each day regretting the loss of it in the name of duty? Will ISI and RAW ever see beyond inflated ego’s?

Ek Tha Tiger is predictable, but what I went away with is a nice simple love story, more than the story it was the genuineness of emotions that I connected with. Some scenes where Manish is trying to simply befriend Zoya are plainly simple and sweet. I would have never believed that Salman and Katrina didn’t genuinely care for each other on a personal level and the whole thing was merely an act. The action sequences

throughout the film are very snazzy and realistic. Salman’s introduction shot is one of the most interesting sequences I’ve seen in a while. It’s a slow mo shot of an ashtray flung into mid air, it’s through flying ashes and smoked butts that the Tiger is revealed. The chase that follows is very ‘Bourne’. Totally, whistle worthy! However on the extreme left of the ‘action-o-meter’ is the climax action sequence, where we suddenly realize that the film is really about Salman Khan, so how can he not jump off a speeding bike onto an open jet plane and all this after having taken a bullet! But I forgive it, only because throughout the film otherwise, there are no typical traces of a confused American-British accent, towel between legs jig, tight fitted machismo or any other trait which scream of his cliché fame. Heck, the director has even validated Salman’s reason for being topless, and not for a single frame more than required!

Aseem Mishra’s cinematography gives the film lovely hues, colors, breathtaking landscapes and beautiful sunsets. This is not a Kabul Express or New York, but hats off to Kabir Khan for making Ek Tha Tiger look like a classic as compared to Bodyguard, Ready or even Dabbang! As Tiger’s associate and partner in crime, Ranvir Shorey shares some good camaraderie with Salman (being a good actor always helps).
The music sucks really, so won’t suggest that to be a reason to go watch the film:)