To say Raees is a ‘much awaited’ film would be an understatement. To say that it’s a film every moviegoer in Pakistan has been eagerly waiting for is somewhat appropriate. And while of course, Shah Rukh Khan always has and always will have a special place in our hearts, it is Mahira Khan who beckons us to the theatres tomorrow, as Raees prepares to release in cinemas across the country. It is one of the first few Indian films permitted for import since September. And fans who had been holding their breath can now exhale, finally.
Since our correspondents in India and Dubai have already seen the film we collected five reasons (other than the obvious Khan-fare) that are exciting us just as much…
- The SRK-Shia connection
Shah Rukh Khan’s entry comes, not with a romantic song or helicopter ride, but with hardcore zanjeeron ka maatam. You’ll see Khan in a black shalwar, participating in a Muharram procession and it’ll blow you away! It’ll leave you wondering whether the 51-year old Khan’s abs are real or not, and Mahira has told us that they are! (By the way, this scene was censored in the Dubai version so we have no idea whether it’ll be shown in Pakistan or not.)
- Real to reel moments
“Toh chal, ley chal apni duniya mein,†Aasiya says to Raees. “Inshallah,†he responds. Mahira’s opening scene is quite stunning (we will not reveal more) but when the two finally commit to each other and she asks him to take her into his life, it seems that reality is playing on reel. Given the fiasco of the last two weeks, it really does play like a real to reel instance. Another dialogue, “Mein dhanda karta hoon, mein dharm ka dhandha nahin karta,†is also close to what is happening all over the world these days. Notwithstanding the fact that SRK does occasionally face ‘issues’ for being Muslim.
- ‘Zaalima’
‘Zaalima’ was our first introductions to Shah Rukh Khan romancing Mahira on the big screen and the song blew fans in Pakistan and India away. They both looked epic and their chemistry was also fiery. So obviously, one of the biggest things in the movie is this song but let us warn you that the hamaam scene has been edited out of the final cut. For no other reason than space. The uncut film was running over three hours, apparently, and many scenes had to be downsized. Pity.
- SRK’s angry Amitabh mirror
One of our favourite scenes in the movie is when Shah Rukh and his brother raid an open-air movie theatre and ask for the seth in the car to pay his poor workers. In the background, you see the same scene play out between Amitabh Bachchan and Prem Chopra in Kaala Patthar and you get double impact not. Amitabh and Chopra’s scene is legendary and while Shah Rukh’s isn’t quite so, it is unforgettable.
- Romancing the Khan
You can think of it as Shah Rukh Khan romancing Mahira or vice versa because her character, Aasiya, is not a shy wall flower but in fact is a strong woman who holds fort when he needs her to step up. And he turns to her whenever he’s low. She is his lifeline. And yes, of course Mahira is also his real-life lucky charm!
