Spoilers ahead…
Read the full review on Film Companion, here: https://www.filmcompanion.in/bharat-movie-review-salman-khan-katrina-kaif-ali-abbas-zafar-baradwaj-rangan
Well into the second half of Bharat, the eponymous protagonist (Salman Khan, at his muscliest) finds himself on a merchant navy vessel. Before you can say Captain Phillips, they are attacked by Somali pirates. The crew turns on the water cannons, but no luck. The pirates are soon on board, and they want the stuff theatre owners hope to make a lot of with an Eid-dated Salman Khan starrer. Pleas don’t work, so Bharat does the next best thing. Learning that the pirates are Amitabh Bachchan fans, he begins to dance to a medley of Bachchan hits — and the pirates join in. It’s a supremely silly scene (and not the good kind of silly, like the ship’s captain, played by Satish Kaushik, speaking in a gibberish tongue), but it’s there for a reason: to demonstrate Bharat’s (i.e. the nation’s) growing soft power. Even in Africa, there’s apparently no resisting the… naach-Ghana.
Continued at the link above.
Copyright ©2019 Film Companion.
Baradwaj Rangan 
Sai Ashwin
June 6, 2019
BR proving us yet again his reviews of bad films are way more entertaining than the films themselves.
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Bharathi Shevgoor
June 6, 2019
Thank you for the laughs.
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Vikram s
June 6, 2019
Thank you BR, after reading about all the nuance-laden stuff at Cannes, we were eagerly waiting for your Eid gift …and we are not disappointed at all… :-))
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Enigma
June 6, 2019
I am delighted that Salman has made a patriotic film. He should be appreciated for it. With Modi’s win and now with patriotic films such as these I hope that opposition parties and stupid liberals/commies realise that nationalism is here to stay.
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Jai
June 6, 2019
Apropos ““Yeh sher boodha zaroor ho gaya hai par shikaar karna nahin bhoola.” Yikes!! Sounds like poor Blackbuck and Chinkara better beware…..More shikar depredations being plotted perhaps?
BTW does iffy screen dialogue count as a confession in a long drawn out court case?? 😁😁
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Kay
June 6, 2019
Enigma – you are always a ray of sunshine. 😀
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Enigma
June 7, 2019
Appreciate your sarcasm Kay. But the fact remains, all successful countries are built on the foundations of nationalism and patriotism. Don’t be fooled by what the Jammat-e-liberals say. We will turn into a commie/shariah shithole if they had their way.
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Rahul
June 7, 2019
Remember , this is the same Salman who went to Pakistan in Bajrangi Bhaijan and didn’t even kill anyone there with hand pump! Since nationalism is in fashion he made a movie to fool idiots like Enigma. If he is truly patriotic why does he not apologize to Vivek Oberoi Sir (who plays our dear leader Modi Kaka) for destroying his career to such an extent that he has to ask for money for tweeting in favor of BJP, the only nationalistic party in our nationalistic nation.
But liberal idiots like Enigma are fooled easily. Such a sorry state of nationalistic affairs.
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Enigma
June 7, 2019
Rahul, I do realise that Salman is catering to the current nationalistic sentiments. But the fact that he is taking the effort has to be appreciated, unlike his certain colleagues who are sulking and waiting for the days of the dreaded UPA to return when a bunch of thugs, gangsters, crooks, sharia bolsheviks, Marxist missionaries and sundry anti-nationals held power.
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Sai Ashwin
June 7, 2019
@Enigma
What is a troll like you doing here? Go shout on twitter or go on the street and beat up some muslims. Expressing your nationalism is useless here.
Also you say every successful country is built on nationalism, there is so much non-sense in that statement that its criminal.
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Rahini David
June 7, 2019
BTW, who are Salman’s “certain colleagues”.
Sorry for the lack of GK.
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Enigma
June 7, 2019
@Sai Ashwin, I am not advocating beating up of any group/community, only that the leftist/liberal nonsense has to be recognized for what it is – pure nonsense and anti-national drivel. If you don’t understand that it was the feelings of patriotism and nationalism that drove countries such as US, UK, Japan, Singapore and China to such great heights, then you don’t know anything. Hopefully people like you are in the minority. And thank you for asking me to vacate this blog, just proves my point that ‘liberals’ are the worst fascists. They have been trying to silence the nationalists for years but the people have spoken. Hopefully Modi should come back with a majority of 400 next time around. That would shut the Jamaat-e-liberals up permanently.
@ Rahini David, it is quite easy to find out who those colleagues are.
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Jai
June 7, 2019
@ Enigma: My personal political inclinations are right-of-centre and I don’t think nationalism is something to be frowned at by any means.
However, that said, I am puzzled as to why exactly a movie which has been made on a particular theme (for purely commercial considerations), and the actor who stars in it, must be appreciated. This truly doesn’t make sense. You say “the fact that he is taking the effort has to be appreciated”….Erm, what special effort is he taking, precisely? This movie is an official remake of a Korean film, and surely, everyone associated with the movie is trying to cash in on a popular genre. It is certainly not as if a courageously new plot or theme is being explored.
If the movie is good, it will run. If the plot and performances are weak (which is what most reviewers, regardless of political inclinations, are stating), then the movie probably wouldn’t do as well. Isn’t it time we stopped trying to drag left versus right versus centre into issues like this?
Personally, being a very keen wildlife enthusiast, I have a policy of never watching any of Salman’s movies. This is mixing his off screen shenanigans with his on screen persona of course, but for me, merely starring in a patriotic movie doesn’t mean one is worthy of appreciation. Respecting the laws of one’s Country is also part of patriotism and nationalism.
🙂
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MANK
June 7, 2019
That was damn funny Jai. Yeah, looks like there is going to be more blood on the pavements and reserved Forests.
Great review.It’s been a while I have seen a Salman film. Sultan was the last one, which I liked to an extent. That was a good mix of what Salman is capable of doing and to do something extra but we’ll rooted in the traditional masala cinema. But after that, I have completely shut his Films out. Each one looks another desperate attempt to shore up his image, with Salman strictly on autopilot.
But Bharat looks so far out. I wonder why these directors even try to make these sort of films with Salman. He doesn’t have the talent for it. These are pathetic attempts at image building and yes to pander to the current mood.
Something else that baffles me is Anupama&co. Jumping on to this Katrina Kaif is now a great actress bandwagon. What the hell is going on. Bill Cool is right.
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Rahini David
June 7, 2019
Aww. So Enigmatic. Too difficult to Google especially when I dont understand what I should be googling.
What is the difficulty? Spelling?
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vinjk
June 7, 2019
Hi Enigma, I am curious as to why you keep using the word “Jamaat-e-liberals”?
Would love to hear your thoughts who are these “Jamaat-e-liberals” and why do you call them so?
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Kay
June 7, 2019
Enigma – out of curiosity, did you also- like Ilaya Thalapathy- charter a plane and come to India for voting in the elections?
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TambiDude
June 7, 2019
“That would shut the Jamaat-e-liberals up permanently.”
Fat chance. Dumeels would never shut up.
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Enigma
June 7, 2019
@Jai, I say that because patriotic films are laughed off the theatres by the liberal crowd and the media dominated by that lot. So pretty brave of him to have made this. I haven’t seen the film – difficult for me to see it here in Sydney, but still I am quite happy that he has done this. I do agree with your point on complying the laws of the country but that incident happened more than 20 years ago. It is quite possible that he is a changed person now.
@Vinjk, the word jamaat-e-liberals quite aptly describes the cozy relationship that the liberals/left have with the Islamofascists. Have you ever heard the leftists/liberals criticize Islamic fundamentalists. The Hindu right (and the Christian right in western countries) cop a shitload of flak from the leftists/liberals but the Islamic fundamentalists can do whatever they want, you will not here a peep from their leftist friends. Bloody hypocrites, these jamaat-e-liberals.
@ Rahini, I am sure you will be able to find out. Google up the words ‘intolerance’.
@Kay, I haven’t seen that film. I did see the earlier film where Vijay plays the army guy who brings down a gang of jihadis, liked that.
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Aadhy
June 7, 2019
I also wonder if Jamaat-e-liberals can be interchangeably used with Sharia Bolsheviks (my favorite btw) which can be interchangeably used with urban naxals . Or do these terms refer to completely different sets of people?
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Rahini David
June 7, 2019
It did not work like you said it will, Enigma.
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Rahul
June 7, 2019
Hard to disagree with my old friend Tambidiot bro. Liberal idiots like Enigma just wont shut up. Keep ranting about their political agenda on movie blogs.
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Srinivas R
June 7, 2019
Enigma – the liberal ideas/values that you mock are the reason why are able to sit in Sydney and type out some condescending posts about nationalism/patriotism etc. while discussing an Indian movie. I always wonder, why do most of the ultra right patriots from India love the country so much, they decide to move to or take citizenship in some other country. The classic Akshay Kumaritis.
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Nathan
June 7, 2019
quite aptly describes the cozy relationship that the liberals/left have with the Islamofascists.
Oops, Kay. Looks like your weekly Tuesday morning i-fascist meeting has been hacked. Need to change modus operandi…
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TambiDude
June 7, 2019
“Enigma – the liberal ideas/values that you mock are the reason why are able to sit in Sydney and type out some condescending posts about nationalism/patriotism etc. while discussing an Indian movie. I always wonder, why do most of the ultra right patriots from India love the country so much, they decide to move to or take citizenship in some other country. The classic Akshay Kumaritis.”
About 45%+ voted BJP in the recent election. Higher than any party got since1971.
I thought after the May 23 nuke, liberals would shut up for ever. But dumeels still need some insults I guess 🙂
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Srinivas R
June 7, 2019
“About 45%+ voted BJP in the recent election. Higher than any party got since1971”
So? what has that got to do with what I asked Enigma. My question is still valid. If you are so patriotic, come back here, work here, pay taxes here, handle the problems here, find solutions here. Don’t sit miles away and lecture others on nationalism. Get down from the high horse is all I say.
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Nathan
June 7, 2019
About 45%+ voted BJP in the recent election. Higher than any party got since1971.
I thought after the May 23 nuke, liberals would shut up for ever. But dumeels still need some insults I guess 🙂
Yeah, man..the 55% minority still doesn’t get it, them with their independent thinking and talking. Why don’t they just conform.. frustrating!
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Take It Easy
June 7, 2019
People!! Please restrict your comments to the review and/or the film. While it may be temping to respond to off-topic comments and trolls, remember you’re not only fanning the flames, but also diluting the value of BR’s work and giving the rest of us a headache!!
So BR, how many stars do you think you should give this film 😉
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Varsha Ganesh
June 7, 2019
Hilarious review! I thought BR did reviews of only south Indian language films on FC and Hindi films on the blog. Has that changed?
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Arjun
June 8, 2019
“But dumeels still need some insults I guess”
In my experience only brahmins use “dumeels” as an insult. Just another reason why brahmins are disliked by every other section of society in Tamil Nadu
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TambiDude
June 8, 2019
“If you are so patriotic, come back here, work here, pay taxes here, handle the problems here, find solutions here. Don’t sit miles away and lecture others on nationalism. Get down from the high horse is all I say.”
That’s odd, given the intolerance brigade wants to leave India due to rising intolerance.
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TambiDude
June 8, 2019
” Just another reason why brahmins are disliked by every other section of society in Tamil Nadu”
No #1 dumeel is Kamalhassan and I am sure you know his caste.
And his wet dream of south seceding will never happen because no other south indian state would like to have any truck with TN.
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Enigma
June 8, 2019
@Srinivas R, I do not abuse Christians or people of European heritage and I do not abuse the freedom given to me here. Furthermore, I back the centre-right ruling coalition here. I can’t speak for others but I moved around 2004 when the dreaded UPA was taking over our beloved India. But as an Overseas Citizen of India I remain a stakeholder and have every right to comment on what is happening over there. And I do not oppose liberal values, just the hypocrisy that passes of as liberalism in India. Have you heard any of these ‘liberals ‘ criticise DK or the minority lunatics who mock Hindu culture.
@ Tambidude, these sickos will eventually shut up when they realise that their fake liberalism is only strengthening Modi.
@ Aadhy, the word shariabolsheviks refers to the commies who are in bed with the islamofascists whereas Jamaal-e-liberals are the social media dingbats who suck up to the minorities whilst mocking the Hindus. Shariabolsheviks are confirmed nutters and more dangerous. For the Janata-e-liberals it is got do more with looking cool.
@Rahini, do you mind looking up ‘fake intolerance’?
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brangan
June 8, 2019
Does no one want to talk about the movie? 🤔
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Nathan
June 8, 2019
Does no one want to talk about the movie?
Oh but we are. We just haven’t gone past the title yet.😁
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Madan
June 8, 2019
@Jai: “Personally, being a very keen wildlife enthusiast, I have a policy of never watching any of Salman’s movies. This is mixing his off screen shenanigans with his on screen persona of course, but for me, merely starring in a patriotic movie doesn’t mean one is worthy of appreciation. ” – Perfect and same policy.
@Enigma – “I say that because patriotic films are laughed off the theatres by the liberal crowd ” – Uri was a big, big blockbuster, like ginormous and Bharat had the best Eid opening of any Salman Khan film. How long are you going to play victim? The right wing has a lockdown on political power as well as mainstream entertainment and news. Yes, news. The number 1 and 2 news channels in both English and Hindi are pro BJP. So for God’s sake stop whining, you ain’t fooling nobody.
@Nathan: “We just haven’t gone past the title yet.” – It is very apt that the worst comments thread in months in this space is named thusly! You could see it coming from a mile.
@vinjk: “Would love to hear your thoughts who are these “Jamaat-e-liberals” and why do you call them so?” – Yes please. I want to know this as well. I am a Mumbai based commerce graduate and have only ever gone to Delhi on official work. Have gone to Palika Bazar but not Khan Market. 😉 Never been to the Naxal belt either though I want to, not to commiserate with them but to see tigers in Tadoba. So who are these Jamaat-e-liberals? That said, I do agree that anybody whose allegiance to liberalism is purely a product of being a part of that circle – as seems to be the case with Shekar Gupta starting to wishy washy now after May 23 – is pretty shallow and no wonder they were caught by surprise when the verdict came. This also goes for those who suddenly discovered their deshbhakti in 2014, having cursed India left, right and centre until then.
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Enigma
June 8, 2019
‘Brahmins are disliked by every other section in TN’ – that is fine because that represents secularism, liberalism, communism, humanism and all the other effing isms in the world. Well done liberals.
Apologies BR for the digression but some things have have to be said.
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Nathan
June 8, 2019
People!! Please restrict your comments to the review and/or the film. While it may be temping to respond to off-topic comments and trolls, remember you’re not only fanning the flames, but also diluting the value of BR’s work and giving the rest of us a headache!!
What we really need is for this blog to have a trollbooth where people are charged if they need to take a diversion from the main topic towards more enlightenment/entertainment
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Madan
June 8, 2019
Enigma: There I agree with you. No excuse for casteism.
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Enigma
June 8, 2019
@Madan, the fact that these movies are hits and have been lapped up by the masses has not preset the liberals from mocking them.
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Anu Warrier
June 8, 2019
Peeps in, shivers, and leaves
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Enigma
June 8, 2019
@Madan, DMK and DK supporters preaching secularism and tolerance to the rest of India is laughable as they are the worst casteists and racists. Actually there is a good case for banning DK.
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Thupparivaalan
June 8, 2019
Srinivas: So? what has that got to do with what I asked Enigma. My question is still valid. If you are so patriotic, come back here, work here, pay taxes here, handle the problems here, find solutions here. Don’t sit miles away and lecture others on nationalism. Get down from the high horse is all I say.
I understand your anger. I just wanted to point out that NRI’s contribute a lot to our economy by Remittances, but your larger point stands. A lot of policy analysts and experts abroad like to live in an echo chamber without understanding the ground reality. There’s a reason why most of them of them got the 2019 predictions wrong. I’m not saying they should come down and live the life of a farmer. But a little less condescension would go a long way in getting their point across.
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Madan
June 8, 2019
@Enigma: By the logic that if majority likes it, you should, would you agree that you ought to like Vijay /Ajith mass films just because the masses like it and something is wrong with you if you don’t? A nationalistic film is still a film. It isn’t measured by different yardsticks. People like me are simply not interested in a Salman Khan film, period. Has nothing to do with whether it is nationalistic. I know a lot of the intelligensia here disliked Parmanu but I liked it. And I respected and still respect Vajpayee but that’s a different discussion.
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Enigma
June 8, 2019
@Madan, patriotic films are important as they instill a sense of nationalism in the audience. I used to be delighted by the patriotic action films made by Captain and Action King back in the 90s. Whatever the quality of the film, if they have positive impact on even a few people, then they are well worth the effort. I will be over the moon if Ajith/Vijay would start emulating Arjun/Vijayakanth.
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Madan
June 8, 2019
@Enigma: Again you are unable to separate the social impact of a patriotic film from its aesthetic appreciation. There is no obligation on anyone to like a patriotic film just because it is patriotic. If you insist otherwise, I will insist you to say positive things about C grade films because, after all, the masses like them.
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Odiyan Hater
June 8, 2019
@MANK
I think in some cases salman himself greenlights these projects to improve his image (along with all that being human pseudo activism) and in some cases the directors want to make what they want and use the star power of Salman to ensure that their projects break even before release… Also, kabir khan gave a hit ‘Ek tha tiger’ – only after which he got to do bajrangi and tubelight with Salman… Similarly, Ali Abbas got to make bharat only after Sultan…So maybe, Salman starts to give directors more leeway once they’ve given a hit with him…
Talking abt directors who have given hits with Salman – Siddique who directed Bodyguard has cast Arbaaz as the villain in his next movie with Mohanlal… Maybe it’s a ploy to renew contact with Salman…
Regarding Anupama and Co. I feel Anupama would support even an apple of it acts all self aware and talks about its warts and all…
Another Anupama product i don’t understand the hype about is taapsee… BR interviewed her!
Superstar Baradwaj Rangan! Tapsee should be interviewing him…
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Rahul
June 9, 2019
“About 45%+ voted BJP in the recent election. Higher than any party got since1971.”
Tambidiot bro, All I am saying is that you come off as really dumb for responding with a non sequitur. Even if Modi gets 100 % votes, how will it stop you from making a fool of yourself?
Think about that.
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Jai
June 9, 2019
I feel this “liberal versus conservative” debate and pejorative tags like “bhakt”, “libtard” etc are in themselves far too reductive and highlight only the extremes. I would wager a vast majority of us are nowhere near as extreme (on either side of the spectrum). If one considers the meeting points of political, economic, social and religious dynamics, in fact most of us are probably “liberal” in one sphere while being somewhat “conservative” in another.
India is far too large, too diverse a country to be reduced to such opposing, squabbling tags. Respecting others’ POV without calling them barbed pejoratives should be the starting point– one which both sides of the divide can employ.
BTW, it really is fascinating how some people traditionally thought of (and who describe themselves) as ‘right wing conservative’ —value a traditionally ‘liberal’ ideal of freedom of speech and expression.
It’s also equally curious that someone who would be traditionally thought of as a ‘liberal’ –(again, referring to a tag others or they themselves use, not employing it myself)— does not seem to see the contradiction in using barbs which perpetuate and perhaps even fan caste-based animosity.
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Enigma
June 9, 2019
@Madan, when it comes to patriotic films, I am willing to give aesthetics a miss. The joy of watcging captain kick some pakistani arse is enough.
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Madan
June 9, 2019
“when it comes to patriotic films, I am willing to give aesthetics a miss. ” – That is YOUR perspective. What is ours is ours. You can have an opinion on that but to feel THREATENED by the perspective of those who dislike a patriotic film starring Sallu bhai is just plain silly.
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Madan
June 9, 2019
“It’s also equally curious that someone who would be traditionally thought of as a ‘liberal’ –(again, referring to a tag others or they themselves use, not employing it myself)— does not seem to see the contradiction in using barbs which perpetuate and perhaps even fan caste-based animosity.” – Same as liberals in USA indulging in identity politics and describing white everything as the root of evil as if other races or communities are so innocent. I feel sandwiched a lot of times, between the ‘liberal’ thought police and the right wing that is so foolishly enchanted by demagogues.
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brangan
June 9, 2019
Okay people. I am shutting off all future comments that are in the vein of what’s been going on. Cheers.
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Sanjay
June 10, 2019
I watched this movie yesterday with a very skeptical mind due to all the negativity surrounding the movie since its release but was very pleasantly surprised and loved it. Will probably go once again as my mind remain skeptical though out the screening that the good part is over and bad part will come……but it never came.
Fantastic masala movie and Salman did much better than expected. Loved the background score and all the songs and Ali Abbas has done very well to bring Salman as the typical massy hero we all love. Go for it people and let us then share comments. Katrina was the weakest link and wish they had taken a Indianised actress as came across very fake due to her accent esp the elderly part.
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Siva Kumar
June 15, 2019
Hi BR.. Is there any reason why you don’t not want to provide the translation for the hindi words in the review, like what you usually do for Tamil lines..?
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