I gave this film a 6 not because it succeeds as an action film but because it makes such a caricature of such films from Hindi cinema in the 80s. The end result is a hilarious (although not intentionally so) film during which you get to see impossible martial arts moves and almost every cliche in the Hindi film playbook. Some of those cliches include a kidnapping, mistaken identity, a stolen treasure, and really, really funny animal heros. Yes, you heard me. And here are even little Easter eggs of homage to classic Hindi movies. (Sorry, no thwarted romance.)
Rajinikanth is stolen from his family as a toddler and raised by thieves. He becomes a car thief with a heart of gold and is hired to steal a treasure. Shakti Kapoor is an impossibly loathsome bad guy who hires him. Both seem to realize the campiness of their roles while Rajesh Rohan (yes, Hrithik's father) seems to take himself seriously in the role of impossibly noble policeman . But he makes the perfect foil for the other two.
And let us not forget the animal heros: horses and dogs who understand Hindi perfectly and can think and act under their own agency-especially in a coordinated attack later in the film where hooves, teeth, fur come flying from all directions and a tiny menacing pomeranian drops from the ceiling to ravages a goon. No, I'm not kidding. You really have to see this! It's so much fun and so typical of 80s camp, Hindi cinema style. Pop some popcorn, grab a mango lassi and enjoy!
