‘Radhe’ film review: Salman Khan outdoes himself in his Eid release

The hero: Encounter Specialist Radhe (Salman Khan) an amalgamation of the superstar’s flamboyant characters down the years from Wanted to Dabangg 3.

Claim to fame: 97 encounters and 23 transfers in his illustrious police career.

Special Power: Ability to launch himself through solid glass and make a grand entry with shards flying all around but nary a scratch on his buffed up muscular body.

Mission statement: ‘Swachh Bharat’ (Sounds familiar?) To cleanse Mumbai of a deadly drug trafficking mafia headed by Rana (Randeep Hooda with a serious Loki hangover) and his two hysterical tattooed sidekicks.

What does Radhe do? When he’s not single handedly pummeling his way through a swatch of baddies (we counted over 20 in one scene alone), he’s grooving alongside some seriously cool background dancers (don’t forget the movie is helmed by ace choreographer-turned filmmaker Prabhu Deva) or turning on the histrionics with impassioned speeches about saving India’s future generation from the debilitating drug menace.

What role does Disha play? You mean apart from driving around the city in skimpy clothes and looking extremely fetching and filling out some sensational hot pants and indulging in some fancy footwork on the dance floor? She’s an aspiring model with a huge hoarding to her credit for a jewellery brand headed by some dodgy men who also deal in fake passports as a side business.

And Jackie Shroff? ACP Avinash Abhyankar is Diya’s loving brother and Radhe’s superior who fumbles his way through his police station. To be fair he looks pretty dashing in his well cut suits and even manages to score a dance number with the lead hero clad in a satin dress (no doubt the makers’ idea of a fun sequence but a bit disturbing no less)

What about the songs; one hears they are chart busters? Salman Khan can turn the simple act of fiddling with his belt into a hit dance move, so of course the songs accompanying these killer steps have to keep pace. Disha holds her own in Zoom Zoom and Seeti Maar even when saddled with some de rigueur Prabhu Deva moves - hiphop meets quirky steps with some truly noteworthy facial expressions. Jacqueline Fernandez sizzles her way through a melodious Dil De Diya with her 1000watt smile firmly in place.