Introduction
Aerial action hasn't really been exploited enough in the Indian cinema mainly due to budget issues and the lack of a proper script which would justify the action, but Siddharth Anand, known for leveling up the action in his films, has made sure to make and execute a film which boasts itself to be the first aerial action thriller of Indian Cinema and also the third collaboration of Siddharth Anand and Hrithik Roshan after Bang Bang (2014) and War (2019). Apart from Hrithik Roshan, Fighter stars Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi, and Rishabh Sawhney in the lead roles, while Ashutosh rana, Talat Aziz and Sanjeeda Sheikh play supporting roles. Fighter also happens to be the first film to roll out of Marflix Productions; the production company of the director himself.
Basic Plot
Fighter is the fictional retelling of the events of 2019 Balakot Air Strike, 2019 Pulwama attacks, and subsequent conflicts and unrest in the Indo-Pak border around the same time.
Positives
Action
The main talking and highlight of the film has to be it's action and boy oh boy, Fighter presents action in some fashion! Unlike other routine action films which advertise themselves as 'never seen before', Fighter genuinely brings something new to the table which is one of it's kind and unique (as far as Indian films are concerned at least). Big names like Se-yeong Oh, Sunil Rodrigues and Parvez Shaikh are associated with the film who they really prove their caliber and goodwill by delivering sheer class in the form of action. The entire planning, shooting and execution of the action scenes, especially those involving mid air action with fighter jets have been undeniably solid and thus, the film has been able to rightfully justify itself as a proper aerial actioner. The hand to hand combat during the climax feels a bit 'abruptly over the top' due to a clear tonal shift from the rest of the film in terms of action, but that's probably to play along the tried and tested formula and there's nothing to seriously complain about on that part.
Performances
The entire performance department packs a punch in Fighter which uplifts the film and provides it the right amount of gravitas. Every actor has seemingly grasped (if not mastered) the body language of real Air Force Pilots and that adds an extra edge to their performance. Their way of talking, walking, spending leisure time with friends and physical appearances seems to have genuinely been drawn out of whom they're fictionalizing; full marks to Siddharth Anand and writer Ramon Chibb for the same. Performances in the emotional scenes are commendable as well. Although it isn't out of the box but nothing's to complain either.
Direction and Technicalities
Although heavily influenced by Top Gun (as Siddharth Anand's a tom Cruise fanboy) Fighter manages to provide an experience which is unapologetically Indian at heart. Key Indian sentiments are prioritized and are seamlessly integrated into the film, which looks and feels to be straight out of a mainstream Hollywood actioner otherwise. Certain backstories, personal grievances and even patriarchy find their place in the screenplay which are well addressed overall. This is a well combined positive take by director Siddharth Anand and his writer Ramon Chibb that takes you by surprise as you don't see these elements quite often in a Hindi action film! The concept of teamwork has been well established, as not only Hrithik and Deepika, but Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi and Anil Kapoor have also been given equally commendable spaces; an approach that feels nice and fresh. Emotions and drama soar high and so does your patriotism while watching the film. The VFX department does a cracker of a job as you would hardly see any issues throughout the film. Designing aerial action entirely in studio ain't no joke, but the VFX department has slays that absolutely. Such is the level of work delivered by DNEG! The BGM by Sanchit and Ankit Balhara uplifts the film and will surely give you the Republic day vibe! Although the film has an absolutely 'brains out' climax that isn't too convincing (more so because the final act feels a bit hurried), Siddharth Anand manages to execute the entire film quite well with very less to complain about in general. Pathaan fame cinematographer Satchith Paulose has worked in this film as well and he doesn't disappoint at all.
Underwhelming Aspects
Miscellaneous aspects and Appeal
First things first, the core story lacks compactness. It isn't always to the point and in spite of a good writing the story is not as fast-paced as you would expect it to be. The film thus lacks the edge of the seat thrill except for the action scenes. Also, the repetitive Pakistan angle may become tiring and although the film's based on true events that involved Pakistan, Fighter will face the unlucky consequences as some of 2023's blockbusters have used the same trope already. Secondly, there's nothing special between Hrithik and Deepika. I mean, they've done well in particular (as expected) but the 'chemistry' seems to be missing here. Probably Siddharth Anand didn't want to unnecessarily turn up the heat, and spice up things between the leading pair (as it's not a spy thriller film like Anand's previous release Pathaan) but even other elements could've sealed the broken deal. Also, the dialogues aren't too memorable for a film of this scale as you hardly remember them except for that 'IOP' one. The music isn't very heart touching as well, which do not lend any helping hand to the film. Next up is the issue with the villain. Siddharth Anand has not been able to write a menacing villain for any of his films (Pathaan being the only exception) and the saga continues here as well. Rishabh Sawhney plays the villain Azhar Akhtar in this film and while he performs decently, it's the surface level writing and lack of depth in his character that makes things one sided. Probably a prominent actor would've carried out the role better even if the writing remained unchanged. Lastly, it's the 'true to the context' nature of the film that played a spoilsport. The film is technically quite polished, so much so, that it's almost indigestible for the common public. The technicalities in the fighter jets, the terminologies used in certain places and the entire tech jargon is simply not made for the single screen audience and even a certain section of multiplex audience as well. Although I appreciate the director's decision of avoiding an over simplification and making a joke out of the film, it will certainly affect the films business.
Conclusion
Fighter opens an entire genre for action films in India and it won't be wrong to expect more of aerial action from upcoming big budget action films. The film has it's share of pros and cons but what's important, is to embrace the film with open arms as it provides an entire new diaspora of films where budding filmmakers can expect to turn their dreams into reality. Although there are several moments in the film which cater to the mass audience, the makers should not expect a repeat viewing coming from the B and C centers. several international media may find this film 'jingoistic' due to it's theme and the climax but only Indians will know why this film isn't one, because they've witnessed the harsh reality! Films like these deserve good collections at the box office as that will encourage the makers to keep on experimenting in the action genre. This film is a must watch in the theatres to witness what Indian films are capable of and also to see 'Fighter apne target ko thok deta hain'!
Watch Out For
- Aerial action sequences
- Stupendous VFX
- Cast performances
WTF Rating
7.5/10