Pathaan, War, Bang Bang, Siddharth Anand has always been faithful towards opting for the “The Greek God” of Indian Cinema as his leading man for most of his films. But like his previous work, patriotism, yet again, is the wing beneath the wings of Siddharth Anand’s latest project, Fighter.

Pairing up for the first time in their careers, Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone will charm you with their prim, polished attire and aviators, where every time they enter the frame, it seems like a fancy photoshoot session. As we have seen over the years, Anil Kapoor has begun refining his skills, and after being called “Papa” throughout his time in ‘Animal’, he comes out as a standout figure in Fighter. Akshay Oberoi convinces you with his innocence, and Karan Singh Grover takes his role slightly over the top. With a vibrant cast, you would think it would be clear skies for Fighter, but the reality was far more turbulent.

Shamsher Pathania, call sign “Patty” (Played by Hrithik Roshan), makes a ‘Low Inverted Run’ to make a resounding entry while we are quickly introduced to the other team members in the opening scene. Siddharth doesn’t waste time setting the plot’s tone with an online video about a resilient soldier testifying to sacrifice his life for his religion and country. The conflict in J&K and political mishaps is the undertone that was supposed to take centre stage with Fighter, but often, the eye-candy cast makes the audience weak instead of the enemy.

With all the movies we see in Bollywood catered towards patriotism, it’s not wrong to think how far we are going with scripts that often belittle the adversary. With dialogues like “Dikhana Hoga Baap Kaun Hai”, which translates to “We have to show who is the father”, fiercely delivered by Anil Kapoor, call sign “Rocky” after the goosebumps have died down, you may wonder if we are taking it to far with the script. This translates to the attire, food and the overt use of mascara on the enemy to identify the difference; after all, aren’t we made the same at the end of the day?

Along with the raging tensions between India and Pakistan, Fighter is also about Patty (played by Hrithik Roshan), who is the best in class among the squad but is also arrogant and, at times, irrational, which costs him his friend’s lives as they get captured by Pakistani forces. The movie runs parallel to point to the audience Patty’s journey to be ironically more grounded in life. But as Deepika aptly asks her subordinates, “Lekin Pilot ko itna arrogance?” which translates to “Why does a Pilot have this much arrogance?” is also a question you might end up asking.

Let’s get to the elephant in the room! After the teasers and trailers, one couldn’t help but wonder if there’s any resemblance to another franchise that had a blockbuster star named Tom Cruise in it. Well, chances are you will see shades of Top Gun in Fighter, too. However, jokes and catchy banter that seemed funny in Top Gun might feel lost in translation with poor writing here in Fighter. Aesthetically, it would be unfair to compare Fighter to the standards set by Top Gun and Tom Cruise; however, the movie gives you decent visuals and engaging shots to immerse you in the film.

As you reach the end of the movie, even if you don’t end up remembering the plot, you will never forget the unforgettable screams of Hrithik screaming “Jai Hind” while he punches the villain and brands placing their names shoved all across the movie. You wouldn’t be blamed if you were to think the flag was painted by Asian Paints itself.

Fighter definitely manages to connect with your patriotic spirit and is set to soar high as every Indian will resonate with the emotions explored in the film. However, the movie manages to get too carried away sometimes, and just like Deepika, you may end up asking, “Lekin Fighter me itna arrogance?”

Rating: 2.5/5