‘Bharat’ review: Where Salman Khan’s ‘India’ takes centre stage
The HinduThe stories of lives torn asunder due to Partition and of the reunion of loved ones after years of separation make for an emotive watch. Bharat Director: Ali Abbas Zafar Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover, Disha Patni, Jackie Shroff, Tabu, Sonali Kulkarni, Brijendra Kala, Aasif Sheikh Run time: 167.15 minutes Storyline: The life of a man, suitably named Bharat, from the Partition to 2010, ostensibly encompassing the history of post-Independence India. The film chronicles Bharat’s life from early life in the refugee camps in newly formed Hindustan, to moving into his aunt’s shop and home; working in the Great Russian Circus to digging oil in the Middle East and later joining the merchant navy to make a living. As a result, some interesting actors like Kumud Mishra and Shashanka Arora remain as props, while Disha Patani overstays even in the small circus sketch, saying cheesy lines like “ Kisi bhi Radha ko uska Krishna nahin milta ”. Kumud hands a snide one to Bharat about trying to manipulate her when he says his father refused to give him a surname—Kumar, Singh, Khan, D’Mello—to maintain the unity and sanctity of the nation.