FILM
FIGHTER
★★★
OUT NOW / CERT 15 / 164 MINS
DIRECTOR Siddharth Anand
CAST Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor
For the past few years, director Siddharth Anand has delivered some of the biggest blockbusters in Indian cinema, including last year’s record-breaker Pathaan. His latest, Fighter — an attempt to capitalise on the success of Top Gun: Maverick — wears its jingoistic patches proudly on its jumpsuit. The plot is simple: an evil terrorist group is attempting to cause trouble in Kashmir. Only our brave pilots stand in their way. Will their love of country and dedication to each other save the day? You already know the answer. Subtle this is not, but it delivers what you’d expect from an Indian military blockbuster: excitement, passion and a level of patriotism that’s equivalent to being repeatedly punched in the face with the Indian tricolour.