Today, one is so much familiar with the type of films that Salman Khan stars in and sometimes produces that there is nothing original anymore. Tiger Zinda Hai is no different as the actor returns to do what he often does in these action-packed potboilers that are popular for a complete lack of logic.



After having fled India with his Pakistani girlfriend in Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Tiger (Khan) now leaves in peace somewhere in Austria. Although he is away from his covert operations and is no more attached to India's Research & Analysis Wing (RAW), he keeps track of his former immediate senior like he is an unpaid freelancer. So, when a hostage situation concerning few Indian nurses arises in Syria, the government tracks down their best man for an operation considered suicide. It is obvious from the title itself that this is going to be a variation of convenient storytelling where everything happens with an advantage to the protagonists. And that’s exactly what happens in Ali Abbas Zafar's latest feature, right from the very point Tiger makes his entry. However, considering that that is the default template of the film, there is enough entertainment value for one to consume and rejoice.



The plot tries to educate its audience which is both a good thing and a bad thing. Bad thing because it makes the narrative look amateur, which the film suffers from at the beginning. The action sequences are very good, albeit without logic, as Tiger tries to balance his life and work in a war-torn Syria. There are cheesy dialogs to bring in the fun factor, supported by Paresh Rawal and Kumud Mishra, who both put up a refreshing show. There's definitely style in the film as you watch Tiger riding a horse and doing some other daredevil stuff to fight off the bad guys. Surprisingly, for a Salman Khan film, there are intelligent tidbits that elevate the film's intellectual factor. For instance, a young suicide bomber is shown carving his name incorrectly on a wooden table. It, among other brief sequences, shows what terrorism and war can do to people.



The biggest problem, however, is the lack of vindictiveness and weight in the antagonist. Played rather brilliantly by Sajjad Delafrooz, this head of a terrorist organization similar to the real ISIL is a meek personage who gives enough leeway to his enemies. You don't expect the head of an unforgiving terror outfit to give people a second chance. But it happens all the time in Tiger Zinda Hai, making the viewing experience a tad uncomfortable for the learned audience.



Tiger Zinda Hai is a film that has its flaws but is still a well-made action thriller that can give you goosebumps without pushing you into boredom. The patriotism factor should keep eager Indians occupied, as Khan fans dance their way out of the halls.