'Tejas' review: Kangana Ranaut's defense drama fails to take off
There's a dialogue in Tejas where Ashish Vidyarthi's character says, "Are we making a film's sequel?" when another character quotes a Uri: The Surgical Strike dialogue. The answer is a clear no! Kangana Ranaut's Tejas is far from the 2019 film, for it's over-dramatized, barely logical, with music that makes no impact, and most importantly, a film that the Indian Air Force never deserved.
Ranaut is on a mission to foil a terror attack
Wing commander Tejas (Ranaut) is put on a mission to rescue an Indian spy held by terrorists in Pakistan. He holds crucial information about an attack on India, and his rescue is the only way India can foil that terrorists' plan. Tejas, along with another fighter pilot Afiya (Anshul Chauhan), is put on Operation Tejas to bring back the spy home.
Dialogues are poorly written
The beauty of defense films lies in their dialogues. Whether it's Border's "Yeh dharti meri Maa hai," or Uri's "Yeh naya Hindustan hai.. Yeh ghar mai ghusega bhi, aur marega bhi," such patriotism-filled dialogues add a punch. Unfortunately, Tejas lacks here. "When you're in doubt, think of your nation," or "Hum udte udte jayenge, desh ke kaam aaenge," show weak dialogue writing.
Be it songs or the BGM, music is a disappointment
Another technical aspect where Tejas fails to make a mark is with its music. I couldn't help but compare it with Uri, which too was backed by Ronnie Screwvala. Expect at least four songs within an hour of the film. Not only do they slow down the movie, but aren't catchy either. The BGM also failed to enhance the experience of watching action sequences.
Not Ranaut, but it's Chauhan who does a better job
It's a no-brainer that Tejas is centered only around Ranaut. Despite that, it is Chauhan who does a better job as a second lead. Her performance is supported by sincerity, while also bringing humor to the table. Sure, Ranaut might be decent as a pilot, but she was better as Rani Laxmi Bai in Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.
Too much liberty taken in writing
Tejas questions your sanity on more than one occasion. For instance, our armed forces, which are rightly known for their discipline, send two pilots on an important mission who don't abide by the rules (Tejas and Afiya are looking at an inquiry for disobedience and insubordination). There are many other scenes that are difficult to gulp down, for they make no sense at all.
Forced romance and family drama adds to the film's duration
The first half focuses more on setting a personal background for Tejas's character. Her popular singer-boyfriend (played by Varun Mitra) comes and goes for a couple of songs and a few scenes. So is the case with her parents. Though the film's director-writer Sarvesh Mewara might have wanted to establish her personal life, it felt unnecessary and dead (quite literally), adding to its runtime.
Save yourself and skip the movie
Yes, Tejas might find its audience among those who love to watch patriotic films, unfortunately, it won't be able to keep up with the initial interest. Among RSVP Movies's three defense-based films - Uri, Tejas, and Sam Bahadur (the teaser looks promising), Ranaut-led entry seems to be the only misfit. This movie can be skipped. Verdict: 1 out of 5 stars.
