Crime and liquor: Shah Rukh Khan plays Raees, a successful bootlegger who builds his own illegal business empire in Gujarat.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan once again hits the screen, but this time holding a rifle instead of the usual bouquet of flowers. Raees is rumored to be adapted from the life of Abdul Latif, a real-life bootlegger.

The film starts in the era of the 1970s, showing Raees Alam as a young boy living in a slum area in Gujarat where people sell alcohol as a way of living. Everyone, including Raees (played by Shubham Chintamani), play their part to protect the local business.

If a police car attempts to check the area, Raees stops the car and whistles as a warning. A chain reaction of whistling continues to warn the liquor producer in the area, and by the time the police check the alleged alcohol seller’s house they cannot find any evidence.

On one occasion though, a police officer slaps Raees for signaling the people in the area. His mother (Sheeba Chaddha) scolds the officer. Seeing her with a sack full of bottles, the officer starts questioning her. She tells the police to mind his own business and let her do hers because for her “no business is small and no religion is bigger than business.” This line would become stuck in Raees’ mind for the rest of his life. At the age of 12, he starts making his own money.

Raees and his best friend Sadiq (Shubham Tukaram) approach Jairaj (Atul Kulkarni), a big liquor distributor, for a job. There, Raees is mocked by other workers because of his thick eye spectacles. He gets annoyed and answers back.

The boy tells Jairaj that he can deliver the liquor right under the eyes of the police. True to his word, Raees and Sadiq put the bottles of liquor inside their school bags and walk past the policemen in the area. Jairaj is impressed and hires the two boys, who continue working for him until they become adults.

A grown up Raees (played by Shah Rukh Khan) tells his best friend Sadiq (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) of his desire to start his own business. Both go to Jairaj to ask permission. The latter orders them to pay a large debt. Raees agrees, but says he needs three days to pay it.

Sadiq reprimands him because they didn’t have the money to pay the debt. Raees comes up with an idea; he steals a car from a relative, and exchanges it for a truckload of goats, which he intends to sell in Mumbai for the upcoming Eid. However, upon reaching the market, the lamb seller refuses to buy their goats.

Raees and Sadiq end up in a mosque with Musabhai Jha (Narendra Sha), the biggest goon in Mumbai, with their unpaid goats already cooked and served to the people. Nawab (Jaideep Ahlawat), the assistant of Musabhai, offers Raees money to start up a business in Gujarat.

With the capital injection, Raees distributes liquor all over India, becomes one of the biggest mafias and finally marries his beau Aasiya (Mahira Khan). He manages to make everyone happy — from the lowest-ranked policemen to the politicians.

 A truthful and dedicated police officer, Jaideep Ambalal Majmudar (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), investigates Raees’ liquor trading. So many a times Majmudar is close to imprisoning Raaes, but his corrupt superiors always move faster. Majmuddar is always transferred whenever he attempts to investigate Raees.  

In the meantime, the police has apprehended Raees’ former boss, Jairaj, and confiscated all of his trucks. Jairaj is envious of Raees and sends a sniper to kill him at a festival. The murder attempt fails and Raees finds out Jairaj was behind the plot.

One evening, Raees receives a call from Musabhai who informs him that Jairaj is in a brothel and plans to kill him. Raees goes to the brothel where dancer Laila (Sunny Leone) performs. With a broken heart, he kills Jairaj, the man who once gave him the biggest break of his life.

The film continues with more drama, juxtaposed with fights and a surprising ending.

Raees gives a realistic scene of poverty in an Indian slum area in Ahmedabad, the former capital of Gujarat, during the 1970s.  

Shah Rukh Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui delivered a mind-blowing performance, alluring the viewers to become glued to the screen. They both stood as the “bearer” of the film.

Despite her popularity in a soap opera Humsafar, Mahira Khan’s acting in the film was disappointing. One could hardly understand the nature of her character.

Director Rahul Dholakia could have put together a “tighter script.” There were a couple of unnecessary side plots. Raees has many worthwhile moments though. One of them is Sunny Leone’s dance.

— Photos courtesy of Red Chillies Entertainment

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