5 Answers2025-08-27 16:46:42
There's something about Republic Day releases that always feels cinematic, and 'Raees' rode that wave— it hit Indian theatres on January 25, 2017. I went to see it with a small group of friends on the long weekend, and the theatres were packed; the film's release was timed to benefit from the holiday crowd.
I still talk about the buzz in the lobby before the show: Shah Rukh Khan's publicity was everywhere, and people compared it nonstop with the other big film that opened the same day. The date—January 25, 2017—is the simple fact, but the memory is full of soundtracks bleeding into the street as people spilled out of the screens. If you’re looking to rewatch or check release timelines, that Republic Day weekend is the anchor for when 'Raees' reached audiences across India.
4 Answers2026-04-12 08:34:52
Rahul Dholakia directed 'Raees', and what a ride that film was! I remember watching it in theaters, completely blown away by how Shah Rukh Khan transformed into this gritty, morally ambiguous character. Dholakia's direction had this raw energy—like you could almost smell the tension in those Gujarat streets. The way he balanced action with human drama reminded me of those 70s Bollywood crime flicks, but with slicker pacing.
What really stuck with me was how the film didn’t glorify its protagonist. It left you questioning right and wrong, which is rare for mainstream Bollywood. Dholakia’s earlier work like 'Parzania' showed he isn’t afraid of tough subjects, and 'Raees' proved he could handle scale without losing his edge.
3 Answers2026-04-12 10:14:36
The movie 'Raees' is a Bollywood crime drama that really grabbed my attention when it first came out. The lead role is played by Shah Rukh Khan, who absolutely killed it as Raees Alam, this charismatic but ruthless bootlegger. His performance was so layered—you could see the charm, the cunning, and the vulnerability all at once. Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays Majmudar, the cop trying to bring him down, and their chemistry is electric. Mahira Khan stars as Aasiya, Raees' love interest, and she brings this quiet strength to her role. The supporting cast, including Atul Kulkarni and Narendra Jha, adds so much depth to the story.
What I love about 'Raees' is how it balances these intense action sequences with moments of real emotional weight. Shah Rukh Khan’s monologues, especially the one about the 'baniye ka dimag aur miyabhai ki daring,' are iconic. The film’s setting in 1980s Gujarat also gives it this gritty, almost nostalgic feel. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s definitely worth a watch just for the performances alone.
4 Answers2026-04-12 12:18:26
Raees is a gritty crime drama that grabbed me from the first scene. It follows the rise of a bootlegger named Raees Alam in Gujarat during the 1980s, played brilliantly by Shah Rukh Khan. The film's got this raw energy—Raees starts small, smuggling liquor under the radar, but his sharp mind and ruthless tactics turn him into an underworld kingpin. What I loved was how it blurred moral lines; he's a criminal but also helps his community, building schools and hospitals with his illegal profits. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the cop chasing him adds this electrifying cat-and-mouse tension. The climax? Heart-wrenching. You almost forget he's the 'bad guy' when the system corners him.
What stuck with me was how the film critiques corruption without preaching. Raees' downfall isn't just about justice—it's about how power consumes itself. The dialogue 'Baniye ka dimag aur miyanbhai ki daring' (A trader's brain and a rebel's bravery) became iconic for a reason. The soundtrack, especially 'Laila Main Laila,' is pure fire. It's not just a gangster flick; it's a tragic portrait of ambition.
3 Answers2026-04-12 20:56:52
Raees is this gritty crime drama that feels like a throwback to those classic gangster flicks with a Bollywood twist. The story follows Raees Alam, a bootlegger in Gujarat who rises from nothing to become this untouchable kingpin. What makes it fascinating is how he's not just some one-dimensional villain—he's got this Robin Hood vibe, helping the poor while running his illegal empire. The whole prohibition angle in Gujarat adds this layer of political tension, especially when a relentless cop, Majmudar, starts closing in on him. Shah Rukh Khan totally owns the role, balancing charm and menace in a way that makes you root for him even when he's doing terrible things.
The film's got this electric energy, especially in the first half where Raees builds his empire with street-smart schemes. The second half gets darker as his world starts crumbling, and the cat-and-mouse game with Majmudar turns brutal. What stuck with me was how the movie doesn't glamorize crime—it shows the cost of that life, especially in Raees' relationship with his mother. That scene where she disowns him? Chills. The ending's inevitable but heartbreaking, like watching a Shakespearean tragedy unfold in the dusty streets of Gujarat.
5 Answers2025-08-27 15:41:26
I still get a little buzz saying the name 'Raees'—it’s one of those films that stuck with me. The lead was Shah Rukh Khan, who played Raees Alam, and he absolutely carried the film with that mix of charm and menace. Alongside him, Mahira Khan played the female lead, Aasiya, and their chemistry (on-screen and off) was part of the movie’s big conversation when it released.
The cast also included strong supporting players: Nawazuddin Siddiqui had a memorable, pivotal role; Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Atul Kulkarni added depth to the world; and there were other familiar faces in smaller parts that filled out the gritty setting. Director Rahul Dholakia helmed the project and it came out in 2017, so it’s fairly recent in my mind.
If you’re revisiting 'Raees', watch for how Shah Rukh dominates scenes without hogging them—his performance is a neat study in controlled intensity, and the supporting cast really helps the world feel lived-in.
4 Answers2026-04-12 00:51:38
Raees was primarily shot in Gujarat, India, with locations like Ahmedabad, Bhuj, and Rajkot serving as backdrops for the gritty, small-town vibe the film aimed to capture. The production team went to great lengths to recreate the 1980s and 1990s era, scouting narrow alleys and old markets that still retained that vintage feel. Some scenes were also filmed in Mumbai, especially the more urban sequences to contrast the rural settings.
What fascinated me was how they transformed these real locations into a cinematic world. The bustling streets of Ahmedabad became the perfect stage for Shah Rukh Khan's character, blending authenticity with dramatic flair. The Bhuj sequences, with their arid landscapes, added a raw, almost mythic quality to the story. It’s one of those films where the setting feels like a character itself, shaping the narrative’s texture.
5 Answers2025-08-27 08:49:51
I was rewatching Bollywood crime dramas the other night and got curious about who was behind 'Raees'. It was directed by Rahul Dholakia, a filmmaker who previously made the gritty drama 'Parzania'. Dholakia brought a kind of hard-edged realism to 'Raees' that suited the Shah Rukh Khan-led protagonist's moral ambiguity and swagger.
On the producing side, the film was a joint effort between Red Chillies Entertainment and Excel Entertainment — which means Gauri Khan sat in the producer chair alongside Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar. That combo of producers explained the blend of star power, slick production values, and crowd-friendly moments. I remember catching it in a near-empty weekday matinee and being struck by how polished everything looked — credit definitely goes to the producers and Dholakia's direction. If you’re tracing creative fingerprints, those are the names to note, and they’re worth a follow-up if you like behind-the-scenes reads.
3 Answers2026-04-12 23:32:40
The gritty streets and vibrant chaos of 'Raees' felt so real because it was shot in actual locations that mirrored its raw, underworld narrative. Most of the filming took place in Gujarat, particularly Ahmedabad and Bhuj, which gave the movie its authentic small-town gangster vibe. The production team also used sets in Mumbai to recreate some key scenes, blending studio work with on-location shoots seamlessly.
What fascinated me was how they transformed everyday spots into cinematic gold—like the bustling markets of Kalupur in Ahmedabad, which became the backdrop for some intense sequences. The arid landscapes around Bhuj added this desolate, lawless feel that perfectly complemented Shah Rukh Khan's character. It's rare to see a Bollywood film so committed to location authenticity, and it paid off in making 'Raees' visually unforgettable.
3 Answers2026-04-12 21:29:00
Raees was one of those films that had everyone buzzing long before it even hit the theaters. Starring Shah Rukh Khan in a role that was a departure from his usual romantic leads, the movie promised gritty action and a compelling antihero narrative. It opened strong, thanks to the massive fan following SRK commands, and the hype around its clash with 'Kaabil' only added to the curiosity. The first weekend numbers were solid, with reports suggesting it crossed the 100 crore mark domestically within the first week. Overseas, it did particularly well in markets like the UAE and the US, where SRK’s global appeal pulled in audiences.
However, the film’s performance wasn’t without its controversies. Some critics felt the storyline glamorized crime, which might’ve turned off a segment of the audience. Despite that, the box office collections held steady, and it eventually ended up as one of the higher-grossing Bollywood films of 2017. What’s interesting is how it performed in smaller towns versus metros—urban centers loved the slick production, while the mass appeal in tier-2 cities was a bit more mixed. All in all, 'Raees' proved that Shah Rukh Khan could still pull off a darker role and draw crowds, even if it didn’t quite reach the stratospheric numbers of some of his earlier blockbusters.