I decided to see this film at the Cinemark near me because they’ve started showing Indian movies, and I didn't feel like staying home. It turned out to be a good choice. My idea of Indian films was that they were generally musicals about romances featuring very attractive young men and women, with lots of elaborate dance sequences to keep things moving. There is a love story in this film, but it’s not the main focus. There are some big and impressive dance numbers too, though not as many as I expected. (The male dancers were incredibly athletic.) Instead, the movie tells the story of two young men living in 1920s India who are each fighting against British rule. The English characters are shown as cruel monsters. They reminded me of the worst things done by Germans in France during World War II or the most extreme racists in the American South. The first time we see the two male leads dancing, there’s a clear connection made between them and Black American musicians. Every time the Indians get revenge on the English for their harsh treatment, you find yourself cheering—though I did wonder how I would have felt watching something similar about Blacks getting revenge on white people in the American South, especially if I were the only non-Black person in the audience. If Spike Lee could make a movie without worrying about selling tickets to white audiences as well as Black ones, that gives you an idea of just how strongly anti-British colonial this film is. It's a difference between a situation where the oppressors are a small group versus here, where Blacks are a minority in America. I don’t want to stretch this comparison too far; the movie only makes that connection once. But it’s definitely about a brutally oppressed people trying to gain freedom from an inhuman oppressor, not just a series of dance numbers. I don't understand any of the Indian languages spoken, but I had no trouble following what was happening thanks to the subtitles, which were easy to read most of the time. There were probably cultural references that went over my head, especially during the final big dance number, which seemed to be showing India as a country made up of many different regions and cultures all coming together. The director and cinematographer deserve recognition. The film had one striking visual image after another, particularly in the battle scenes. Ram Charan, dressed as a "native warrior"—if that term even means anything anymore—flying through flames was amazing to see. So if you’ve ever been curious about Indian movies, I suggest giving this one a try. It is three hours long, but it goes by quickly. This is truly an action movie, combining visual fantasy with often very graphic realism and kept me interested until the end.

Source on TMDB