In Siddharth Anand’s latest high-flying action thriller, “Fighter,” the skies above are a battlefield for the eyes, but the soul of the film remains frustratingly tethered to the tarmac. The drama features a stellar ensemble led by Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, and Anil Kapoor. Despite the undeniable charisma of its leads and ample action set pieces, “Fighter” achieves a mere 2.5 out of 5 rating as it navigates through a narrative airspace cluttered with shortcomings.
A year after Anand’s “Pathaan” took flight, asserting a nuanced patriotism against the backdrop of an increasingly hyper-nationalistic climate, expectations soared for “Fighter.” Audiences anticipated that the winning formula of Roshan and Padukone’s star presence, coupled with Anand’s success as a director who has soared past the ₹1,000 crore mark worldwide, would deliver an action-packed yet meaningful cinematic experience.
Set to the backdrop of an ever-escalating conflict, “Fighter” chronicles the journey of Indian Air Force officers dedicated to defending their nation from threats imminent and obscure. In a poignant but ultimately underserved thematic thread, a line from the movie’s soundtrack hints at a love for the sky—a metaphor for this transcendental dedication. Yet for all its aspirational undertones, the film, laced with a not-so-subtle jingoistic fervor, fails to resonate emotionally.
While Roshan’s on-screen allure is undeniable, and he endows his character with a commendable vulnerability, the spectacle cannot sustain itself on his charm alone. The screenplay by Ramon Chibb and Anand doesn’t quite achieve the dramatic heft required to anchor a story that hangs its hat on aerial action and combat sequences.
One fundamental challenge with this genre is the detachment audiences may feel when battles rage in the abstract medium of sky warfare, as opposed to the visceral, personal nature of hand-to-hand conflict. As jets duel and drop bombs, the film misses the opportunity to engage the audience with the stakes of the ground-level drama—a vital element for investment in the battles above.
Where “Fighter” falls critically short is in its two-dimensional portrayal of camaraderie and romance. Roshan’s Patty and Padukone’s Minni navigate a tepid on-screen relationship, marred by awkward encounters and writing that leaves the cast’s chemistry unrealized. The screenplay’s underdevelopment fails to foster the deep connections necessary to make us root for the duo and their mission.
The story’s villains, robotic personifications of enmity against India, are tentatively sketched at best. With no exploration into their motives beyond the label “terrorist,” the antagonists serve merely as vehicles for artificially inflating the hate quotient—a strategy that fails to create meaningful opposition or genuine sympathy for the protagonists.
Moreover, “Fighter” toggles uncomfortably between anti-terrorism and anti-Pakistan rhetoric, struggling to discern its actual target. Despite such confusion, the film attempts to secure its patriotic credentials through the tired and troubling trope of vilifying Pakistan—a ploy that undermines any nuance in its nationalistic aspirations.
In a climactic moment, the film equivocates, asserting that India bears no ill will towards the Pakistani people. Yet moments later, it delivers a line that starkly contrasts this sentiment, teetering on the brink of aggressive jingoism. Siddharth Anand was quoted in a promotional interview, defending these disparate elements by emphasizing the context within the film and describing the slant as “nationalistic” rather than jingoistic—a distinction that may not be perceptible to all viewers.
“Fighter” hints at lofty ambitions, a testament to a group of officers bound by duty and adoration for the vast skies they pledge to protect. Regrettably, it is this very love affair with the heavens that remains obscure and distant, much like the action unfolding far from the lived experiences of the audience. The film, resplendent with the beauty of its stars and their celestial battlefield, is ultimately a narrative that simmers with potential but seldom takes flight—leaving us yearning for the gripping engagement of grounded storytelling.
