Why the story of Race works- and how!
Race has got to be one of those movies that despite having many twists and turns in is story, manages to avoid potentially harmful plot holes that could have taken down the whole movie.
Like a clever magician, the story relies on illusion- the best deception ever!
When I watched the movie for the first time, I went with low expectations and believed that it was going to be a straightforward movie. Was I wrong!
The onset of twists surprised me and made me sit up. Instead of watching the movie for itself, I took it as a challenge to guess every twist and got it wrong plenty of times.
Race became the first movie that challenged me and my keenness to explore an analyze stories. The fact that I couldn't guess some of the twists humbled me and made me realize there were still some movies out there that could surprise and excite me.
I must have watched this movie more than a dozen times and every single time, I tried to make sense of how the story managed to deceive and surprise.
It wasn't until I watched the movie the umpteenth time, that it hit me.
The writer of this story is a magician. Like mentioned before, he uses illusion without making the viewer realize they're about to see the best magic trick yet.
The magic starts at the very beginning- in the narrative.
We are expected to readily believe that the narrator is telling the truth. Except all he delivers are half-truths. He tells us that Ranvir and Sonia are in love but have yet to propose each other while concealing that they are already at the point in their relationship where they are confidants.
Ranvir's secretary Sophia is supposed to be loyal and crushing on her boss, but the narrator doesn't reveal her secret relationship with the boss' brother- Rajiv.
Rajiv is supposed to be the irresponsible, always inebriated brother clueless of his brother's relationship with Sonia, but we don't know yet that the step brother is only putting up an act and is playing the cleverest game yet.
Then we're introduced to another illusion- that the accident in the first scene was caused by Ranvir's rival in horse races- Kabir- and it doesn't show us that it was Rajiv who was plotting to kill his step brother.
The twists all fall into place because of these illusions in the first ten minutes. As viewers, we never see it coming. We believe that none of the characters are loyal to each other, except they are and concealed by the narrative.
We believe that Sophia is sweet and innocent and Ranvir must have realized his love for her and therefore marries her before his "death". We believe that Sonia is a manipulative and opportunist woman.
The fact that these two women are given prominent and pivotal roles is especially noteworthy considering how actresses and their roles are nearly chopped in every good movie nowadays.
For me that's another plus point of this movie, apart from the melodious songs as well.
The movie works in all aspects and I cracked the code as to why it does!
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