What SRK was for Darr, Anil is for Race 3

Opinion: What Shah Rukh Khan was for Darr, Rishi Kapoor was for Agneepath, Anil Kapoor is for Race 3

There are times when certain performances by supporting actors outshines that of of the lead actor in a film. We saw it with Rishi Kapoor's performance in Agneepath where the veteran actor outperformed both the hero and the villain in the film and now we have seen it in Race 3 where Anil Kapoor is a lot more compelling and charismatic to watch than even Salman Khan.

The much-awaited Salman Khan starrer Race 3 is finally out and social media is abuzz with reactions and reviews of the film. While Race 3 is being panned for being badly written and directed there are still a few redeeming elements in the film that would make audiences gasp every now and then. The visual effects in the film are exceptional for a Bollywood film, the action set-pieces are impressive but the one aspect of Race 3 that stands out above all else is Anil Kapoor's performance as Shamsher Singh.

Keep this in mind that Anil Kapoor isn't reprising his role of a corrupt cop in this one as he was seen playing Inspector Robert D'Costa (RD) in the last couple of films. Rather he plays a crime lord and an illegal arms and ammunitions dealer in the Salman Khan starrer. Which is why we saw a different look for him in the trailers of the film.

Ever since the first trailer for Race 3 dropped on the web, netizens have raved about the veteran actor and his swag-filled salt and pepper' look. Anil's reinvented avatar made people forget his comic relief character in the previous installments of Race. But the actor doesn't just look the best in the film, he is also the best part of the film.

There have been times, in films both in Hollywood and Bollywood, when the performance by a supporting actor was so compelling that people forgot about the lead actor. For instance, the 1993 Yash Chopra directed Darr had a superstar at the time, Sunny Deol as its hero, however, Shah Rukh Khan's intense and bone-chilling performance as the antagonist made audiences completely forget Sunny's exisitence in the film. Even today, Darr is popular for Shah Rukh Khan and barely people remember that Sunny Deol was even part of the film let alone being the lead star.

(Also Read: Race 3 movie review, reactions and live updates: The Salman Khan film a saga of lame and predictable twists)

In Karan Johar's remake of Agneepath, Hrithik Roshan was the hero' while Sanjay Dutt was the main antagonist, who even looked so creepy that one would have nightmares. Though the film got mixed reviews, mostly negative, but everyone praised Rishi Kapoor's performance in the film. The veteran actor barely had any screen time in the film compared to the stars like Hrithik, Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt. He was used simply as a plot device to further the hero's journey. However, in his limited screen-time, the actor dazzled audiences and critics alike who couldn't stop raving about Rauf Lala (Rishi Kapoor's character) even while dissing the film.

(Also Read: Race 3 Movie Review: Salman Khan, Bobby Deol starrer is a visual treat but lacks in every other department)

And now we have the big-budget, multi-starrer with Salman Khan in the lead. It's a no brainer that if the film has Salman Khan in the lead, no one on this planet can be more impressive on-screen than bhai' himself. But, for the first time in the last decade, that wasn't the case. Anil Kapoor delivered a jaw-dropping performance in Race 3 as Shamsher Singh, especially in the third act. His subtle facial expressions, nuanced choices of physical movements to compliment those expressions and overall badass attitude was simply next level. The actor did more with his eyes than Salman could do with his guns and physique.