Raees
Directed byRahul DholakiaProduced byRitesh Sidhwani
Farhan Akhtar
Gauri KhanWritten byRahul Dholakia
Harit Mehta
Ashish Vashi
Niraj ShuklaStarringShah Rukh Khan
Mahira Khan
Nawazuddin SiddiquiMusic byRam SampathCinematographyK.U. MohananEdited byDeepa Bhatia
Production
company
Red Chillies Entertainment
Excel Entertainment
Distributed byRed Chillies Entertainment
Release date
25 January 2017[1]
Running time
142 minutes[2][3]CountryIndiaLanguageHindi
Raees (English: Wealthy) is a 2017 Indianaction crime thriller film directed by Rahul Dholakia and produced by Gauri Khan, Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under their banners Red Chillies Entertainment and Excel Entertainment.[4] It stars Shah Rukh Khan,Mahira Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.[5][6][7]
Raees was said to be based on criminal Abdul Latif's life,[8][9][10] though the filmmakers deny this, saying "The story of the film is a pure work of fiction, not based on any person; living or dead."[11][12] The film released on 25 January 2017.[1]
Cast
Shah Rukh Khan as RaeesMahira Khan as Aasiya[13]Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Superintendent of Police Jaideep Ambalal Majmudar[14]Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Raees's friend Sadiq[15]Atul Kulkarni[16]Sheeba Chaddha as Raees's mother[17]Sunny Leone as Guest appearance in song "Laila Main Laila"
Production
Filming and development
Shooting of the film began in April 2015.[4]The film has been shot in Mumbai,[18] and sets were re-designed to depict Ahmedabadslums.[19] The last schedule of the film was shot in Gujarat in January 2016.[20] Despite protests, the film was shot in Bhuj without disruptions between January and February 2016.[21][22][23]
Release
The film was scheduled to be released on Eid, 6 July 2016,[24] but was postponed to avoid box office competition with Salman Khan'sSultan.[25] The film was then rescheduled to be released on 26 January 2017, India'sRepublic Day, which conflicted with the Hrithik Roshan film Kaabil, but then both films were moved to 25 January 2017.[1][26]
Controversy
There was a clearance issue byArchaeological Survey of India for shooting at Ahmedabad at the ancient mosque and tomb complex, Sarkhej Roza.[27][28] In March 2016, a legal notice was sent by an alleged gangster,Abdul Latif's son, Mustak, asking how or why a film on his father's life is being made.[29]
A few days after the 2016 Uri terror attack, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena(MNS) banned films featuring Pakistani actors on the basis that the actors were not openly condemning terrorism.[30] Raees was on their list, because cast member Mahira Khan is Pakistani.[31][32] MNS put forward a condition to lift up the ban, that producers shall never cast Pakistani artistes in future and they have to give ₹5 crore as penance to the Indian Army welfare fund, but Indian Army refused to accept it by saying sacrifices should not be politicised.[33][34] Later, ban was lifted without the conditions on Raees as demanded by MNS.[35]
Farhan Akhtar, co-producer of the film saidRaees will never pay, and was threatened by MNS.[36][37] The Chief Minister of Maharashtraand member of the BJP and the RSS,Devendra Fadnavis said at the meeting with MNS and the producers ₹5 crore as contribution to the Indian Army welfare fund was not quoted compulsory and was never a condition for lifting ban on films featuring Pakistani actors demanded by MNS, and earlier at an event praised Shah Rukh Khan as an "icon" and a "proud Mumbaikar".[38]
Ankita Shorey was the first choice for the female lead of the film, but Mahira Khan got the role, Shorey confirmed that the consideration was not due to the nationality, the script needed a real Pakistani look.[39]Shorey later stated that she did not speak about replacement, and did not spell part of the project phrase in her last interview regarding Raees, the actual phrase was "strongly considered for the project", the journalist who took her interview apologised for it.[40] Farhan Akhtar clearly stated that Mahira Khan is in the film like before and nothing has been c
