Thugs of Hindostan 2018

In the late 18th century, the Indian subcontinent was a land of intrigue, as the British East India Company sought to expand its dominion over Hindustan. King Mirza Sikander Baig (Ronit Roy), ruler of Raunakpur, was determined to protect his kingdom from the company’s encroachment. Clive, a ruthless officer with an insatiable appetite for power, coveted Mirza’s throne and would stop at nothing to claim it.

As tensions mounted, Mirza dispatched his trusted general Khudabaksh and son Aslam (Sharad Joshi) to solicit aid from the neighboring Kingdom of Durgapur. When Khudabaksh failed to return in a timely manner, Mirza decided he could no longer wait to strike against the company’s stronghold. Little did he know that Clive had anticipated his move, and with an armed contingent at his disposal, the British officer would soon exact a devastating revenge.

With Aslam held captive atop a cannon, Clive forced Mirza to surrender, only to deliver a brutal blow by executing the king himself. The aftermath was nothing short of catastrophic: the people of Raunakpur were massacred, and their land was annexed by the British. Amidst the ruins, two survivors emerged: Mirza’s daughter Zafira Baig (Fatima Sana Shaikh) and General Khudabaksh (Amitabh Bachchan), who would raise her as his own and mold her into a formidable warrior.

Eleven years later, in 1806, Khudabaksh, now known by the alias Jahaazi, led a band of Indian rebels known as the Thugs. These sea-faring warriors had evolved into a force to be reckoned with, pilfering British ships and using them to launch daring attacks on Company-controlled strongholds across India.

John Clive was alarmed by this sudden development, assigning his trusted Captain James Powell (Gavin Marshall) to quell the rising threat posed by the Thugs. Meanwhile, Maharaja Sangram Singh, King of Durgapur (Sharat Saxena), feigned opposition to the Thugs while secretly providing them with vital support. Clive grew increasingly uneasy as Jahaazi’s army drew strength from the people of Durgapur, who saw the Thugs as their only hope against British oppression.

In this treacherous landscape, a peculiar character emerged: Firangi Mallah (Aamir Khan), a small-time con artist who made his living by betraying merchant caravans to armed bandits and then claiming a commission from the East India Company for apprehending them. With the fate of Hindustan hanging precariously in the balance, Firangi’s dubious profession was about to take on a whole new significance.

As Firangi finds solace in the enchanting presence of Suraiyya (Katrina Kaif), a mesmerizing dancer, his turbulent existence takes a drastic turn. Recruited by the British to snoop on the Thugs, Firangi becomes consumed by an insatiable desire to emulate the English gentry, donning their attire with reckless abandon. In a bold move, he demands a passage to England, 10,000 gold Guinea, 40-acre farmland, and a riverside abode, as well as enlists the aid of Shanichar (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub), an astute astrologer released from British captivity.

Firangi’s duplicity is further underscored by his manipulation of events to ensure his own survival. He and Shanichar find themselves stowed away on a British vessel, only to be discovered and forced to take the plunge into the frigid waters. Jahaazi (actor not specified) appears on the horizon with his ship, launching a valiant assault on the British forces. As the battle rages, Firangi finds himself in the unlikeliest of predicaments, having risked his life to save Jahaazi from certain doom.

Firangi’s injuries prompt Jahaazi to offer him refuge at his stronghold, where the cunning informer is tended to by Jaitumbi (Ila Arun), the ship’s skilled healer. As Firangi recovers, he becomes embroiled in a web of deception and betrayal, working as an informant for the British Company while still managing to secretly aid Jahaazi and his band of Thugs.

Zafira remains wary of Firangi’s intentions, yet he continues to play both sides with aplomb. Jahaazi’s attempts to cultivate a barren plot of land in his cove serve as a metaphor for his own struggles against the forces of oppression. Firangi’s internal conflict is laid bare through his repeated betrayals of the Thugs, each of which is tempered by his subsequent efforts to rescue Jahaazi and his cohorts from peril.

The arrival of Sangram Singh (actor not specified) brings an unexpected twist, as he reveals himself to be a secret ally of the Thugs. When Jahaazi ventures to Durgapur to procure arms and ammunition, Firangi secretly confers with Powell, passing on Jahaazi’s plan. Sangram’s ultimate sacrifice allows Jahaazi to escape, but his warehouse is subsequently engulfed by flames (courtesy of cannon fire from a British ship). Firangi’s timely intervention saves Jahaazi from a gruesome demise once more.

As Jahaazi sets sail to neutralize the British threat and asks Firangi to protect Zafira, the stage is set for a thrilling confrontation. The explosive culmination of events unfolds as Jahaazi’s vessel crashes into the British ship, destroying it and its occupants, leaving behind a somber silence that portends Jahaazi’s likely demise.

As Zafira’s ire simmers, Firangi presents a counterintuitive revelation: Jahaazi, far from being deceased, exists merely as an idea. This enigmatic concept piques Clive’s interest, and Firangi proposes a Faustian bargain: in exchange for 50,000 Guineas and 200 acres of land, he will cede the location of Jahaazi’s stronghold and provide the British with the blueprints to decimate the enemy. Thus, Firangi unwittingly draws Powell into a pivotal battle, where the Thugs, led by their enigmatic leader, claim a legendary victory against the British forces.

Firangi’s heroics earn him widespread acclaim, while Powell is spared and dispatched back to Clive with a stark warning: the Thugs remain very much alive, their malevolent presence now more pressing than ever. Zafira, once skeptical of Firangi’s intentions, comes to trust him completely, her earlier reservations dissipating like morning mist.

As Clive marshals his Armada to ravage Jahaazi’s base camp, he demonstrates a ruthless disregard for human life, reducing the stronghold to smoldering ruins. The survivors flee in small boats, seeking refuge from the carnage. Firangi takes pity on these stragglers and ushers them into Suraiyya’s brothel, providing sanctuary amidst the chaos.

Zafira, ever the pragmatist, recognizes an opportunity to infiltrate Clive’s palace during the annual Dussehra festival, where Suraiyya is scheduled to perform. Under the guise of revelry and celebration, Zafira seizes the chance to launch a surprise attack, only to have her plans foiled by Firangi’s sudden betrayal.

It transpires that Firangi had been manipulating events all along, using his supposed betrayal as a ruse to gain the trust of the Thugs. As Zafira stands accused, Firangi exposes her true identity as Mirza’s daughter, setting in motion a chain of consequences that will culminate in her imminent execution.

Clive, determined to mete out justice, prepares to hang Zafira at dawn. However, just as all hope seems lost, Jahaazi and Zafira join forces to take on the British, their valiant efforts ultimately thwarted by Firangi’s unexpected intervention.

In a stunning turn of events, Firangi turns the tide of battle, empowering Zafira to deliver a crushing blow to Clive. As the dust settles, Jahaazi gazes upon the barren landscape and beholds the miraculous blooming of new life, a testament to Firangi’s transformation into an empathetic being capable of greatness.

But Firangi’s redemptive arc is short-lived, as he commandeers Jahaazi’s ship and sets sail for England, with Suraiyya by his side. The curtain closes on this tale of intrigue, deceit, and ultimate redemption, leaving the audience to ponder the enigmatic nature of its protagonist.