Om Shanti Om
Cut the crap, cut the gyan-baazi, cut the will-it-won’t-it work naatak. Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan’s OM SHANTI OM is a true-blue masala entertainer. If MAIN HOON NA was a chauka, this one hits a sixer!
Wait, a word of advice to all netizens/readers across the globe. Don’t, for God’s sake don’t, raise exclamations like kab?, kyun? kahan? as OM SHANTI OM begins to unravel. This is atypical Manmohan Desai film presented in a novel avtaar by Farah Khan. It’s definitely not for pseudos or advocates of arthouse cinema.
Now let’s clear some myths surrounding OM SHANTI OM. Is it the 2007 adaptation of Subhash Ghai’s immensely likable reincarnation film KARZ? Does it have traces of KUDRAT? Or MADHUMATI? Or MILAN? Or KARAN ARJUN? Hold on, there’s a dash of KARZ, a bit of KARAN ARJUN, a sprinkling of KUDRAT, but beyond that it’s a film that makes you nostalgic about 1970s Bollywood.
To sum up, OM SHANTI OM is paisa vasool entertainment. We haven’t seen SRK in a h* masala film since quite some time. He had drifted to other genres, which proved his range as an actor of repute and cemented his status further. With OM SHANTI OM, he gives back to the audience what he himself grew up on  a thorough entertainer that will have the audience thirsting for more.
This Diwali, have a blast!
OM SHANTI OM tells the story of Om [Shah Rukh Khan] and Shanti [Deepika Padukone]. Om is a junior artist in the 70s. Shanti is the reigning superstar. He is her biggest fan. He is in love with her. Om dreams of being a superstar, but an incident changes his life forever.
Om dies in a mishap, but is reborn into the present day. He attempts to discover the mystery of his demise…
The general feeling is, Farah Khan has remade Ghai’s KARZ from Frame A to Z. False! There’re similarities, but it’s not a rehashed version of Ghai’s film. For, OM SHANTI OM takes you by complete surprise at several points.
The first twist in the tale [Arjun - Deepika’s heated confrontation, with SRK listening to this important conversation] comes as a bolt from the blue. The second jhatka comes slightly before the intermission, when Arjun takes Deepika to the set of his film ‘Om Shanti Om’ and the entire episode that follows, right till the intermission, is spellbinding. That’s a brilliant stroke from the writing [screenplay: Mushtaq Shaikh and Farah Khan] as also the execution point of view. When the opulent set is set to flames, it leaves you wide-eyed and awe-struck. Such is the impact!
The post-interval portions only get better and better! If the initial portions are laced with humour [the premiere of ‘Dreamy Girl’, the Manoj Kumar episode, Ghai directing Rishi on ‘Om Shanti Om’ song, et al], the second half moves into a new zone completely.
It’s punar-janam now, but thankfully, there’re no lightening, no fireworks, no zooming of the camera on the idols of Gods. The drama builds up gradually. The voices that SRK keeps hearing, the ‘fire’ soon after the ‘Dard-E-Disco’ track, the mother [Kirron Kher], an old lady now, chasing Om’s car [reminds you of Raakhee of KARAN ARJUN], the flashes of SRK’s earlier birth while receiving the Filmfare Award  the incidents that make him realize that his life was cut short in his earlier janam have been well structured.
When Deepika re-emerges as well, the viewer is confused, but the mystery is resolved towards the end, which, again, takes you by complete surprise.
Given the fact that OM SHANTI OM is a Manmohan Desai kind of a film set in the present-day, it would be foolhardy to ask questions, raise eyebrows and look for logic. But the second half could’ve been crisper [length: 18 reels/2.46 hours], although Shirish Kunder’s editing is perfect.
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Farah knows what her priorities are and most importantly, knows exactly what her target audience is. The execution of a number of sequences clearly shows Farah’s growth as a storyteller. Mushtaq and Farah’s writing works because the writers pull out several surprises in those 2.46 hours.
V. Manikanandan’s cinematography captures the gloss and grandeur to the minutest. The opulent sets [Sabu Cyril] deserve distinction marks. Dialogues [Mayur Puri] are witty and do raise a chuckle at several points. Background score [Sandeep Chowta] is effective.
Vishal-Shekhar’s music is first-rate. The score is in sync with the content of the film and what accentuate the goings-on are the choreography and execution. Although every song is visually enticing, the 21-star track as also ‘Dard-E-Disco’ will have the masses going into a frenzy.
Now to the performances! SRK proves his supremacy yet again. If you thought that playing to the gallery came easy to certain actors only, watch SRK spin magic in OM SHANTI OM. He’s magnificent, the star attraction, the soul of this film, the true baadshah.
Deepika has all it takes to be a top star  the personality, the looks and yes, she’s supremely talented too. Standing in the same frame as SRK and getting it right is no small achievement. She comes as a whiff of fresh air!
Arjun Rampal is a complete revelation. Cast in a negative role this time, he enacts his part with panache and style. Shreyas Talpade is another surprise. A complete natural, he stands on his feet all through, not getting swayed while sharing the screen space with the topmost star.
Kirron Kher is superb as the over the top mom. Javed Sheikh is alright. Bindu adds to the funny moments.
On the whole, OM SHANTI OM is Bollywood masala in its truest form and also, at its best. At the box-office, the film will set new records in days to come and has the power to emerge one of the biggest hits of SRK’s career. Blockbuster hit!
Saanwarya
Irrespective of how his films fare at the box-office, you cannot shut your eyes to the fact that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films have so much to offer in terms of style and substance.
Alas, SAAWARIYA is all style, no substance. When a director of the calibre of SLB attempts a love story, you expect to experience the various emotions that you generally associate with romance. Sadly, the emotions you experience while watching SAAWARIYA is sorrow and after the screening, anguish.
With splendid backers like Hollywood giant Columbia/Sony and a dream cast, Bhansali falters big time in SAAWARIYA. It doesn’t give you the feeling that you’re watching an SLB film or a film of epic proportions. Instead, you constantly feel that you’re watching a 2-hour play.
Dostoevsky’s short story WHITE NIGHTS may sound interesting on paper, but SLB’s adaptation suffers because there’s not much meat in the plot. In fact, it wouldn’t be erroneous to state that SAAWARIYA ranks amongst SLB’s weakest films, as far as scripting is concerned.
To cut a long story short, SAAWARIYA disappoints big time. You expect the moon from this genius film-maker, but you’re disheartened as you watch his new creation.
This time, hum dil nahin de chuke sanam!
SAAWARIYA is about two young star-crossed lovers. A musician, Raj [Ranbir Kapoor], is certain that he has found his ultimate dream when he arrives at a picturesque town. However, destiny paints a different picture for Raj. One silent night, he spots a mysterious girl draped in black, standing alone at a bridge.
This chance encounter introduces him to Sakina [Sonam Kapoor], a shy and quiet girl, who continues to intrigue him. Thus follows the beginning of a new friendship, where Raj, with his most charming ways and an undying spirit, tries to win Sakina’s heart.
Raj is unable to accept her haunting past and their friendship pulls him into a whirlwind of desire, madness and romance.
SAAWARIYA suffers because of its writing mainly. Let’s unravel the points that bother the viewer no end…
* Which part of the country is this straight-out-of-a-fairytale town located? And what era are we talking of?
* Even if you subscribe to the theory that it was love at first sight for Salman and Sonam, what is it that keeps their romance going?
* Why does Salman disappear suddenly? Besides his name, the girl knows nothing about him. Not his home/native place, work/profession/work place, relatives, nothing absolutely. It’s like falling in love with a shadow, isn’t it?
* Why does Rani Mukerji abandon Ranbir, when he comes knocking on her doors and admits that he wants to spend time with her? Why does she lose her temper, although she secretly loves him?
* And Salman returns. The sequence that follows and the culmination to the story leave you completely disgruntled and perplexed!
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Besides, the conversation between the lead pair fails to involve you. Sure, a few sequences are filmed brilliantly, but the impact the film ought to create in totality is missing. It gets verbose and boring after a point.
What makes matters worse is the setting/ambience. The film gets monotonous after a point, visually speaking, since it has been shot in its entirety on dark sets. You long for some visual relief, some bright spots, some sunshine…
Monty’s music is another sore point. Sure, a few songs are well tuned, but the everlasting melody, associated with SLB’s films, is missing. You hear them, savour them that moment, but forget all about them once the movie concludes.
Ravi K. Chandran’s cinematography is of international standards. The sets look imaginative, but as mentioned earlier, you yearn for a visual break, a different colour.
As a storyteller, SLB is letdown by his own writing. Things start slipping as the reels unfold. In the post-interval portions, you fervently pray that things might stabilize, for SLB as also Ranbir and Sonam’s sake, but alas! The love, passion and anguish, the hallmark of SLB films, is clearly missing this time.
Now to the dream launches! Ranbir Kapoor is supremely talented, no two opinions on that. Yes, he looks handsome, but what you carry home is the sincerity in his performance. If that’s the [high] level of performance in his debut film, this lad will only make the Kapoor clan proud in years to come. It’s a 10 on 10 for this debutante!
Sonam Kapoor is an average actor. However, her role doesn’t give her the opportunity to display histrionics. She looks gorgeous at places, but plain ordinary at times.
Age has started showing on Salman Khan’s face. He looks like an old, mature man in this film. The boyish looks have gone! As for his role, he is completely wasted in this hardly-10-minute appearance. Rani Mukerji is first-rate. Zohra Segal is superb, while Begum Para is hardly there.
On the whole, SAAWARIYA lacks soul. It’s SLB’s weakest film to date, in terms of writing. At the box-office, the film will collect big numbers in its opening weekend due to the Diwali vacations as also the hype surrounding the film. But the cracks will start showing at relatively smaller stations/single screens first [where the practice of advance booking doesn’t exist] and at big centres as days progress. For the distributors, they’ll have to rely on its business from multiplexes mainly. While the business from multiplexes at Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, NCR, Kolkata, Jaipur and South will be impressive initially, there would be a big gap between multiplex and non-multiplex centres. Overall, disappointing  in terms of content and in terms of business as well!
Om Shanti Om Vs Saanwarya
November 9th can't come soon enough.
With just about a week left-over till D-Day (D being the Diwali Day), both Sony Pictures and Eros International aren't leaving any stone unturned. From televised promos to fashion shows to press meets to guest appearances and news channels. Yes folks, I'm talking
about the forthcoming biggies: "Saawariya" [Sanjay Leela Bhansali] taking on Om Shanti Om [Farah Khan].
The latter's film comprises of Shah Rukh "King" Khan, Shreyas Talpade and newcomer Deepika while Bhansali's magnus opus consists of the next generation of kapoors, Randhir and Sonam. Already both films have become the rage and talk of the towns as recent releases (ala pre-diwali films) have been nothing short of but flops. The onlyexception to this is Priyadarshan's "Bhool Bhulaiyaa", which is declared "Super-hit" and still running packed [A remake of Malayalam classic, "MANICHITHRANAZHU".] Reasons for the flops? Blame the "Clash of the Titans" of course!
If I had to choose over a film, I definetely go for Om Shanti Om and here's why. Before you folks decide to go and brand me as an "SRK fan follower" or "SRK fan" what so ever, let me explain. Om Shanti Om has all the makings of a blockbuster. If memory serves backto 2004, when her debut film "Main Hoon Na" released, it was filled with speculation and doubt because people didn't believe that Farah had it all to become a director. Yet her film was declared one of the biggest hits of that year and people were waiting for what Farah hadin store. In Om Shanti Om, the story retells about Reincarnation. The closest thing to what we got to reincarnation was Salman's "Hello Brother" and Arjun Rampal's "Moksha" to which both were disasters in that subject. However, Farah has a theme to the 70s and the promos and trailers looks damn impressive. All she has left is to decide how the audience takes it. Secondly is the music. Vishal-Shekhar have earned a big niche for themselves in Bollywood today (they were also music mentors for Zee Tv's SA RE GA MA PA Challenge 2007.) With hits of SALAAM NAMASTE, TAXI 9211 and JHANKAAR BEATS behind them, the duo-composers have successfully earned themselves a musical hit with Om Shanti Om. Songs like "Ajab Si" and "Main Agar Kahoon" are still playing in local stores and cd players while popular charbusters like "Dard E Disco" and "Deewangi" are fast dance numbers and popular among the public
post their music release.
If you remember last year, SRK had DON ( a modern remake of the Amitabh Bachchan starrer) while Salman had JAANEMANN (Shirish Kunder's debut, Farah Khan's husband) pitted together in October 2006. The former had been declared a blockbuster while the latter ended up becoming critically acclaimed but a commercial dud. So really, SRK has the market of making any of his film a hit at the Box Office (Chak De India is a prominent example of this.)
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Recently, he's been faltering somewhere along the line. If you guessed music, you're absolutely right! The Saawariya music was released withgreat fanfare but in terms of public opinion is really...mixed. Barring "Jab se tera" and the title track, the album is nothing really special. It's more or less below average. I distinctly remember the
days when he and Ismail Darbar were an item. They gave us the classic"Hum Dil De Ke Chupke Sanam" and his version of "Devdas." Numbers like "Aankhon Ki", "Dholna Re", and "Dhol Baaje" are still legendary to the public's ears to this very day. By the time the split had spread word,
people were in disappointment that the classic we all loved was now defunct. His last flick, Black [A remake of MIRACLE WORKER] managed to flop at box office but no one really cared about that MD of his. Monty Sharma, an unknown name to all, can't really get his notes right. The
rest of the album is a pass muster and there's no repeat value in them in comparison to Om Shanti Om.
As far as story goes, it's taken from an Italian film classic. Debutants Randhir and Sonam make look fresh and energetic in the promos, but the story looks like a typical Muslim - Hindu tale. We were dragged into one called "Veer-Zaara" 2 Diwali's ago and now it seems to be the case again. However, rumors are agog that it's a tale of Randhir's character who observes muslim Sonam, who awaits her lover, Salman by that infamous bridge you see in those damn promos. Rani as the prostitute observes Randhir and gets that "feeling" going on and whatnot. Knowing Bhansali inspired route, this is LIKELY the case. The big question is: Will the debutant Kapoors live up to their household names? Will Bhansali score another hattrick?
Down South, Kollywood's (Tamil Cinema) awaiting Ilayathalapathy Vijay's forthcoming film "Azhagiya Thamizh Magan" (Handsome Tamilian.) Already the songs tuned by Mozart of Madras, A.R Rahman are a hit with the crowd with numbers of "Ellappugham", "Nee Marlyin Monroe" and "Kelamal". However the suprise packet is the "Ponmagal" remix from the old film, "Sorgam" [Starring the late Sivaji Ganesan.] The film also stars Sivaji fame "Shriya", Namitha, and "Lollu Sabha's" Santhanam. It's said to be a non-remake so let's hope actor Vijay gets it right this time after the critically panned Pokkiri. Also releasing this Diwali is Priya V's [KANDA NAAL MUDHAL fame] film, Kannammochi Yennada. Starring Prithviraj and yesteryear actor Satyaraj, it's another breezy entertainer from the helm of a former Mani Ratnam assistant. The music by Yuvan Shankar Raja have already already become chartbusters. Other major releases down South include MAACHAKARAN [Jeevan (Thirrtu Payale fame)], POLLADHAVAN [Dhanush] and the possiblity of VEL [Surya]. Again, nothing spectacular compared to last year's VARALAARU but ATM and KY should be big starrers while the rest depend on audience's taste.
Diwali Mela 2007 ( Saanwariya vs Om Shanti Om )
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