Eye on Bollywood: My first choice for the day was Saawaria by Sanjay Leela Bhansali but ended up with Om Shanti Om (second in the list, by Farah Khan). I definitely do not regret watching it but there is no question that I will remember it for long: it’s just another masaladar Hindi film.
This is not a review of the Om Shanti Om but my personal impression. I am disappointed for I spent Rs. 100 (and other expenses like coffee and bus fare to the theater) for the movie, spent almost three hours of my time on the day of Laxmi Pooja (for the film) when people sing and dance beautiful bhailos. I had thought the film would be dealing with something very new, fresh drama. Only thing I loved about the movie was: the smile of Deepika Padukone, the lady who plays opposite to Shah Rukh Khan. She is too beautiful (or presented as such) and at times that becomes the problem. Even when she is supposed to show anger and be angry, she can’t. She just looks like a sweet little doll.
The film, as expected, completely depends on Shah Rukh Khan, the star. I had expected a lot of acting, real acting, from his part. I would not say he didn’t give his best in the move his wife produced, but I would say that I was expecting something more from him.
I think that there is this irony when it comes to dealing with fictions. Even when they know that the movie that they are seeing or the novel that they are reading is a work of fiction, viewers/readers try to relate the story with their real life. I feel that the film team (including director Farah Khan) could have found a better story than this (in which the lead character remembers his past life). I read an interview of Shah Rukh last week in which he says that he likes make the characters he is playing such that the viewer in the theater could easily identify with it. That’s a nice idea but I wonder how many would like to see themselves dead so as to have a successful life in the next life.
Some parts of the movie will entertain the crowd but I found the song Deewangi Deewangi totally ridiculous. I don’t know what the director has tried to do by showing too many Bollywood faces in the track. But then it is ridiculous in itself to ask questions against masala in Bollywood films. I will not surprise if the film becomes a hit because I don’t think I represent the general Bollywood audience but I will not suggest anyone to go to the theater to watch it.
Related Links
1. A Wikipedia entry on the film
2. Indiafm review of the film (that gives four out of five stars to the movie)
Dinesh Wagle on Nepali Society 