Om Shanti Om

StarringShah Rukh Khan ...... Om Prakash Makhija / Om Kapoor

Deepika Padukone ................. Shantipriya / Sandy

Arjun Rampal ......................... Mukesh Mehra

Kiron Kher .............................. Bela Makhija

Shreyas Talpade .................... Pappu Master

Director : Farah Khan

Producer : Gauri Khan

Music Album : Om Shanti Om

Farah Khan’s film Om Shanti Om perfectly matches the festive spirit of the season. The movie is one of the best wholesome entertainers we have seen from Bollywood this year.
The best part about OSO is that it doesn’t pretend to be cerebral. Its humour, its corny sentimentality, and its music combine together to make a perfect recipe to drive your blues away.
On top of it are superb performances by the starcast helmed by the endearing Shah Rukh Khan who does the most corny things with such conviction that you end up liking them. Be it dressing like Rajnikant in the cowboy ‘Murugan’ avatar and fighting with a fluffy tiger. Or rescuing his ladylove from a raging fire and getting scorched above his butt.
To entertain the audiences, SRK doesn’t mind making himself the butt of a joke. And Farah Khan doesn’t mind going over the top if that brings a smile to your face. Yes, that is the intention of OSO – to entertain. And it succeeds in it in flying colours.
That the film is a hearty tribute to the cinema of 1970s becomes clear from its opening scene – Rishi Kapoor , all dressed in silver, dances to the song “Om Shanti Om” from Subhash Ghai’s film Karz . In the crowd is Om Prakash Makhija (SRK) one of the junior artists shooting for the song along with his sidekick Pappu Master ( Shreyas Talpade ).
Om has dreams in his eyes – dreams to become a superstar someday. And he is in love with popular actress Shantipriya ( Deepika Padukone ), to whose poster he often talks his heart out.
At home, Om’s mother ( Kiron Kher ) is sure her son’s dreams would come true one day. Well, they almost do.
Our smitten hero gets introduced to his ladylove through a series of remarkable incidences. Om’s love story seems headed in the right direction, but then, comes a revelation. There is another man in Shantipriya’s life and his intentions are not noble.
Without giving the story away, it can be safely said that Om and Shantipriya’s love story remains incomplete. It takes second birth and a new life for Om to finally settle the score with the man who took away his love.
‘Om Shanti Om’ is packed with one slammer of a scene after another throughout its running time. With its sheer joie de vivre, the film engages you and allows you no spare thought to pick plot-holes from a rational point of view.
The first half of the film is simply superb. The tongue-in-cheek spoofs on the superstars of the 70s – be it Manoj Kumar, Dev Anand or Dharmendra – are extremely funny. The chemistry between Om and his friend (Shreyas) has many charming moments. And it rends your heart to see how Om Makhija’s dreams are shattered and yet how he proves to be a true lover till his tragic end.
Lekin film abhi baaki hai, mere dost.
The second half doesn’t see much revival of the love story, but it does pack in a good dose of suspense and drama as the reincarnated Om Kapoor recalls his previous life in flashes and sets out to complete the story left incomplete in previous life.
In OSO, Shah Rukh Khan proves that he isn’t a superstar for nothing. His acting in the movie borders on a deliberate, filmi histrionic, in keeping with his character. SRK also proves his flair for comedy in many scenes – such as the cowboy Murugan sequence, or the opening song.
Deepika Padukone is very photogenic and she emotes well too. She has all the qualities of a superstar in the making.
In the side-roles, Shreyas Talpade and Kiron Kher are superb. But what is surprising is Arjun Rampal ’s brilliant portrayal of a cunning producer. Rampal is terrific in the film’s second half, when the ugly past catches up with his character.
Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh, as the reincarnated SRK’s father Rajesh Kapoor, is commendable. His performance is several notches better than what we saw of him in Namastey London .
Music by Vishal-Shekhar is another strong point of OSO. “Aankhon Mein Teri” plucks notes at your heartstrings. “Om Shanti Om” may have an average melody but the thirty celebrities in the song keep you glued to the screen.
Farah Khan has a very unique style of filmmaking. She follows no set formula and is not afraid to try anything and everything wacky just for the sole purpose of providing entertainment. She makes SRK dress up as a superman, as a dacoit, and as a gaudy cowboy. And she presents Akshay Kumar and Abhishek Bachchan in little cameos that will have you in splits.
Apart from the content, OSO is also a technically sound film. The cinematographer doesn’t try too many stylistic shot compositions but yet captures the gist of the story. The editing by Shirish Kunder is slick and tight. And the special effects – transposing Deepika Padukone with the likes of Sunil Dutt, Rajesh Khanna and Jitendra – are of super quality.
To put the curtains down, I wish to say that OSO delivers what it promises. It makes you laugh and makes you cry.
I came out of the theatre with a broad smile on my face. And ‘Om Shanti Om’ sounded like the perfect mantra of this Diwali for me. it was a movie involving love, passion and die hard determination. Thus it has been rightly commented by SRK" jab koi kisiko dil aur jaan se chahta hai to saare kainat uske saath deta hai............ " and the rest is history.
This movie is a must watch for all SRK fans not only for SRK and Deepika but for the storyline with a difference , the gaudy sets and above all the superb editing takinkg indian cinema through time travel to seventy's golden era.

Laaga Chunari Mein Daag

StarringRani Mukherjee ...... Natasha

Konkona Sen Sharma ........... Chutki

Abhishek Bachchan .............. Rohan

Kunal Kapoor ........................ Vivaan

Jaya Bachchan ...................... Sabitri

Anupam Kher ....................... Shivshankar Sahay
Director : Pradeep Sarkar

Producer : Aditya Chopra

‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag’ is a sentimental, tear-jerking saga with good performances and a few glitches.

If you have got a taste for extended soap operas, you would find Pradeep Sarkar’s movie eminently watchable. The film is packed with emotions – both pleasant and turbulent. The protagonist at the centre of the story is a woman who sacrifices her own good for the better of her family.

No, it is not one of those regressive tales of self-sacrificing Bhartiya nari. Rather, the movie is a fairly well told, well crafted, visually rich, and quite credible story which you can easily empathize with. The only thing is – it is tad depressing. And the director takes a few liberties with the screenplay in the second half (at the fag end), making the entire story look like a farce.
The movie begins with a song (quite expected of a Yashraj presentation) on the banks of Ganga in Varanasi. We are introduced to two laughing, joyfully dancing girls – Badki ( Rani Mukherjee ) and Chutki ( Konkona Sen Sharma ), and their retired, pension-less father ( Anupam Kher ) and glum mother ( Jaya Bachchan ).

Their once palatial haveli is now in shambles, gradually collapsing due to lack of maintenance. While the father spends his money on lottery tickets (hoping for a stroke of good luck), the mother is apparently resigned to her fate. She grinds herself on a sewing machine to make ends meet for the family.

The family has no son, and that is the father’s regret. If only Badki had been Bada beta, the family would not have been bullied by the dopey uncle (Tinu Anand) and his muscle-flexing son (Sushant Singh) who are fighting a legal battle over the haveli’s possession.
The family finds itself pushed in financial crisis when the father’s health goes down. Badki, a silent witness to her mother’s constant struggle, decides to go to Mumbai to search for a job.
In Mumbai, Badki finds herself not qualified for any good job. To make matters worse, she is under increasing pressure to send some money home. Then, she gets an indecent proposal. What follows is her descent into a whirlpool from which there seems no escape, not even returning back home.
‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag’ can be called a story of three women. Of course, the focus is primarily on Rani’s character, Konkona and Jaya Bachchan too have ample footage in the narrative.

With Badki’s financial contribution, Chutki (Konkona) does her MBA and comes to Mumbai to work in a marketing company where she meets Vivaan ( Kunal Kapoor ). The two eventually end up falling in love.
On the other hand, Jaya Bachchan is shown as a mute spectator to the household’s newfound prosperity from Badki’s blood money. Her conscience is not at peace, knowing well Badki’s sacrifice and fall from grace.

The Abhishek Bachchan track seems deliberately squeezed into the narrative. His entry and disappearance in the first half is sudden. His re-entry in the second half is too coincidental.
Rani’s performance in the film is at par with her set standard, but she offers nothing stellar. Konkona Sen, on the other hand, is simply superb. She is a natural. In fact, there is a scene in the film where she even towers over Rani. It is when she learns Rani’s truth and breaks down in front of her.

Jaya Bachchan is a master of her craft. She speaks with her expressions. Kunal Kapoor is a delight to watch. His character is lighthearted, and Kunal plays it with conviction. Abhishek Bachchan is okay. Anupam Kher is passable. Sushant Singh is good.
To sum it up, ‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag’ is a fairly watchable film. Its story has an emotive appeal, its music is non-intrusive and cinematography is enchanting.

However, director Pradeep Sarkar falters at many places in between. Firstly, he does not develop Abhishek’s character enough. Even the bad guys – Sushant Singh and Tinu Anand – make fleeting appearances in the narrative. And then, at the film’s fag end, the director twists the proceedings to the story’s convenience as he hastily brings a happy ending to the otherwise sad story.

'Bhool Bhulaiyaa

Akshay Kumar .... Dr. Aditya Shivastav

Vidya Balan .... Avni Chaturvedi

Shiney Ahuja .... Siddharth

Amisha Patel .... Radha

Paresh Rawal .... Batukshankar Upadhyay

Rajpal Yadav .... Chhote Pandit

Director : Priyadarshan

Malayalam movie ‘Manichitrathazhu’, of which ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ is a Hindi remake, you will like the suspense as well.
Priyadarshan slithers out of his usual style and comes up with an interesting but exhausting movie. ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ is not a typical Priyan comedy. It is a suspense thriller with doses of a horror film. The humour is understated, but sufficient enough to tickle the spine already chilled by spooky turns.
The combination of horror and comedy is a bizarre one. But it works well for ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’.
From the USA, Siddharth ( Shiney Ahuja ) returns to his hometown in India with his wife Avni ( Vidya Balan ). The couple get a resounding welcome from Siddharth’s extended family that includes his uncles Batukshankar Upadhyay ( Paresh Rawal ) and Badrinarayan Chaturvedi (Manoj Joshi). Also part of the household is Radha ( Amisha Patel ), the adopted daughter of the family who once harboured a secret love for Siddharth.
Tension builds up when Siddharth insists on staying in the family’s ancestral home, which is believed to be haunted. The family opposes Siddharth’s decision, but he has a rational mind. No matter what his uncles or other members of the family believe, he is adamant on staying in the ancestral mansion.
Thereafter begin a series of inexplicable incidents as they move into the mansion. Strange noises, mysterious sounds and eerie happenings convince Siddharth that something is amiss. He calls upon his friend Dr. Aditya ( Akshay Kumar ), a psychiatrist who takes the challenge of unraveling the mystery.
In all fairness, Akshay is the backbone of ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’. From the moment he steps into the frame, the movie gathers momentum. Before that, the first half drags. The actor’s comedy is simply impeccable. And his introduction, just before the first half, makes the wait worthwhile.
After Akshay it is Vidya Balan who impresses with her incredible performance. Vidya is in her elements again. And the last half hour of the movie solely belongs to her.
Shiney Ahuja is plain average. Amisha Patel manages not to ham. Paresh Rawal and Manoj Joshi are their usual impressive selves. Rajpal Yadav chips in a few slapstick moments with his portrayal of a pandit.
Priyadarshan gets many things right in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, but he stretches the story needlessly. The first half could surely have been chopped by a good 15 minutes. The second half holds your interest because of the shifting needle of suspicion.
The movie’s music is catchy and ear pleasing. The cinematography is fine.
All in all, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ is an interesting maze with unexpected bends. The unraveling of the movie’s suspense is its high point.
Watch it for Akshay (even though he is hardly there in the first half).