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well there goes one more review to add to our list... this one comes from radiosargam. given it 3.5 out of 5 this is one of the first reviews(even if they have copied it from someone) that details the flaws of the film and the performances of each and every actor.
MOVIE REVIEWS
KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHUM
Producer: Yash Johar
Director: Karan Johar
Lyrics: Sameer
Music: Jatin Lalit, Sandesh Shandilya
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor, Alok Nath & Hrithik Roshan
RATING:
*****
(3.5 out of 5)
Dharma Productions Pvt. Ltd.’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… is a star-studded family drama. A rich industrialist (Amitabh Bachchan) adopts a little boy when his wife (Jaya Bachchan) cannot conceive a child. The boy is showered all the love and affection one would shower on his biological son – this, even after the couple has its own son after many years. The two boys grow up as brothers and there’s happiness all around.
The adopted son (Shah Rukh Khan) falls in love with a simple girl (Kajol) who doesn’t match up to his father’s social status. The arrogant father, who has all by himself chosen the girl who would be his son’s wife, can’t take it when informed of the son’s plans to get married to the girl whom he loves. All hell breaks loose and the father snaps ties with his son. Rather than obey his father’s orders, the boy, having got married to his beloved, leaves home after a tearful farewell to his unyielding father and his sympathetic mother. His little brother at this time is studying in a boarding school.
Years later, after he finishes schooling and returns home and learns of the circumstances under which his elder brother had to leave home, the younger son (Hrithik Roshan) vows to patch up all the differences and get his brother and sister-in-law back into the family. He sets off to London which is where the brother now lives. He enters his brother’s house incognito and tries to arouse feelings for his father in the brother’s heart. Here, he falls in love with his brother’s young sister-in-law (Kareena Kapoor) who was also his childhood friend in India.
The younger brother succeeds in his mission when he prevails upon his elder brother to meet their father if only once while he (elder brother) is in India for the last rites of his grandmother. In an emotional reunion, all misunderstandings are cleared and the family reunites.
An emotional tale has been padded up brilliantly with a good dose of superb comedy, dance, music, romance, sex and drama. The first half is light and entertaining but the film gets its real grip on the viewers a little before interval when the family breaks up. But the punch-packed comedy scenes in the first half are remarkable, splendid, simply terrific.
The second half is a mixture of comedy and emotions. The light scenes once again make the audience laugh while some of the emotional scenes draw tears from the eyes. However, the wrapping up of the drama looks a bit hurried and unconvincing, especially the scene in the shopping mall in London where the family members meet after many years. If the climax holds, it is because of the superlative performance of the father. In the climax, as in the rest of the film, the lack of importance given to the grandson of the industrialist is a sore point. In the Indian context, the grandson has often played a great role in settling family disputes.
Although the story is good and offers plenty of scope for sentiments, there are some flaws in the screenplay (Sheena Parikh and Karan Johar). For one, the pain of the separation is not shown on either side, once the elder son leaves home. Because the pain is not shown, the impact of the reconciliatory measures taken by the younger son get diluted in their impact. The pain is sought to be established through dialogues, which is never the rightest thing to do, especially when the separation is so vital to the story. Secondly, although the father’s harsh words prompt the son to leave his home, at the time of confrontation in the climax, the former blames the latter for leaving the home and his family. Of course, ultimately, the father apologises for his misdeeds but why on earth would he want to shift the blame on the son when there’s not even a hint of a feeling that the son ever wanted to leave home. Rather, while having to leave his home, the son is weeping even as the father isn’t!
The viewer also wonders why the younger brother enters his brother’s house in London without revealing his identity. One would want to hide the identity while settling a fight if battle-lines had been drawn between the parties, but in this case, there was no fight, only a difference of opinion – that too, on very emotional grounds. Besides, making the elder brother agree to a settlement was never the issue – it is the father who has to be made to see reason. Besides, the effort to stuff the film with every possible commercial ingredient can be seen many times because though there was no need for some things, they have nevertheless been included. For instance, the ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ items in the London school. On the other hand, the dramatic scenes are not as strong as they should’ve been.
Questions like why the father who had picked up an orphan (Shah Rukh Khan) and adopted him should not accept a simple girl as his daughter-in-law only because she cannot match up to his status trouble the viewer. Likewise, why did the mother’s aide, who accompanies the elder son to London, never keep in touch with the mother – not even when the a child is born to the son – is beyond comprehension. Besides, even when the younger son comes to solve the problem of acceptance of his sister-in-law by his dad, he himself falls in love with a girl of the same family. So is he trying to solve the problem or compounding it?
The aforesaid glitches and unanswered questions notwithstanding, director Karan Johar has very cleverly tried to cover them up with items, comedy, emotion-soaked scenes et al. The scenes between Shah Rukh Khan and his beloved first and wife later (Kajol) are simply marvellous and will bring the house down. Similarly, Kajol’s inter-action with the British lady whom she curses in Hindi, is extraordinary. Kareena’s airs are cutely fantastic and her comedy, just too wonderful. The background music whenever she loses in a game of oneupmanship is masterly. Even the comic scenes of young Hrithik Roshan and Kareena are extremely entertaining. For that matter; Kareena’s introduction is a delight to watch. Kajol’s Punjabi style of talking, Kareena’s sexy clothes (Manish Malhotra) and ultra-modern look and style and Shah Rukh’s witty dialogues are all unbelievably original and indeed fabulous.
Emotions, especially in the second half, are very strong. But it is also a fact that the characters on the screen sometimes cry more than the audience in the auditorium – not a very happy thing to happen.
Coming to the performances, the film belongs to Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. But that later. Amitabh Bachchan does not get much of a role. He suffers on account of weak characterization because it’s not explained why he is what he is. Still, he shines dramatically in the ‘Shaava Shaava’ dance and moves the viewer to tears in the last scene. Jaya Bachchan acts ably, adding emotional value to the film. The scene in which she gives it back to hubby Amitabh could have had a much greater impact had her outburst come as a reaction and had it been conveyed at a faster pace and more dramatically.
Shah Rukh Khan is remarkable. He makes the audience laugh in comic scenes and weep in emotional ones. He has excelled himself and endears himself to the viewers right from the word ‘go’. The chemistry between him and Kajol is terrific. Shah Rukh’s introduction is visually very appealing.
Kajol’s is undoubtedly the best performance – in the film as also of her career. She plays the lass from Chandni Chowk with aplomb and her khana-shana kind of dialogues will be adored by the masses, more so in Delhi and Punjab. She has the audience in splits whenever she comes on the scene. She is the highlight of the film.
Hrithik Roshan looks very handsome and acts well. His dances are a pleasure to watch as always, but choreographer Farah Khan should’ve come up with more novel steps. The scene in which he hugs Shah Rukh and breaks down emotionally moves the audience to tears. Kareena Kapoor lights up the screen whenever she comes on it. In one word, she is mesmerizing. She exudes plenty of sex appeal, oomph, charm and attitude and will go down brilliantly with the audiences in cities (in India) and in the Overseas. She has exposed her assets uninhibitedly.
Farida Jalal is good and natural to the core as usual. Rani Mukerji, in a special appearance, looks pretty, dances well and acts very well. The comedy between Achla Sachdev and Sushma Seth is cute and both the old ladies perform ably. Johny Lever raises laughter in the couple of scenes he has. Kavesh Majmudar is very natural. Shashikala is wasted. Alok Nath, Himani Shivpuri, Simone Singh, Ramona Sunavala, Jeroo Writer, Vikas Sethi, Shilpa Mehta, Ashutosh Singh, Parzaan Dastur, Prashant Sani, Mayank Meghani, Joshna Doshi, Aryan Khan, Clint Casmiro, Shainab Shaikh, Amar Talwar, Malvika Raaj, Holly Holdsworth, Kunal Kothari, Jibrann Khan and Jessey Lever lend good support.
Karan Johar’s direction is extremely good but what is more praiseworthy is his handling of such a mighty cast and the balance he strikes among the artistes. His inter-weaving of comedy and emotions in the drama is done with style. His lapses in scripting, however, do rob the film of a long run.
Music is another asset of the film. ‘Bole chudiyaan’, ‘You are my Soniya’ and ‘Shaava Shaava’ are the best songs in the film and their picturisations are grand and lavish. In fact, the sets, costumes and the entire look of the film is so rich that one is almost spell-bound. The film is a veritable treat for the eyes. The ‘Yeh ladka hai Allah’ song can easily be deleted.
Kiran Deohans’ camerawork is eye-filling. Background music is superb. Production values are just too grand. Technically, extraordinary. Editing, however, is loose and the film could easily do with deletion of scenes upto a running time of 15-20 minutes. Such re-editing will also take care of the boring moments in the film.
On the whole, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… is a sure-shot hit, not because of the main story and screenplay but because of the other entertaining values and the huge star value. Looking to the unprecedented craze, the entertaining comedy and the emotional scenes, it will be the fastest money-spinner of all times and a favourite with the ladies. Due to the flaws in the script, however, a long run is ruled out. Business in Overseas will be extraordinary.
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