Movie Review : 'Om Shanti Om', a patronising take-off on '70s era films



Producer: Shahrukh Khan
Director: Farah Khan
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Shreyas Talpade
Music: Vishal-Shekhar

Welcome to Shanti town, a.k.a Farah Khan's filmi fudge-quake.

Is it homage to the zany anything-goes spirit of the Hindi potboilers from the 1970s? A kind of Manmohan Desai dolled up in the crispy, corny, catch-me-if-can-can spirit of the new millennium?

Or is this supposed to be a straight-off adaptation of Subhash Ghai's "Karz"?

The hasina in this case is the much-awaited, much-hyped Deepika Padukone. A pretty face, sweet smile and an old-world charm... That's about it.

The deewana is of course the irrepressible Shah Rukh Khan, who gets to slip into two eras, and never mind the aura. Farah, who's a close ally and collaborator of the star, provides no breathing pace in this wheezy take on the infamous formulae of our commercial cinema.

Some of the film's bona-fide comic romps come during awards functions when Subhash Ghai and Rishi Kapoor fight to give away an award, Abhishek Bachchan tries to hide a scowl or Akshay Kumar gets nominated for his umpteenth "Khiladi" film.

And yes, that title song with all the glorious screen kings and queens, parading in pirouetting pleasure, is nearly priceless in choreography and spirit.

But that's about it.

Farah Khan's agitated screenplay takes quivering pot shots at one and all, from the bombastic dialogues of the cinema of the 1970s, to Manoj Kumar and Rajesh Khanna to the infamous on screen mother, played here with delightful spoof by Kirron Kher - she talks in maudlin rhetoric and embraces clichés of maternity with unconditional ecstasy.

The same, alas, cannot be said about the spirit with which "Om Shanti Om" embraces the spirit of our cinema. The mood is one of patronising and condescension rather than genuine admiration for an era that's gone with the wind.

Farah's narrative careens between maudlinism and satire. It sometimes spoofs, sometimes tilts its hat to the films that came in the era of great aura and élan, the two qualities sorely lacking in this work of confounding kitsch.

There are some terrific moments of satire in the plot. The opening scene, in which junior artistes (Shah Rukh and Farah) cheer Rishi Kapoor as he jives on stage to the "Om Shanti Om" track in Subhash Ghai's "Karz", is a masterly piece of homage to a way of cinema that's gone-bye-bye.

Soon, however, Farah forgets the satirical mood of her narration, which keeps swinging from homage to imitation with artifice.

Often the devices that are used to generate nostalgic amusement in the first-half are deployed after interval in dead earnestness.

A song sequence in the first-half has Shah Rukh and his object of adoration Deepika riding a stationary car in a studio with back-projection simulating movement.

In the second-half the same device is used without any spoof when the second Shah Rukh, a spoilt bratty specimen of vivacious vanity, rides in the wilderness on the arch-villain Arjun Rampal's limousine.

Rebirth, which would be considered fodder for 1970s' style of suspend-your-disbelief cinema in the past, here becomes a matter of immense thematic propulsion.

The climax is an insult to all enthusiasts of traditional commercial cinema.

Bimal Roy's "Madhumati" finds its nemesis in the hands of these fun-seekers.

Caught between the mawkish and the mockery, the film's creator thinks smart-aleck one-liners are enough to sustain a three-hour feature film, "Om Shanti Om" barely survives its own arrogant self-regard, thanks to some genuinely entertaining moments provided by Shah Rukh.

His take-off on a South Indian masala matinee-idol in the scorching sun of a humid studio premise is first-rate. So are his expressions of not-so-furtive adoration for the rather pale heroine.

"Om Shanti Om" is like a cracker that fizzles before the promised sizzle occurs. The studio atmosphere where the junior-artiste and his buddy (Shreyas Talpade) hang out with self-conscious nonchalance would have made Guru Dutt smile.

© Copyright 2007 by MusicIndiaOnLine.com

Caught it today at Silvercity. It was a fun film as expected. It's Just a Karz remake, with some minor changes, IMHO. I thought there was another film that was being planned as official Karz remake ??

That Tons of Bollywood stars making cameo appearances, I sure didn't recognize half of them.

At places there was mild surround presence. Not like Saawaria where there was surround ambience throughout the film. Left Right separation sure was there in OSO, but not agressive surround that would have been appropriate for this kind of action film. Well, that requires expertise and costs money.

Film was 2 hr 50 min.

yup as expected karz remake, with sprinkles of madhumati etc!

watched it. Not better than main hoon naa. It's simple film, seems to be made without much hard work. It's shahrukh khan film all the way, dipika doesn't get much part to do, which was little odd seeing she is actually the somewhat base of story. End was little surprise, looked little hurried. And talk about song with 31 stars, they just come and shake it for few seconds, I was expecting that a whole song, but it's very much music, not much of singing in it. It has few jocks which are funny, like manoj kumar, akshay kumar.

over all, time pass film for me, and bank account filler for shahrukh khan.

At no.7 at the UK BO after the weekend collections;

http://uk.imdb.com/boxoffice/?region=uk

Happen to watch it over the weekend and thought it was a silly time pass movie. Some good moments in there but largely a harebrained telling of the Karz story (even the climax song sounds the same! ). Best comment I heard after the movie; ‘I like horror films like that’

Ali

Well ali bhaii! here is bottom line, every one is going to watch it! even you and me! that explains BO fate of all these masala craps, put together for money!

US box office is raking $$ for THE BEE and AMERICAN GANGSTER plus every thing else that you will throw new for that week with face value, hype!

** Loved rana sahab's comment!

OSO= MADHUMATI KA KARZ , SAROOK and FK ne chukaya!

Make sure you watch 2 movies before you watch this movie

Karz (1980) &
Madhumati (1958) (Dilip Kumar, Vyjantimala, Pran, etc.,) ...for what ? The Climax silly !

if you do as Mr Nath says? you will screw up that little left in OSO imho, if any thing novel.

Those 2 films are immensely good films on its own, mixing two scripts for mush, will screw up fun of mush part, if you know the plots! I would recommend for your paisa vasool, watch OSO, as it is but do not forget to go back, check both of these excellent films, and deside, that old is gold without mush!

Karz was out n out commercial flick, with par excellent tunes! While Madhumati is a classic with a sublime touch of mystery that makes that flick, so unique! Bimal Roy's CLASSIC!

IMHO, whether, WHITe, BLACK r DEVDAS or any remake can not be classified as CLASSIC, not even modern day classic when it is actual, remake, recycled story.

Well! Now I am ready to show my folks, how strong could be well done climaxes vs a childish packed joke!

Well for rana, there was minimal surround activity, most was in Dard e disco song, plus a couple more during second half!

It is Sarook film by hook and crook, I think FK had a Climax and she wrote out first half to get there. Second half was all ITEM NUMBERS based part.

Deepika's debut was impressive! Film does not match or even comes close to its originals in any departments at all.

Rampal has found his niche! He is New Found Kool Bad guy to go!!!!
It is amazing only Pakistani actor who made in Bollywood is Javed Sheikh, while his role was nothing well written or done!

At the risk of sounding controversial, I don't know what Javed Sheikh is doing in Bollywood. He hasn't had any decent roles in Hindi films, and as far as I remember, he's openly criticised some of Shah Rukh's films for ripping off Pakistani films. Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against the guy - I quite liked his film Mushkil (even though it was a rip off of a Hollywood film) - I just don't understand why he's doing these two minute roles in Hindi films, when he could be trying to further the Pakistani film industry, like he did with films like Yeh Dil Aapka Hua.

He made it in Bollywood? Who the hell is he? The only Pakistani in bollywood that I can remember liking was that girl from Henna. What was her name again?

Saw this yesterday! It was a real riot - I haven't laughed so much watching a Bollywood movie for ages! I loved the 'Benny the super-cop from Kopps' parody a.k.a. Akshay in Khiladi - even up to the small points like how Akshay was wearing the 'POLIZEI' shirt vs. Benny's POLIS shirt! Great stuff all round.

The fact that this was copied from Karz and Madhumati was not hidden at all in the movie and I really liked that FK has out-done herself in making a better movie than Main hoon Na. It reminded me of Shaun of the Dead in it's parody of Dawn of the Dead. From the opening sequence of Karz with Rishi Kapoor on stage and SRK and FK fighting over Rishi's jacket in the audience I think that the scene was set for a masala comedy. I also particularly enjoed seeing FK's song sequences and her imagination in the way that they were filmed (least fave was 'Deewanagee' but 'Main Agar Kahoon' and 'Dhoom Tanna' were great to watch.

I was expecting a bad movie and did think twice about going to see it - but all in all I liked it and would see it again on DVD.

Sound and picture quality in the showcase cinema that I saw this in was excellent.

OSO, is a major film, and JS to act in there as sarook's dad is significant even for 5 minutes, sarook could have gotten kher, or any laloo panchoo indian actor to do that role, and even BIG B would do that, then why JS????? If Bollywood does not give him work, he will pack up and go home! like Zeba Bakhtiar or Bhatt's gal did after miserable failure! I am not pro JS over any other bollywood actor but for sure he is getting work here to make living.

OSO was more bearable than Saawariya, but being a better film than MHN the yard stick, I differ! Here Farah Khan wanted to remake Karz/Madhu junction, and she cooked it up!

BTW, can some one explain how did sarook went in through 5x6 inch hole in the glass into the burning studio?

Some Gags were laughable no doubt, but I agree they went too far after Manoj Kumar! and found ugliest devanand.

Imho, Rishi Kapoor did way better reincarnation role than sarook.

That doesn't take much talent though, as Main Hoon Na was complete and utter crap from start to finish. It had better been better than Main Hoon Na.

I enjoyed this film as well. A little better than a time pass, but that's it. Good music, love the retro feel of the film as well as the Bollywood in-jokes. It was also great to see some of the people who didn't show up for the musical number (Akshay, Amitabh, Abshishek, et al.) send up themselves during the awards ceremony sequence. More of a supernatural thriller than I expected with a climax straight out of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Fun stuff.