Farah continues with her irreverent ways. She cloaks nostalgia with a dash of
humour and manages to take little digs at the cinema many of us grew up with,
the 1970s’ films that conveyed much joy, shared little angst. “Om Shanti Om” is
a retro with a modern look, a film that throbs with vitality, pulsating at the
edges.
Inspired from Subhash Ghai’s “Karz”, from whose song it even derives its
title, Farah this time goes a bridge too far.There is a fine line between
being irreverent and disrespectful. The way the movie shapes up, it leaves one
wondering if she is taking the viewers for a ride. In trying to be light and
jovial -the film has a feather touch treatment all through - she at times
veers too close to being trivial, even mocking at the sensibilities of the
viewers.Yet for a large part, the film works. It works tremendously well in
patches.
Based on the reincarnation theme - we have Shah Rukh as a junior artist in love
with a top heroine, played by Deepika. But fate snatches them away from this life,
only for both to come back! This time the guy is a top star! Too much for the
modern educated public to buy? Well, maybe. But where Farah errs is in spending
too much time on nostalgia. The first half with all the reference points to
yesterday provides occasional laughter. That’s all. The story does not move.And
by the time, the mystery of who killed the girl in the first birth is solved,
too many reels are wasted.The film could have been easily trimmed without
affecting its either nostalgia quotient or the retro look.
Yet for all its faults, if you are a die-hard Shah Rukh fan “Om Shanti
Om” can be visited once. Just to see Shah Rukh do his bare chest act, his role
reversal from being a top star to a junior artist .Shah Rukh fans, don’t worry, he’s still
uses up his trademark stock expressions .Of course, Deepika does not hurt the
eyes, and pleases where it matters Shreyas with little to do is still an
endearing performer and Arjun Rampal should’ve got a meatier role.The music is good especially the song dard e disco is well picturised
The movie is a hell of a party, a bits-and-pieces blockbuster strung together with a series of laughs, songs and dances. And, stars of course.