Sharukh’s BEST?
According to me this is the best movie from Shahrukh Khan. The energetic, honest, spontaneous performance given by him is a must see on this movie. This is typical Kundan Shah sort movie by that I mean in the mold of the ’Nukkad’ serial or even the movie like Raju Ban Gaya Gentlemen’ given by Aziz Mirza. Of course Ketan Mehta has a different way about the movies with a little touch of British type of comedy.
Until 1994 Shahrukh was always my favorite. I used to wait for his movies as he used to take quite a lot of risk unlike others. He also didn’t have any godfather supporting him & never needed one. He always had the talent, the drive & the ability to make it large in the film industry ruled by established actors & specially the star-Putras. Also, when he arrived a few directors like Subhash Ghai had the lock on the hit movies. Shahrukh changed that, his movies with young & with not so established directors were also hit. I thought the Baazigar was a GREAT movie for the sole reason of such a negative role (to that extent) by Shahrukh, also it was handled in a very good way with two parallel stories. Shahrukh I also thought that time was more of a guy’s guy
Anyways lets talk about this fresh movie Kabhi Han Kabhi Na. It was not a mainstream Hindi movie mind you. Almost every aspect of the movie had a different touch. The way Shahrukh tries to win over Suchitra Krishnamurti & the trick he plays to drive his competitor away. (’Are woh Suresh yaad hain woh foreign chala gaya..usaki patang Anna ne kaat di..spash (noise)’). He gets caught & abandoned from the group, he make entry back with a timely song that pleases all the Don company. His scenes with Goga the don are hilarious.
The PLOT
I will not go in the plot in details. To keep it short, Shahrukh (from a middle-class background) is not interested in studies that much he loves music & wants to make big in it with his friends. They are trying to win a contract with the local hotel to start their career. Shahrukh loves Anna so does Deepak Tijori. Anna also loves/likes Deepak. Shahrukh does manhy efforts to win her from him (healthy sort & not typical kkkk..kiran way). He doesn’t succeed in it & gets thrown out of the group. They take him back as mentioned above after a life saver song in front of all the dons in the hotel. Deepak’s family doesn’t think Anna is the best suit for Deepal & happen to insult their family in a party. Anna stops meeting Deepak. Shahrukh, meanwhile again gets in trouble due to a false scoresheet of his exams & somehow his father forgives him. Anna’s family talks to Shahrukh’s family Shahrukh proposes Anna thinking she is got over Deepak etc. Thats not the case actually & the rest you can watch on the screen! :)
The PRESENTATION
What this plot can’t express is the way the movie is presented. You are one crazy movie-fan if you haven’t seen this movie. Even small scenes where Nasiruddin (a sweet Father) interacts with Ashutosh or Shahrukh are very good & there is some purity to it. ’Idhar se jawo ya udhar se jaawo sab rasta bhagwan ke pas jata hain’ Some of these scenes also express the sarva-dharma-samabhav of Indian society when the father eats Laddu of Gudhipadaw (Hindu new year) & also when he comes to Shahrukh’s success party thrown by this father (due to fake mark-sheet!). He scolds Sharukh when he makes a mistake & asks to remedy it. ’Sunil, tum hamesha khidaki se q jata hain..??’
Subtle humor is shown to also explain the characters. Shahrukh comes for practice & while playing an instruments he remembers that there is something on the day that he can’t recollect, he plays more & then realizes that his result of exams is going to get published!! :) Imran tells Albert (Ravi Waswani) ’Are Albert, ye gaadi bechkar tum usame thode paise aur daalkar ek Cycle q nahi le lete?’ The don Gogo & his interaction with his sidekick is also hilarious. You will be always smiling while watching this movie if not laughing out loud.
The ACTING
Shahrukh gives a very natural, spontaneous & 100% honest performance. It was refreshing to watch his in this movie. I think today he needs to watch this movie frequently to get an idea how great he used to be. I mean, it is one hell of a cool performance by Shahrukh. His potential is used very well by Ketan Shah. The way he talks with his proposal at Anna’s house (Mr Gonsalves, Mrs Gonsalves, Mrs & mrs Gonsalves..etc) is very natural. The way he runs in his dream/in the bed trying to follow his dear Anna, the way he presents the songs, the moment he realizes that Anna still loves Deepak T was just too good.
Apart from this perfect, charming, enthu & energetic performance in the songs he gives VERY VERY special expressions in the end when he is the best man & while ceremony is on his sister looks at him. He can’t hide his emotions at that time & gets all sentimental with eyes blurred..you feel sad/pity him & that the success the actors has. Very impressive work Shahrukh, why I can’t see the same from you now a days..why you are stuck in those cosmopolitan crowd? Why so many family drama & pseudo-relationships/friendship movies? Why the same, same & same & the same stuff again & again & again?? You always had & have the potential to give such performances without sacrificing on the market value of a movie? Why can’t you produce something like Sarfarosh? Why Asoka was such a mediocre attempt? I think you have forgot how great you are/were in the early to mid 90s.
His group is as original/real life as Shahrukh. Suchitra does ok but could have been much better but she is comes across as a sweet person & fits the bill. Deepak Tijori is ok. Special mention of Satish Shah/Rita Bhaduri & of course Anjan Shreewastav & Nasir. There is something very real in these characters & you think you have seen them in real life. Ravi Vaswani (Albert) looks Goofy.
The MUSIC
The music could be called the glue that keeps the movie together. Udit & Amit Kumar hahve done exceedingly well. All songs are great & the music cd is also a must have. I liked the first one best & the way it is filmed, especially the start Dialogs : ’Hawa main leherate panchhi aur wadiyon main se gujarati hui train’ & then the song starts ’Deewana Dil Deewana, Kabase Kare hain Tera intajaar’ The stanzas are also very good wrt lyrics etc. (Andaz dikhalati sau sau taraha ke, Toota Sitara to manga tha rab se; Dil se lagakar ke rakkha hain abtak)
Superb would be the world for ’Ay kash ke hum hosh main ab ane na paye’
Pyar mila aaha ha yaar mila.. is so so.. Sachi ek kahani hain sun lo meri jaan is very good with a cool filming. Anna mere pyra ka na tum zootha samazho jana is sung well by Saanu & filmed too very well. Woh to hain albela, hazaron main akela is again sung by Sanu & at least 5 guys sing in Saanu’s voice in this song like Ande Ka Funda Song.
CONCLUSION
A must see family entertainer, check out a few thoughts on Shahrukh in the first comment.