The ideal way for me to begin a Diwali is by watching a Shah Rukh Khan flick first thing in the morning. As luck would have it, we managed to get tickets earlier this week and just got home from the First Day First Show of Om Shanti Om.
The questions on your mind are probably……is it good? And was it worth all the hype? The answer to the first is YES! To the second, it’s a sad NO!
Face it. We’re all drawn to the unknown. Unconsciously or consciously, we’re all intrigued by mysterious subjects like reincarnation. And Om Shanti Om seems delectable simply because of the reincarnation angle, if not the super entertaining combination of Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, peppered with a good dose of comedy and awesome music.
So….what am I trying to say? Was it paisa vasool or not? Ummm……no!
I can’t seem to put a finger to it, but although I enjoyed the film, there was something missing.
For starters, there’s no real tight script, make that no script….atleast not the kind you can narrate to anyone. Also, the reincarnation angle is there, but it’s subdued, almost matter-of-fact. It’s not dramatic, as we’ve come to expect from Hindi mainstream cinema. But I guess that’s Farah Khan’s style, so I’ll leave it at that.
So what’s left in the film to watch, you ask?
PLENTY! For the three hours that you’re in the theatre, you’re not likely to get bored! Farah Khan is an entertainer, and she does that part well. If you’re a Bollywood buff, you’re going to love the jokes on the industry that subtly peep out from the dialogues, the self deprecating humour that seems to be Shah Rukh Khan’s trademark (in one scene where he gruffly shooes away some fans, they irritate remark ‘real life mein kitna short hai na!’) and the subtle salute to Manmohan Desai (whose style Farah admittedly copies in her films). And oh...don’t miss the beginning, where Shah Rukh is an extra during the shooting of the original ‘Om Shanti Om’ song with Rishi Kapoor from Karz.
Of the cast, Shah Rukh Khan is well….Shah Rukh Khan. Entertaining and charming as ever. Deepika Padukone has embarked on a long and successful journey in Bollywood, and does full justice to her role as Shantipriya the superstar, and post interval as well. Arjun Rampal ought to get more work! He’s good! Dunno why the industry ignores him.
All in all, Om Shanti Om is an entertainer, and will do very well. Do watch it for sure….but if you remember, do drop a note to me afterwards if you felt, like me, ke ‘khatam nahin hui…picture mein abhi bhi kuch missing hai mere dost.’