My legs were sore, shoulder blades ached and spine seemed to be bent at an acute angle of some unspecified degree. I desperately needed a pillow plonked sofa to rest my butt. So did I, the hands involuntarily stretching out to catch hold of the TV remote (Couch potato….smirk). Aftermath of the pre-Diwali spring cleaning, I felt like a deflated balloon. The only consolation - I might have reduced a few calories in the process, though doubtful.
As I pressed the remote button (channel flicking is a bad habit, I told myself, sign of a restless mind), the haggard profile of SRK came alive happily bantering with AB Senior on KBC. Flick…a tired, dimpled smile……a bobbing, bottlebrush ponytail, SRK again, romping on a stage bustling with a dozen other glam dames of the soapy world….accompanied by a coy Bebo rooted to the centre stage energetically shaking her bust to the super duper hit tu hee meri chhammak chhallo till I thought she might lose one or two of her body parts in uncontrolled vigour. Flick…there was he, once more, a re-telecast of an interview wherein King Khan went berserk on his merchandising galore as a part of hard-core marketing of Ra.One. He called it “Promotion”…..I call it shrewd salesmanship…what’s the difference? The world of home-entertainment ceremoniously grabbed and converted into a promotional battlefield, SRK would not leave anything to chance, even the ad-breaks brazenly showcased G.One in his blue-tinged metallic suite.
Cut…..there was I belting full throated while SRK was somewhere in the background, a diminutive figure in the chorus group. The stone carved stage jutted out like a diving board just next to a winding fly-over so that one had to actually “fly-over” to land on the makeshift dais hanging in space like a barren island. Cut….now there were half a dozen SRKs dancing to an unheard song. I turned around and accosted the “asli” one to ask him how he managed so many clones at one time. Was it cosmetic surgery? How much moolah did he shell out for the special effect? A mysterious smile flitted across his much talked about lips though the answer wasn’t forthcoming. I was geared up to coax him further till he divulged the raaz…..but the calling bell rang shrill….I realized I had dozed off.
Cut again….this time the darkened audi with the Dolby digital sound effect jarring every auditory nerve. Shekhar Subramanaim aka SRK in a wiggly wig trying desperately to deliver unimpressive one-liners in typical Southy accent and failing miserably(his accent vanishing as the dialogues became more and more emotionally charged)….Prateek alias Armaan Verma, his on-screen son, with an “adult” hair style (most unsuited for children his age) boldly defying his father ……Kareena (I forget her screen name) the “tamed” housewife vituperating in the name of some God forsaken “research” which I wondered whether would be of any use to anybody but the roadside rogues. The stage’s all set for the game to begin…
The audience is introduced to the thematic propagation of the movie, Jenny’s (Shahana Goswami) glib talk on how the invisible rays surrounding humans give rise to a tangible virtual world. The next we find the Clousseau-ish Subramaniam (a game designer by profession working for one Barron Industries) creating a new game wherein the villain (Ra.One) is set to be all-powerful, to woo his son who finds heroes pathetically boring. The game made is launched with much fanfare wherein everyone gets stupidly drunk and pointlessly gyrates to their heart’s content. In the meantime, Prateek , fascinated by the game, decides to play a few levels but leaves the game unfinished incurring Ra.One’s wrath who vows to chase and kill him. Transcending the boundaries of the imaginary world, Ra.One soon enters the realm of reality incarnating as Akashi, Subramniam’s colleague (Tom Wu) whom he kills ruthlessly. In a bid to protect his son, the good but powerless Subramaniam loses his life in the hands of Ra.One.
Following the games’ programming, Prateek, in order to overpower and put an end to Ra.One’s murderous manoeuvres, brings G.One (or the Good One), the hero of the game, to life. G.One is none other than the re-incarnate of Shekhar Subramaniam. Thus begins the war of the good (though weak) over the evil. Will G.One be able to subjugate Ra.One ? Is the crux of the plot of the movie Ra.One.
Technologically speaking, Ra.One is a landmark movie with actions splendidly choreographed and captured through the lens. However, the story element of the film has been sadly overshadowed by the at-times-long-drawn action packed sequences, especially, the one at the Mumbai Airport. Over enthusiasm and emphasis on the visual effects (VFX) have also shifted focus from the screen play which at times is abrupt and clueless. Why Kareena leaves for India after her husband’s death and why she suddenly returns are examples of slap shod scripting. The music is good but the songs and dances hamper the flow of the film. The Sanjay Dutta-Priyanka Chopra cameo is a cute prelude but at variance with the main plot. While Rajnikanth’s special appearance is superficial and quite unnecessary. In many a frame, Ra.One reminds one of Robot. The portrayal of G.One is a straight lift off Terminator. Although, over all the movie may boast of some originality but more than often the shadows of past Hollywood hi-fi sci-block busters are unmistakable by their presence.
The movie is targeted for the kids. However, the slapstick comedy alternating the grim dual between Ra.One and G.One is hardly kid stuff and cannot be termed as conducive to family viewing, rather, hearing. The unsophisticated, abusive language hurts the ears, the dialogues are clichéd and attempts at (melo) drama fall flat. Moreover, the climax is a bit of an anti-climax, ineffective and forgettable.
Ra.One is a one-man show. Its SRK, SRK and SRK all the way. He looks totally in sync with G.One while his stint as Shekhar Subramaniam is over the top and laughable. Kareena is used just as a show piece with nothing much to emote but just to look ravishing and scintillating. Armaan Verma (minus the hair do) delivers well. Arjun Rampal excels as villain. Tom Wu impresses. Shahana Goswami lacks colour.
Arguably, Ra.One could have been a better movie had it delved deeper into the psychological arena of modern day kids’ over dependency on cyber gaming stunts. It could have been a more emotional statement on father-son equation had it toyed with the idea more closely and realistically. It could have had more “Indianness” ( and I don’t mean tear jerks) had it invested more into the human factor. But unfortunately it didn’t. And that’s why it just remains as an insipid Indian concoction of Hollywood trailblazers. In short, the film does not epitomize an underlying purpose, a meaning, a message. It is an out and out action oriented film but with the magic having a very short spell over the spectators.
The deliberately created hype around Ra.One is its undoing. Of course it’s this hype that will pull the audience to the PVRs for some time (Yours truly included). However, what the film’s ultimate fate will be, considering the mixed reaction of the audience and the critics, whether it will be a revenue grosser or not, whether SRK will be indubitably elevated to the much coveted superherodom or have to just do with his present demi-god stature, are queries that only time will satisfy.
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