INSTEP Magzine

In one word, Om Shanti Om is fun. It is a witty ode to Bollywood of the seventies, a sharp and comical take on 'item' songs that are such a rage in Indian movies these days. OSO is a spoof of superheroes and of Hollywood fascination that Bollywood has with it. It is a story line that delivers a modern tale on the ancient Indian belief of reincarnation.

Is it over-the-top and dramatic? Yes! But it clicks. Because ultimately, OSO is a film that entertains because of its slick execution, direction and of course, Shah Rukh Khan, the protagonist and producer of the film (although it credits Gauri Khan as the producer).

The biggest superstar in the world, SRK, understands what makes a film entertaining. And as a producer, this is SRK's finest accomplishment commercially and even critically.

Asoka, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Chalte Chalte and even Main Hoon Na had plenty of flaws. This film has minimum and that is certainly an achievement.

The film begins in the seventies, with Om Prakash Makhija (Shah Rukh Khan), a junior artist who is a dreamer. Along with his friend Pappu Master (Shreyas Talpade) Om dreams of winning a Filmfare, of making it big and of winning the heart of Shanti Priya (Deepika Paudkone), a 'superstarni' of Hindi films.

Other than Shanti, Om also finds producer Mukesh Mehra (Arjun Rampal) a total icon. As Om points out, Mukesh is stylish enough to be a hero himself. But there is more to Mukesh than what meets the eye.

Being filmi runs in Om's family. His father was a junior artist and so was his mother, Bela Makhija (Kirron Kher). And even though she is no longer an actress, she is just as dramatic as her son.

Om's chance meeting with Shanti, followed by a fatal accident and we enter present day where Om is born as Om Kapoor, the son of Ramesh Kapoor (Javed Sheikh).

And interestingly enough, Om Kapoor is the exact opposite of Om Prakash Makhija. He is cool, he is spoilt, and he is a famous actor who behaves like he owns the world, surrounded by babes and is a total dude with baggy chains, heavy bikes and the catchphrase, "what the fish".

Flashbacks occur and then begins the twist, the revenge, the justice for the past. That is, in a knot, what the story of OSO really is.

Om Shanti Om's real success lies in its presentation. In the first half, the attention to detail is fantastic. The costumes, the cars and even the way the songs are shot, it is a flashback of the seventies. And it is attractive enough to make you want to sit through in spite the long length. The film is shot with a landscape that is quintessential Bollywood, big sets, bigger dances and yet it is not Bhansali finesse.

The other winning point for this film is its comic timing. When Mukesh Mehra tells Om Kapoor, "Call me Mike, everyone in Hollywood does" to which Om in a throaty voice responds, "Call me OK, everyone in Bollywood does". Another funny take on how Hollywood has been on the mind of many actors in Indian cinema.

Such moments are present throughout and as a result, the film is not boring. Wait till you come to the Filmfare sequence where Om Kapoor is nominated for Main Bhi Hoon Na and Phir Bhil Dil Hai NRI, Abhishek Bachchan is nominated in Dhoom 5 where it is said that "Abhishek is neither a cop, nor has a babe and is not even in the film". Another nominee is Akshay Kumar for The Return of the Khiladi. The whole sequence is incredibly funny.

The third and perhaps most important reason why the film works, is its cast.
Shah Rukh is superb as Om Prakash and Om Kapoor. As Om Prakash, he is stupid and innocent and he really does look it and is not SRK at all. In the second half, he is the spoilt actor and in that role, SRK is delightful to watch.

Even as this may not be the defining role of SRK's career, it is certainly not as stagnant as his roles of Raj-Rahul that made him stereotypical over the years.

This has been a SRK year. If SRK was understated in Chak De India, here he is over-the-top and it is hilarious and highly entertaining.

Our very own Javed Sheikh makes a small but wonderful appearance in the film throughout. He first appears as a famous and a tad pompous hero of the seventies and pulls off the part with ease. Later on, he becomes the matured father of Om Kapoor. The role is not lengthy but it is effective and his scenes with SRK are soft, paternal and refreshing. Way to go!

Debutant Deepika Paudkone is a talented actress. Not only is she sexy and glamourous but she can act. Not since Vidya Balan and Kangana Ranaut has an actress come in Indian films who can be a babe and act too. She is a wonderful newcomer. And she works well with SRK. There is a definite spark between the two.

Shreyas Talpade, as the supportive friend, is fabulous. It is not a meaty role but it is a consistent role where Shreyas always manages to bring a smile to your face with his "Good lucks".

Kirron Kher is a class act and here she proves why she remains one of Indian cinemas finest actors. As Om's mother, she's impeccable. She is funny, emotional, cranky and makes the perfect choice to be the mother of Om, the dramatic son of Indian cinema.
And then there is the dashing Arjun Rampal. Arjun is an underrated actor. He still hasn't made it as a solo hero but with this film, Bollywood should take note of his talent. As a merciless, materialistic man who one loves to hate, Arjun is top notch.

Arjun looked good with SRK in Don and it seems that both actors are happy to be in each other's company. Even with his small role, Arjun is extremely effective.

And finally there is the music. It is not music that works on its own except for 'Ajab Si' and 'Jag Soona Soona' but it works because of its choreography and the way it has been shot.
'Deewangi Deewangi' which features some 30 actors is fantastic. It is a historical song that sees the Khans (minus Aamir), Sanju Baba, Kajol, Juhi and many others shake a leg. It is the father of all songs and I doubt the fact that anyone else will ever be able to put so many actors together in one frame except for Shah Rukh. You just have to see it because it will blow your mind! SRK and Tabu, SRK and Urmila, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Preity Zinta, Bobby Deol… it is absolutely incredible.

Another song that deserves mention for its picturisation is 'Dastan-e-Om Shanti Om'. The song right before climax, it is shot in a theatrical manner, summing up the movie, the movie within the movie and with so much colour that it just amazes one.

OSO is flying high these days and there is no reas0on why it shouldn't.

Farah Khan deserves applaud. Main Hoon Na was fun, OSO is funnier, slicker and a definite improvement.

In the spirit of Bollywood and of being entertained, get a copy of Om Shanti Om now. It is out… on a master print!

– Maheen Sabeeh

*YUCK
**WHATEVER
***GOOD
****SUPER
*****AWESOME

Bhansali and the Khans –
each woo their own audience in their own way

One would think if a movie has exquisite music and breathtaking sets, it would be a super hit at the box office, right? Unfortunately, maestro director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's latest creation didn't tickle the fancy of the masses, while Farah Khan and SRK's Om Shanti Om (OSO) did. Well, what did one expect? Om was made on purely commercial lines to appeal to the masses with mediocre music, Bollywood's reigning king and a light storyline.

Saawariya was a frame to frame picturesque delight set in a one act pantomime but with words, supported by soulful music. The bewitching Venetian style sets all with beautiful gondolas blended with a fantasy Indian multi-cultural society can only be savoured by the viewer.

Each frame is a complete picture in itself, with intricate details to be relished every time they are viewed. At times the viewer is reminded of Moulin Rouge as well as classic theatre, with the cast using the surroundings as props to make their character come to life. Nature - like rain, moonlight, sunlight, river - is played upon bringing the scenery to life and evoking a subtle emotion to the scene. Bhansali's touch can be felt everywhere in every scene and accolades to him for this visual and audio delight.

The storyline is a love story with a twist and in danger of becoming run of the mill, almost Bollywood style, but Bhansali's expert treatment rivets ones attention to the curves of the picture on screen, with the pictures coming out and taking on a life of their own. Like a Greek play, Saawariya plays with the complete emotional spectrum enhancing each hue with detail. Saawariya is based on Russian writer, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky's short story White Nights written in 1848 and Bhansali has done justice to it by retaining remnants and flavour of the original setting in the film, instead of completely Indianising it and destroying it. Each character is powerful making its presence felt, without becoming annoying. Even those characters that are off screen, like the heroine's 'Bari Amma', whose voice is only heard makes her characters presence felt; the viewer feel the trepidation that 'Sakina' (Sonam Kapoor) the heroine feels every time she rushes home whenever she is summoned.

While the on screen cast is limited to a handful of characters, each one is very real. The bold and loud overly made up and seductive call girl, 'Gulab Ji' played by Rani Mukherji is an extremely powerful character, and its glibness is becoming. She is the conscience in a way of the sinning hero
Salman Khan's presence is felt throughout the film, although he is the second hero with a short role…but Bhansali has extracted a complete character from the short appearance of his good friend. Saawariya should be watched not so much as a Indian movie, but a treat to see some cinematographical magic taking place, because if you want to be just entertained, Saawariya is not meant for that. You should opt for OSO.

While this may not be the place, but one cannot speak so much about Saawariya and not comment a little on the 'rival' more viewer-savvy flick Om Shanti Om. It goes without saying that there is no comparison between the two movies; one is a masterpiece in cinematography, while the other is a wholesome entertaining enjoyable film, exactly what the director intended it to be. Saawariya's music surpasses that of OSO in every way, the musical score of which just doesn't do it. It lacks musical strength as compared to Saawariya song but pleasant complimenting the story, and they are visually interesting because of the delicious 70s exploited in many songs, and the appearance of scores of Indian stars in one - apart from that OSO's music is not its strong point. But the story is a full Bollywood masala movie; with actual spices of the Indian cinema world. It has everything: screaming outfits, loud sets, love, happiness, tragedy, treachery, death, reincarnation, murder, revenge, thrilling action, mystery and horror and the twisters (twist would have been too mild a word for the turns that the movie takes) are unpredictable yet predictable, keeping you glued to the screen because your usual estimates of Indian storyline are proved wrong every time you think you've nailed the storyline finally. OSO could be called a tribute to Indian cinema over the years, and it deserved to top the box office. The reader maybe suffering from a severe bout of illogicality of the content of this piece, but the fact is that OSO should be complimented for being a complete entertainer - a most weekend watch when you want to unwind after a stressful week.

Indian cinema has to evolve to accept and fully appreciate the likes of Saawariya. It would have been a great disappointment had it taken the box office by storm. The lukewarm reception it received and OSO's success reveals that the Indian cinema is not ready for Saawariya, yet. But this film is sure to become a bible for reference so to speak for every director who wants to learn the art of making a beautiful film - a masterpiece.

– Lubna Jerar Naqvi