INSTEP Magzine

In the picture
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi ***
*ing Shahrukh Khan, Anushka Sharma and Vinay Pathak
Directed by Aditya Chopra
Tagline: There is an extraordinary love story in every ordinary jodi

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was slated to be the first ever Shah Rukh Khan film to be released in local cinemas, but the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks in November put an end to that. However, a camera print of the film is doing the rounds and though the print isn't that easy on the eyes, the film itself is. It's an easy breather, a light and enjoyable movie that casts Shah Rukh Khan in his romantic best. But that said, though one is confident of the pull SRK would have had in local cinemas, one wonders whether RNBDJ would have pulled in repeat crowds as Dostana did. Probably not.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi brings Aditya Chopra back to the director's seat eight years after Mohabbatein (2000) and 13 years after the superhit Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), both with Shah Rukh in the lead role, were released. And Rab Ne is also a typical Yash Raj romantic comedy, this time based on a couple living in Amristar. It is a simple love story of a common man, Surinder Sahni aka Suri (Shah Rukh Khan) whose life is just like any other ordinary man's life. He wakes up, grabs a bite, carries his lunchbox to the office, types on the computer, comes home, eats and sleeps.

Suri is married to Tania Gupta (Anushka Sharma), who feels she's in a loveless marriage. Tania was earlier engaged to someone who dies on their wedding day and then her father, who's a professor, sufferes a massive heart attack. Tania's father asks Suri, his longtime favorite student; to marry his daughter and the two agree on doing so.

Tania turns from a happy-go-lucky girl to a calm and quiet one after she loses her fiancé. She persistently tries on being a good wife but actually fails to be one. Suri, on the other hand, falls in love with her at the very first sight but is unable to express himself. Tania's mundane marriage life and Suri's utter shyness leads them to live in separate rooms and the two communicate only at the dinner table.

In the meanwhile, one sees the lovelorn Suri's heart breaking into pieces but he doesn't complain to his wife. Suri instead opens up to salon owner and best friend Balwinder "Bobby" Khosla (Vinay Pathak).
The conversations they have are probably the superlative scenes of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and this is when one realizes there is not a better Suri than Shah Rukh Khan himself. And there couldn't have been a better Bobby. The two light up the screen with stupefying performances, amusing jokes and the conversations they have about how Suri should win Tania's love' are witty one second and poignant the next. Shah Rukh Khan makes the audience bawl while talking about how he wants Tania to love him and makes one cackle hysterically the very next moment by cracking inane jokes. The two make a great team on screen and should be seen together often.

Meanwhile, Tania joins the Dancing Jodi competition to get away from her monotonous, droning and tedious marriage. On the other end, Suri and Vinay Pathak come up with a plan to make Tania fall for Suri and this is when the Raj enters.
But Raj is not another character; he is a metamorphosis of Suri himself; he is thunderous, pushy and aggressive. Suri is an introvert who dresses in loose pants and dull dress shirts and sports a moustache. Raj, on the flip side, has spiky hair and wears the most colourful clothes with matching shades. Tania fails to recognize Raj as Suri, due to his brilliant makeover. She feels Raj's traits are more in tune with hers and this leads them to become boogie partners.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi then takes a spin and for that to be revealed, grab a DVD of the film as soon as possible.

Seeing Raj dance makes one roll over the floor with hilarity. His blunt and sarcastic sense of humor adds spice to Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Shah Rukh's depiction as Suri, who has never spoken to "a ladies" in his life, is something one just cannot miss out on.
A sequence of events follow soon after; drunk Raj chatting away with a dummy, Suri's reckless fight with a Sumo wrestler, Raj's lopsided dancing, Tania's bike incident and Bobby's comical advices all add up to why Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is a significant hit.

The plot is simple and based on a few locations only and that is the beauty of the film. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is about love, period. There is no glitz and glamour in it and though half the film is based on dance, the routines themselves are simple and realistic. Third, the strong storyline and screenplay hold their own, proving glamour really isn't needed to make a romantic comedy.

The acting is outstanding; Shah Rukh's transformation from Suri to Raj and Raj to Suri reminds one as to why he is the king of Bollywood. Though one saw the same in Duplicate (he played the double act of Mannu and Bablu) and Om Shanti Om, his performance in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi only gets better.
Model turned actor Anushka Sharma plays a perplexed young girl living with a man she has no feelings for. Though the film revolves around Suri, Anushka does win you over and one can see a bright career ahead of her. Though many don't like her due to her standard looks, no one could have made a better Tania as Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is the love story of an everyday ordinary couple. And best of all - Anushka knows how to bop and bounce.

Rab Ne Bana Jodi is a fairy-tale love story and the music is just as beautiful. 'Haule Haule' is a catchy track and showcases King Khan dancing in the funniest manner. 'Tujh Main Rab' is a sugary love song and 'Dance Pe Chance Marle' is just as likable.

Apart from the performances, what sets Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi apart is that it's a family movie. The film doesn't have perverted jokes and doesn't revolve around sex, nudity or vulgar item numbers. A four year old could watch the film and enjoy it just as much as a forty year old.

After box office failures Tashan and the very distasteful Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi ended the year for Yash Raj Films with a bang. Though Bachna Ae Haseeno was good a film, it really wasn't a super hit wonder. Bachna Ae Haseeno recovered the money spent producing it but it ended there. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, on the other hand, is drawing in audiences thanks to the dance show theme that seems to have struck a chord in a country obsessed with them.

It also includes special appearances by five leading ladies of Bollywood; another reason to grab a DVD!
So, does Raj learn how to dance? Does Tania finally fall in love with Suri? Does she distinguish between Raj and Suri? Do they seperate due to their differences? Does Tania fall in love with Raj? Or does the Tania-Suri marriage remain loveless? Watch the film to find out and by the end, we guarantee you will fall head over heels in love with Suri!
– Anum Opel

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