Friday, November 09, 2007

Om Shanti Om.... A First Day, First Take...

Author’s note: This review is NOT a spoiler like many other reviews I came across on the web. Reviewers, grow up! Giving a review doesn’t mean telling the story scene by scene. Duh!

Let’s begin to talk about Om Shanti Om now…

Farah Khan's second directorial venture is a classic tribute to the seventies era of the Indian film industry. Innovative beginning of the movie, excellent choreography, sets with an old world charm, witty use of melodrama to spice up the scenes and an unprecedented use of the stardom of the stars of yester-years to boost the pictorial value of a new release- make the film a sure winner.

Om Shanti Om is a visual treat. This film is also a superb cacophony of all the plausible favourites of bollywood from Rishi Kapoor, to Mithunda, to Amitabh Bachchan gathered together in one big, charming party. The story, of course is beautifully revolved around the panorama of the hindi film industry and a mix of more hit stories than one.

The song Mein Agar Kahoon is definitely an interesting watch. It reveals the old world functioning of the sets in bollywood studios. Farah Khan has captured the romanticism of old time hindi cinema brilliantly by including night scenery with faint neon blue tinge, a full moon slowly rising up, a still car and moving background scenery and much more such cinematic props in the song.

Audience not only sees the ravicious beauty of debutant actress Deepika Padukone, Shahrukh's king stardom, the candid acting of Shreyas Talpade, but the wonder and hard work that Hindi film industry was, in this song. Also, this film gives Arjun Rampal his due, he has put forth perhaps his best performance till date in this movie.


As it was with Mein Hoon Na, even in Om Shanti Om, Farah Khan shows excellent human relation skills by acknowledging the work of one all. In an engrossing credit sequence after the film, everyone, from spot boys, to hair dressers, to cameramen, to producers and the actors is acknowledged on a red carpet in the true glamorous style of Bollywood. Om Shanti Om is a very predictable, and yet an extremely watchable film. You need to see it, to feel the grandeur and charm of Hindi film Cinema which Farah Khan has captured beautifully.

-Gauri Gharpure


11 comments:

Gaurav Bhardwaj said...

Hey...thanks for all the comments on my blog!!...Really nice review of 'Om Shanti Om'...and yeah I have added you to my blogroll!!

Gaurav
http://theantisensestrand.wordpress.com/

Parama said...

Nice review.It's really inspired me to see the film.

Iris said...

Hey Gauri, thanks for visitng my blog.
Haven't seen om shanti om yet, but enjoyed reading your review here:-)

biswadip mitra said...

Good review. Keep it up.
I am not a reviewer but a reader. Some of the reviews give away everything while others don't.
For me, some idea about the storyline helps since I never go to watch the STUFF they dish out from Bollywood.

I am waiting for posts from you on what's happening in West Bengal vis-a-vis Nandigram.

Gauri Gharpure said...

thnks for the comment.. yes, ve been thinking of writing abt the nandigram issue... but wht to write, and how? i m in a fix of constant idealogical and political banters from the household, so too too tough for me to get a clear pic from the journalistic point of view.

I need to sit down, and get a lot of reading done before i can make an independent view worthy of putting across on this blog.

Dipti said...

fantastic review, i loved oso.

you're right about the fact that a review doesn't mean you tell the story !! yes we have f***All reviewers working these days. anyway.. what a fantastic movie..loved it beginning till the end.. srk is my favourite.. the songs were lovely.. even an otherwise boring song (to listen to) was made to look soooo watchable..i don't remember the name of that song but it was the one in which deepika danced with snil dutt and jeetendra. brilliant..

main agar kahoon is by far the most beautiful.. deeangi-deewangi was a treat... and of course dard e disco was almost orgasmic with srk's abs... *drooool*. yeah he's become a little old but what the heck, still my fav.

you're right about arjun rampal's performance...i think that character suited him the best. very classy act...

even kirron kher was wonderful .. as usual. she is very funny..

ps -nice blog btw! and thanks for commenting on mine.

cheers! :)

Arwindh said...

hi..nice review..

thanks for dropping by my blog and the comments...

guess..we cud add each others blog in blog roll..please let me know..

Arwindh said...

and regarding sivaji..
its now being remade in Hindi..
so wait a few months to watch one nice film!!

Kabir said...

hii..was surprised to read OSO's review on ur blog... our reviews kinda match, check out my blog too ..lol.... gud one thee unlike the cliched review articles... Keep reviewing gud n bad movies... Peace Out!

Venkat S Murthy said...

even i liked the movie,
i felt tht it was entertaining,

have a look at 'true khiladi" on this link ,
http://murthykurapati.blogspot.com/

Musab Abid said...

Seems I'm the only one who's going to disagree with you here....All the plusses of the movie that you've mentioned in your review are bang on, but I just can't get over the fact that the movie, specially the first half, was plain boring. Different people, different opinions I guess. And thanks for visiting my blog!