Of Om Shanti Om

Believe it or not, I just watched Om Shanthi Om. I know its late but I've been avoiding this highly awaited movie from Farah Khan for a long time now. I hated Main Hoon Na ... and i hated the way this woman directed. Yep, I'm one of those people.

Now about Om Shanthi Om. A few scenes after the interval I realized exactly what this movie was. I checked the internet and found no reference to it ... it seems no one has caught this. So for everyone out there and thinking that the movie is original with its final climactic twist : the movie aint original at all. This is a re-imagining (not a remake) of the 1958 Bimal Roy classic Madhumati starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjyanthimala. For those of you who dont know about this movie check it up on Wikipedia.

So ... its this old classic movie in a contemporary setting. Where have I heard that before ? Oh yes, RGV's Aag. I guess Farah didnt want to take the same chances by announcing that her "magnum opus" was also a remake.

Anywayz as everyone knows by now its a re-incarnation tale set in the high fly 70's of Bollywood with the reincarnated appearing in contemporary Bollywood. So there's a lot of glam and such and critics have called it a "homage" to the old 70's flick. Lets get this straight: its not a homage, it makes plain fun of it.

So the big question. Did I like the movie ? NO !

SRK is fine ... he does what he does best : spread his arms like an eagle for romantic comedy scenes and douse himself in blood for the action scenes. Sure thats corny but he does it well and any other actor would have made a fool of himself. Deepika is not worth all the critical acclaim everyone keeps showering on her, period. Arjn Rampal is pretty good which is saying something. the others are all set pieces remnant of previous SRK movies. The movie is glamorous. I'll give it that but thats all its got.

The first half is fine ... I seriously liked some of the comic scenes in the beginning ... they really made me laugh. But after that Farah brings in the same mindless comic and drama scenes she did in Main Hoon Na and this is especially obvious in the second half. And believe me, the second half is just no good.

So what is OSO in short ? Every reincarnation movie you've seen in Bollywood with the Madhumita storyline sandwiched within Farah's pathetic sense of humor. Watch it if you liked her earlier debacle but if you didnt like MNH you'll find solace knowing that OSO is a lot better than that. Atleast the first half.