So, incredible news first. I saw Om Shanti Om, first day last show. And in D row. That bit is incredible because until 30 mins before the show began, I had almost packed my bags to go home. Wasn't feeling great too - light headache and bodyache. But things turned out surprisingly differently and I had a great time watching the most publicised movie of all time.
Coming to the story itself, I knew it would be total timepass because after Main Hoon Na, if I learnt anything it was that Farah Khan can tell a story in an entertaining way. I find her movie making style very David Dhawan-like, but a couple of notches higher. And of course, Shahrukh over Govinda helps.
The story then is quite simple and very Karz inspired, and although she may have said she doesnt like remakes, one look at OSO is enough to convince you otherwise. So there is one Om who is a junior artiste and lives life happily with his best friend (Shreyas Talpade) and hyperactive mom (Kirron Kher, surprisingly over-the-top). Along the way he is also in love with superheroine dreamy girl Shantipriya (Deepika Padukone) with whom he chats via a poster and later after saving her from a fire (Sunil Dutt-Nargis anyone?), he chats with her in real life, asking the same silly questions (tum mujhse bore toh nahin ho rahi naa?). Enter baddie Arjun Rampal (well acted, for once) who turns out to be a producer and kills Shanti to save his studio and name by not getting Shanti to tell the world they are married and are about to have a baby.
Hero sees all. Hero is killed. Hero is reborn. Hero wants to turn the tables. Hero gets what he wants. End of story. That's the second half by the way.
Along the way, questions about the script arise but are not answered properly. Where did Shanti's duplicate come from suddenly? Why did baddie not put his foot down being a hotshot Hollywood director himself to SRK's obvious gameplan?
The first half is entertaining and keeps you engaged. Farah lets her viewers see the arcane world of moviemaking. Shahrukh is good as usual, his energy levels unsubsidised by his advancing age. And he had the six-pack to prove for it.
The surprise package is Deepika Padukone. She acts right, her facial expressions are great and is not the plastic models Bollywood imports from time to time in its movies. Here is someone who will go beyond Aishwarya in the movie making business. Top heroines, better start working harder now.
All in all, OSO is good, worth one watch, if nothing then for the spoof on Bollwood Farah so endearingly touches upon. Aamir Khan, Sooraj Barjatya, Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra and of course Manoj Kumar, take a bow.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Testing a New Captain for a brand new Team India
You have to feel sorry for Tendulkar. The poor guy is in subline touch and the (airhead) selectors dont know whom to turn to to give the thorn .. oops .. crown of Test captaincy to other than him.
I agree with the majority of ex-cricketers who say Dhoni should not be made Test captain. It would be too much for the Jharkhand lad. A genuine talent can go haywire if overwhelmed with so much responsibility. He will crack. And when he cracks, he will break, never to ve mended again, least of all by the selectors themselves, who will have moved on to the next available scapegoat in the team.
Dravid is being shuffled around - the current bunny (pun intended) of the selectors - who've found their latest bakra. Yuvraj (when he is not getting clicked with Beyonce withou knowing what RnB and hip-hop is .. err.. I know that because I saw their small photoshoot at Room 1122 in Grand Hyatt couple of weeks ago .. more on all that in some other post) is not a Test certainty with his tempemental technique, so he cant be made captain too.
The others in the team are just that - the others - not capable enough to be even considered. Sourav cant be considered as well because of his 'history' with the selectors - their love story which went horrendously wrong. Tendulkar well .. he was not handled properly by the selectors again. He should have been, as Ravi Shastri rightly pointed out, be approached when he was made vice-captain for the England series. He doesnt want to compromise on his batting at any cost and captaincy might hurt his chances of walking out in the sunset with a glow of runs behind him. And after serving the nation for close to two decades, God knows the man deserves at least that much.
The selectors, who've already made fools of themselves over the coach issure now find another monkey on their back. They have to act fast and they have to act wisely, not the brightest of points of the yawning oldies. But here I come to their help. The name is Kumble, Anil Kumble.
He has just given an interview saying he would be glad to lead India. He plays only Test matches now. He's already an Indian legend. He is respected by every team member. And he has learned a lot over the years which can finally be put to concrete use rather than let is rot away. And by the time he decides to call it quits, Dhoni would have been groomed properly to take over the delicate mantle from a wizened hand than the selectors' gaffe-prone butterfingers.
The question is - who will have the guts to stand up for the Karnataka leggie? Or will the selectors deliver another googly to Indian fans today? Will the captaincy go to Dhoni as being predicted or will there be some twist in the Great Indian Cricketing Tale. We'll have to wait and watch for the final outcome.
Fingers crossed.
I agree with the majority of ex-cricketers who say Dhoni should not be made Test captain. It would be too much for the Jharkhand lad. A genuine talent can go haywire if overwhelmed with so much responsibility. He will crack. And when he cracks, he will break, never to ve mended again, least of all by the selectors themselves, who will have moved on to the next available scapegoat in the team.
Dravid is being shuffled around - the current bunny (pun intended) of the selectors - who've found their latest bakra. Yuvraj (when he is not getting clicked with Beyonce withou knowing what RnB and hip-hop is .. err.. I know that because I saw their small photoshoot at Room 1122 in Grand Hyatt couple of weeks ago .. more on all that in some other post) is not a Test certainty with his tempemental technique, so he cant be made captain too.
The others in the team are just that - the others - not capable enough to be even considered. Sourav cant be considered as well because of his 'history' with the selectors - their love story which went horrendously wrong. Tendulkar well .. he was not handled properly by the selectors again. He should have been, as Ravi Shastri rightly pointed out, be approached when he was made vice-captain for the England series. He doesnt want to compromise on his batting at any cost and captaincy might hurt his chances of walking out in the sunset with a glow of runs behind him. And after serving the nation for close to two decades, God knows the man deserves at least that much.
The selectors, who've already made fools of themselves over the coach issure now find another monkey on their back. They have to act fast and they have to act wisely, not the brightest of points of the yawning oldies. But here I come to their help. The name is Kumble, Anil Kumble.
He has just given an interview saying he would be glad to lead India. He plays only Test matches now. He's already an Indian legend. He is respected by every team member. And he has learned a lot over the years which can finally be put to concrete use rather than let is rot away. And by the time he decides to call it quits, Dhoni would have been groomed properly to take over the delicate mantle from a wizened hand than the selectors' gaffe-prone butterfingers.
The question is - who will have the guts to stand up for the Karnataka leggie? Or will the selectors deliver another googly to Indian fans today? Will the captaincy go to Dhoni as being predicted or will there be some twist in the Great Indian Cricketing Tale. We'll have to wait and watch for the final outcome.
Fingers crossed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
