Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Review: Old School Sanskaar Meets New Age Salman Khan

Not everyone can like Sooraj Barjatya. It’s not easy. But, not everyone can really dispute the fact that he is good at what he does. Yes, he takes familial values to astronomical heights, he is too sanskaari and painfully old school in matters of romance, he is too engrossed into the lessons from Ramayana, and he is obsessed and surprisingly comfortable with lengthy soundtracks and lengthier run time. But, he is also extremely successful in retelling stories with same moral messages again and again, he is very aware of his strengths and has never really yet bored us to death with any of his films (given the template in question, death by boredom is a distinct possibility).

Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Hum Saath Saath Hain are films weaved by the same thread, but I bet you can distinguish between them even while you are asleep. And I also bet that you watch all these films on TV every now and then. On lazy Sundays. From interval point, 20 minutes before the credits roll or half an hour after the film has started – does not really matter. It’s lazy fun.

No, this article is not an ode to Sooraj Barjatya. But, I thought it was pertinent to quash the prejudice that surrounds him and his body of work. With Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Barjatya achieves nothing spectacular but still manages to hold your attention for good 3 hours. That’s not a mean feat.

Of course, he is hugely aided by a certain Salman Khan who seems to be finally enjoying himself as an actor. Salman is affable as the quintessential Prem even after all these years. Barjatya does a smart job of squeezing out a dual act from him wherein Salman blends the histrionics of Prem with the goofiness of a simpleton with utmost ease. He is charming, restrained, emotive and effective. First Bajrangi Bhaijaan and now this. Salman, it seems, is suddenly a good actor.

To begin with, the backdrop of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is extremely opulent and lavish. From his typical happy Indian family, that eats, prays and sleeps together (err, did that sound wrong?), Barjatya moves to a big, fat royal family that houses a lonely prince Vijay Singh (Salman Khan) who shares uneasy relationship with his siblings. Enter princess Maithali (Sonam Kapoor) and a large-hearted simpleton from Ayodhya (yes, this is a new high in Rajshri’s obsession with Ramayana) Prem (again Salman Khan). Expectedly, there is a lot of song and dance, much of it meaningless, and the sinister plans of the palace insiders begin to fail and the broken bonds start to heal.

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is different from a typical Rajshri film in some superficial ways. There are some well-shot action sequences, perhaps keeping in mind the current image of Salman, and a lazy attempt to infuse an ingredient of thrill and suspense. That Barjatya is no Abbas Mustan is clear but you got to credit the man for slightly tweaking his otherwise stubborn template. And yes, talking of how PRDP is not-so-typical, there is no official wedding in the film, there is no Samdhi-Samdhan bonding, women are not always in the kitchen (guess what, they are playing football!) and Mohnish Behl and Alok Nath are missing. Okay, I actually kind of missed Alok Nath.

In the acting department, Sonam Kapoor takes time to settle into the shoes of a Barjatya heroine. She looks a little odd while trying her hand at all the ‘shy stuff’ to begin with but eventually Rajshri parampara gets better of her. The actress does well in a couple of emotional scenes and her chemistry with Salman Khan is quite natural. Neil Nitin Mukesh as the half-brother and bete noir of Salman looks as odd as how litti chokha would look in a Gujarati Thali. Armaan Kohli as the cunning palace insider does a good job. So does Anupam Kher in the role of a loyal confidante of the royal family. Swara Bhaskar, as Salman’s step-sister, looks uncomfortable in unfamiliar territory but same can’t be said for Deepak Dobriyal, who does a neat job as Salman’s friend.

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is pulled down by a crazy runtime that bothers you at places if not bores you completely. The film also has a lot of unnecessary songs with weird lyrics – there is a song talking about Gujiya and Mathri. I would be keen to find out if the lyricist Irshad Kamil got a certain brief from Barjatya to write these tacky songs or was he himself undergoing some sort of poetic menopause. To Kamil’s and music director Himesh Reshammiya’s credit, there are a couple of hummable songs in an otherwise lackluster soundtrack. The title song, with its signature step being the latest fad for Dubsmash-ers, is very well shot, so has been the romantic track Jalte Diye. But, apart from these two songs, there’s nothing much in the soundtrack that features 10 songs!

In addition to the above mentioned loopholes, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is also riddled by a lackluster screenplay that seems to have suffered at the cost of all the grandiose and bling. Somehow the ‘simplicity’ of Rajshri films seems to have been a bit compromised, what if there are some added toppings on offer.

Overall, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is far from flawless and not close to being Sooraj Barjatya’s best work. Yet, the film stays afloat due to an in-form Salman Khan and some old school sanskaar. Watch it on a lazy and jobless Sunday afternoon. You might just like it.

Rating: *** (3 out of 5 – Good)

Bajrangi Bhaijaan Review: Salman Doesn't Play Himself and It Works

Salman Khan is Rambo meets Rajinikanth with a sprinkle of Robin Hood for Bollywood loving populace. The damned shirt that he wears, rips itself off his chiseled body, Munnis swoon over his dance moves, leading ladies blush every time he cracks a not-so-funny joke and most importantly the bad men remember their grannies by a mere mention of our great Indian messiah of the masses. So, it is almost unthinkable to imagine the same irrepressible Salman Khan as a simpleton who is so earnest, sweet and well-behaved that you may consider pinching yourself. Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan takes a great gamble by projecting Salman as not himself but as somebody that he can perhaps never be (in real life) – and boy, the gamble pays, and pays well!

Let me remind you that Salman Khan as a simple and sweet guy is not a discovery of Kabir Khan. Salman of 90s was a shy but charming hero, most notably as portrayed in Sooraj Barjatya films, but it is the Salman of the post Wanted era that the audiences have lapped up with both their hands. The macho image of Bhai who is ‘Dabangg’ enough to ‘Kick’ his enemies but his also ‘Ready’ to have a bit of fun has done wonders to Salman’s career which was going through a rough patch in the mid 2000s. It is in this regard that Bajrangi Bhaijaan is both a clever and risky film for Salman Khan.

Khan plays Pavan Kumar Chaturvedi aka Bajrangi in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, a sweet buffoon who is a great devotee of Lord Hanuman but is actually good for nothing in life. But his life changes when he bumps into a 6-year old Pakistani girl Munni/Shahida (played by the cutest girl child ever – Harshaali Malhotra) who has lost her way in India. Overcoming his initial reluctance and apprehension, Pavan finally decides to take the little girl all the way to Pakistan all alone and that too without any Visa or passport! Did you just imagine Bhaijaan punching the soldiers in green in their face, driving through the roads of Karachi in his sports bike, shooting and mowing bad souls who come in the way? Well, nothing of that sort happens. And, yes I just devoted a paragraph to describe the story of a Salman Khan film! Bajrangi Bhaijaan DOES have a good story!

Bajrangi Bhaijaan’s greatest strength is its simplified, or say oversimplified approach and treatment. Our hero, Bajrangi, is a devout Hanuman bhakt so he never lies, not even to the Pakistani officers who are questioning his presence in their country. Bajrangi is a noble soul, a sweetheart, so he never unnecessarily runs into Pakistani police or army, unlike Sunny Deol of Gadar. In fact, most of the times, Bajrangi is avoiding confrontation, folding hands, greeting people, sharing happiness! Ah! Say hello to new Salman Khan!

Kabir Khan tries to juxtapose formula with social messaging and mostly succeeds. In fact, his simplistic resolutions to Indo-Pak bitterness, religious orthodoxy reminds you of the unbelievable but enjoyable social problem solutions provided by Rajkumar Hirani and his team in PK and 3 Idiots. Kabir Khan does not have the finesse of a Hirani but he is good with the limited scope of story and screenplay which is at disposal. Most interestingly, he manages to extract ‘acting’ of some sorts out of Salman Khan who easily delivers one of the most important performances of his ‘acting’ career. Salman may not be a revelation in the film, he has never been one throughout his career, but he is clearly earnest, sweet and more ‘human’.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan is also catapulted by a strong support cast led by Nawazuddin Siddiqui who plays Chand Nawab, a small time reporter in Pakistan. Nawazuddin brings in his unique brand of humor and a certain earthiness to the entire proceedings. Kareena Kapoor Khan is relegated to a bit role and it is sad to see her play an almost third fiddle in the film. Sharat Saxena and Rajesh Sharma are effective in their support roles but the star of the show is the little girl, Harshaali Malhotra. The girl is brilliant given her tender age and the fact that she has no dialogues to deliver. Her pretty face, lovely smile and occasional tears smoothen the film’s blurred edges and evaporate the audiences’ fatigue, if any. The bonding of Pavan and Munni/Shahida is another high point of Bajrangi Bhaijaan. It is one of the finest rendition of ‘child and his/her protector’ relationship that we have seen in Hindi films of late.

The film’s music (Pritam) is average and some of the songs add little value to the narrative. The film could have easily been trimmed by at least 15-20 minutes to make it more sleek and edgy. Nonetheless, the overall length of the film (154 minutes) never really catches on to your nerves because the narrative is nicely woven into different sequences and sub-plots. The cinematography (Aseem Mishra) captures the essence of Kashmir, Delhi and Rajasthan perfectly and the recreation of the Pakistani hinterland seems to be believable.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan may not be perfect and you may wonder at times that how can somebody be ‘so good’ or ‘so foolish’. But, Salman’s films have always been about the make-believe world. For a change, this is a Salman Khan film that does not ‘force’ you to believe, it simply makes its point in an uncomplicated manner, and you are almost swooned into the utopian world of a simpleton. It has its heart at the right place, emotions tucked in large quantities (keep tissue papers handy), and intentions mostly gentle and nice.

Watch Bajrangi Bhaijaan because it is one of the better Salman Khan films in a long long time. Yes, this one is not just about the affable Bhai but also has a lot of ‘jaan’ or life of its own. Recommended!

Rating: ***1/2 (Very Good)

'Kick' Review: Watch it (Only) for Some Moments of Madness

Let me put out a disclaimer first up. Before catching the midnight show of Kick, I coincidentally watched Salman Khan's 1999 hit Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam on TV. This review may, therefore, be a little biased in favor of Khan, whom I absolutely adored in the aforementioned SLB film.

There is little doubt that there used to be a good Salman Khan, all throughout the 90s and at least through the first half of the first decade of the new millennium. And then, he was hit by a formula that worked - formula of remaking action-comedies from down south. The dividends gained were super rich, superstardom achieved in the process was almost Rajnikanth-like. It is in this context that Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and several other films of the 90s make you miss the real Salman Khan. Anyways, lets not take anything away from the new-age, muscle-flexing, bone-cracking, train-stopping bhaijaan who has now become a legend in his own right.

So, does Kick carry forward the new-found larger than life image of Salman Khan? Oh yes, it does and in fact goes the extra mile in mystifying the superhero Khan image who can do anything and everything possible on earth. Okay, not just on the earth but the entire universe. So, you have comic strips of the 'Kick Puttar' writing with both of his hands, working on a laptop upside down, riding a bicycle on rooftop railing, and doing much more that only possibly son of Jaadu can do.

Kick celebrates the legend, and the life and times of Salman Khan. Every single frame and scene of the film worships the superpowers of Khan without formally proclaiming him as God's messenger. All of this mad fixation and obsession with Khan would have made for a delightful cinema experience; after all we have whistled in the past for Chronicles of Bachchan and Rajnikanth; if only the makers of this film would have settled for a bit of method in their madness.

The writing and editing of the film is pedestrian, almost cringe-worthy. There are so many unanswered questions at the end of the film that you will not bother to remember them. And yes, you will wonder how can writers (Rajat Arora, Chetan Bhagat, Keith Gomes and Sajid Nadiadwala- who also happens to be the unworthy director) take your wisdom for granted and offer you such a substandard product in the age when every film is scrutinized with the precision of a hawk's eye. Also, in its zest of showing more and more of Bhaigiri the film is somewhat never-ending. It goes on and on without caring for your aching brain and back.

But nonetheless, in between the nearly three-hour long 'test of patience', there are some genuine moments of madness. Some scenes that make you realize that Salman is a born entertainer and if given an opportunity, he can actually make you laugh like a hyena. Special mention should be made for his hilarious yet effortless dance moves on 'Saat Samandar' and 'Party All Night'. There is also a scene where Salman lands up in jail and enacts a laugh riot with the inimitable Sanjay Mishra as the inspector-in-charge. But rest assured, these moments are rare and few, and you will need to really wait for them. And when these moments come, make sure you grab them with both your hands and feet.

There is no need for you to bother about the story, the plot or the climax, because there is hardly any. Randeep Hooda is efficient as the super cop, Jacqueline Fernandez looks pretty and gets substantial screen time, given that it is a Salman Khan film. Nawazuddin Siddiqui tries hard to come across as a menacing villain, but ends up tickling your funny bones instead.

All in all, Kick will give you a kick if you are ready to wait and have patience. And also, if you are ready to make the most of the 'moments of madness'.

Okay, at the end of the film, you will also wonder if you have adjusted your patience and acceptance levels (with regards to a Bollywood film) in the last few months/years. Or if now, you expect the least from Salman Khan these days. Go, take your Eidee and also think a little.

Rating: **1/2 (Average)

Ra.One: Needle for Naysayers

First, the fact that an 'intellectual' minority is aggrieved and agitated by the thunderous promotional spree that Ra.One is currently on, ascertains that the film and its makers are moving in the right direction. Promotions, after all, are not just to woo your core target audience and the concurring lines surrounding them, but also to shock, infuriate and startle those 'select few' who would never wish you good luck, come what may. These 'critics' (the term has lost all its dignity off late) are not just pessimists, sadists and frustrated but are also driven by a biased notion that has no rational foundation. They see a film through a prism of prejudice and presumption. Presumption that they have the right to discard and disintegrate someone's hard work, devotion and dream. So, going by the kind of uneasiness film's trailers and its massive promotions has created amongst the 'cynics', Ra.One is well on its course to hop on a sky-penetrating rocket, this Diwali.

Second, charming, hard working and successful men have always aroused strong emotions of jealously and hatred amongst others. Shah Rukh Khan, apart from all the above mentioned qualities, also possesses a very sharp tongue and a brilliant mind. This makes him a thorn in flesh for those who can not withstand dazzle of a star or shine of a diamond. When the otherwise subtle Aamir Khan went into promotional overdrive for his films Ghajini and Three Idiots, it was termed as the 'stroke of a genius'. But, when SRK, the father of all promotions and marketing extravaganza, promotes Ra.One, it's being called a gimmick. Why the cynics forget that Aamir's promotional drive was inspired, if not imitated, from Shah Rukh Khan School of Economics? When an Aamir can cut hair in salon, travel across India in disguise, why can't SRK visit major cities for promotion, or launch a happy meal at McDonald's?

It is ridiculous how quickly the naysayers change their colors. I wonder, they would beat chameleons, if a 3C ('Color Changing Competition) was ever held in this world. For them, Ra.One's first teaser (April) was 'naive' and way too ambitious for someone like SRK. They stayed up whole night google-ing similarities between Ra.One and superhero flicks from West. Their response to Chammak Challo (the leaked version) was cautious. They could not quash the efforts of a well-known international singer. According to them, it was 'OK', but they again blamed Khan for leaking the music on the net!

From the first one-minute teaser to the recent post-Dusshera trailer, the reactions of naysayers have changed from 'Ra.One-is-going-to-be-biggest-disaster-ever' types to 'Special-Effects-look-good-and-anyways-its-Hindi-cinema-which-will-benefit-in-the-longer-run' . Why do cynics always jump to conclusions? Why can not they give a chance to someone who has invested his soul in some project? Every moviegoer reserves the right to love/hate Ra.One post its release. But to deride a film and efforts of an actor, well before its display, smacks of jealousy. Or lets say, it indicates how resentfully or painfully they are desirous of someone's advantages and gains.

Ok, let's not waste more words on naysayers. I will just drop some hints/identifications, that would help you recognize such creatures and beware of them. Because, cinema, after all, demands your reactions, and your reactions must be free of influences.

• These people would, in all probability, experience orgasms while watching an Aamir Khan film.
• Their reaction to Salman Khan's Dabangg or Bodyguard would be 'he is like this only, what else do you expect?' or 'he is a mass entertainer who makes masala films'. They would not criticize Salman's filmography, come what may. (They fear rebuttal from massive fan following of the muscular Khan)
• Psuedo-intellectuals that they are, they would only appreciate Shah Rukh Khan's Swades or may be 'kabhi haan Kabhi Naa'.
• They would tell you not to trust film critics. They will give you their numbers. 'Call me before going for a movie.'
• They will comfortably shuffle between critical and commercial aspects of a film to determine its success. The shuffle is entirely their discretion, so collections are relevant for '3 Idiots' or even 'Bodyguard' but not for 'Om Shanti Om'.
• They will have no concrete reason to hate Shah Rukh Khan, but still they will hate him. They find it 'cool'. 
• If they will fall short of logic while debating about SRK, they will mention Karan Johar.
• These people would watch K3G, DDLJ, RNBDJ on weekends but never admit it.
• And lastly, if you manage to win over them and force them to admit all the above mentioned 'traits', they would switch to Hollywood. Sigh.

Films and actors are not just about fans and non-fans. There must be a line that separates criticism from cynicism , dislike from grudge and lies from truth. Ra.One may or may not be a great film. But decide only after you watch it. Be honest to those 200 odd bucks that you spend, to that 70 mm screen that you so often look up to and to that 45-year old man who has been entertaining you for the last 2 decades.


P.S.: This is neither a 'Hate Post' nor a 'Fan Post'. I call it the 'Needle Post'. Needle for the Naysayers.

Film Review: Ready

Morning shows the day. Whosoever said this, must have been a man/woman with great wit and intelligence. When all the supposed Special appearances of Ready winded up within first 15 minutes of the film, I knew I was being taken for a ride. There was no logic whatsoever to cram Sanjay Dutt, Arbaaz Khan, Ajay Devgan, Kangana Ranaut and that Katrina Look alike (she finally has flab at right places) in the initial reels of the film. Cameos and special appearances are supposed to be ‘significant’ for the film, they are supposed to add some value. Only Zarine Khan had something to do as she sizzled in the character dheela number while Ajay and Sanjay looked completely out of place. I instantly got a feeling, Salman Khan, family (Arbaaz and Sohail, the producer) and friends (Sanjay, Kangana, Zarine) have made this film for fun, they must have had a gala time shooting in picturesque island of Sri Lanka.

So how is Ready? Firstly, it’s not just a no-brainer but actually a non-film, a tangy docu-drama, whose sole purpose is to glorify and further glorify the Larger than life image of Salman Khan, the lead protagonist. Nothing wrong with it. Salman Khan is a mega-star who is perhaps going through the purple patch of his career. In fact, he does give that periodic feeling of Vintage Salman. I mean only he can pee on a hay stack and ask you to go into interval and look cunningly at the audiences every time after getting hold of Asin’s Body. He plays it to the gallery and deserves all the sities and taalis. But…

There are several moments in the film when you feel like holding the director (Anees Bazmee) by his collar and ask him, “WHY”? This man has been dishing out rotten potatoes to the movie-goers for years now. I have seen good side of him (Deewangee, Pyar To Hona Hi Tha), he can be a master at comedy too (No Entry) but off late he seems to be driven by moolahs only. What explains his precarious decision of working on three films simultaneously (No Problem, Thank You, Ready). Even Ram Gopal Verma would be ashamed of such audacity. Bazmee virtually made No Entry Part 2 in form of Thank You (by the way, No Entry 2 is still on!), now he picks up Welcome’s script, replaces Bhais with mamas, expands the family on both sides and makes Ready! Outrageous.

Ready has no story to write about. There are simply too many characters. Salman has three uncles (sorry two if you do not count Paresh, his adopted uncle), each uncle has a wife. He has a father too, who also has a wife. Then there are two maids in his house, a Guruji and his accomplice. Asin’s family tree is worse. She has two Mamas, respective mamis, a rowdy cousin and the entire goon clan of the Chaudharies, as they call themselves.Thankfully, her parents are dead.

The entire first half is wasted in establishing the characters. Story and screenplay not just have loopholes but huge potholes. Talented actors like Paresh Rawal, Sharat Saxena, Akhilendra Mishra, Manoj Pahwa and Mahesh Manjerekar (he repeats Suneil Shetty's Act in Awara Pagal Deewana) have been terribly wasted. Only Sudesh Lahiri (of Comedy Circus fame) manages to tickle your bones. I have a feeling that director or the script writer contributed little to his achievements, his stint at Comedy Circus and his own sense of comedy saved the day for him. Asin Thottumkal needs to pay attention to her skin. Her face appears to be pimplified through out the film. For acting part, she is her natural self, vibrant in whatever little she has got to do.

Salman is the only savior. I am sorry, this film was made to show him as the savior. His screen presence his fantastic, you can not take your eyes off him when he is around. He throws some quirky one-liners (Its hilarious when he starts singing Chaudhary ka chand ho), packs some double meaning dialogues too. He is in top form, doing virtually everything possible in front of the audiences.

Music (by Pritam) is Ready's highpoint. Dhink chika and Character Dheela are chartbusters and other songs too suit the mood of the film. There is nothing special about Sunil Kumar's and Thomas Xavier's cinematography. As far as the story and script are concerned, well, JFI (Just Forget It).

I am not a Cinema scholar who tears apart every commercial cake thats on offering. But there should be a limit to what you offer in the name of fultoo entertainer or paisa vasool. The sad part is that makers of Ready seem to be arrogant and non-sensitive, in the way, they serve out this non-sense. Sheer star power of Salman Khan seems to have gone on to their heads rather than the actor himself.

Akshay Kumar too had a similar streak of success some years back. Salman Khan is different from him in the sense that he enjoys much larger and far more loyal fan following. It wont be an exaggeration if I say he is turning to be Rajnikanth of North. Wanted and Dabangg were the perfect fodder, but Ready flatters to deceive.

Final Verdict: You will be disappointed if you expected Ready to be the first big entertainer of the year. You will be exasperated if you thought Ready would give you a relief from scorching heat and overdose of cricket.

I would not state the cliche: The film is strictly for the die-hard Salman fans. 

My Rating: * 1/2 (Poor)

Salman Khan: A Star Away from Galaxy

While I was coming back from my office to home in the yellow-green Delhi Auto (I love this color combination!), my gaze fell on a small sticker pasted above the rear view mirror. I had seen posters of this man on almost all the autos, taxis, buses, small shops, in short in every nook and corner where India resides. The autowalah saw me looking at the sticker and put across a query " Bhaiya, Are you going for 'Ready' this Friday?". The exemplary glee and pride in his voice was evident.

That's the unique charm, charisma and mass appeal of this extremely good looking and 'somewhat' talented superstar of Hindi Cinema- Salman Khan. With uncountable flops to his credit and a not so sober image, Salman still manages to catch the imagination of the great Indian Aam Aadmi. But what exactly makes this Super-brat click? Where does he stand in front of the other two Khans..? Well, lets diagnose..

Salman Khan is not an actor, let's face it. He is a mere performer, a terrific one. His strength lies in being himself, not pretending (even remotely) to be someone else. Salman connects with the audience because, he does things that an ordinary young man fantasizes to do. So he rips apart his shirt and flaunts his muscular body, cracks jokes on farting, laughs very naturally, plays guitar on the seaside, dances with firangi girls on the beach, crushes the enemy with utmost ease and flamboyance. And ofcourse, woos women by singing romantic songs, dressing up in designer tees et al.

The audience also sees the 'rebel' in him. A guy who has broken law on many occassions, but is good at heart nevertheless. A friend of friends and a bitter enemy (Ask King Khan for both the aspects). The world also has a soft corner for him as he is perceived to be a man who has been betrayed in love time and again. So, the common perception implies that Aishwarya left her after climbing the success ladder, so did Katrina (if at all).

While SRK and Aamir are more like Businessmen, Salman is the people's man. The two of more illustrious Khans are shrewd intellectuals, very conscious of their image, the films that they do and how they behave in public. Off late they have presented themselves more like producers than Stars. They mean business, they deal in huge numbers.

Salman is a touch different, he walks in a friend's film just like that and research & preparation are two terms alien to him. Directors who know to tap Salman's " being self" talent, have succeeded in dishing out hits. Rest of them have just used him for no use effectively.

The original macho man of Indian Cinema, Salman Khan's career is very interestingly poised. His raw appeal seems to be working with masses but the urban audience might have developed a disconnect.His way forward heavily depends on films that he does post Dabangg, because there can't be many Wanteds and Dabanggs. He has already cashed upon trash masala stuff , the challenge is to go a step beyond and walk in a new lane. The question is what exactly can he offer us through 'Ready'?

Just for thought.- Have you seen anyone dance better than Salman Khan in 'Munni Badnam' ? Thats DANCE for you, rest of them I call as CHOREOGRAPHY.

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Don't miss Review of Ready on June3-4.

Why is Ra.One Crucial?

You must have seen stars in the sky. On a clear dark night, they look like diamonds, carelessly scattered on a huge carpet. Ever wondered what may be the life span of these stars, will they shine forever or gradually diminish into oblivion? What are the traits of an ageing star? Is the brightest one in the sky, an ageing star? Does an ageing star shine vigorously? Or it simply flickers to keep its relevance intact in the sea of other shiny objects?

Shah Rukh Khan is one such star. At 45, he is not getting any younger and can definitely not play another Raj. Last 2-3 years have been ‘lean’ for Shah Rukh, given his own high standards. His last outright blockbuster was Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008), which got a bit overshadowed in the company of Aamir's Juggernaut called Ghajini. SRK’s My Name is Khan got him rave reviews and the film raked moolahs internationally. But it certainly did not set new records in domestic circuit. Apart from Aamir's meteoric rise, a certain hysteria called Salman Khan is busy in reviving his career. His popularity amongst masses has strengthened considerably and he is looking like King of rural milieu.

But I am not much into number game. It is not the threat of Aamir Khan or Salman Khan that worries me, as a Shah Rukh Khan loyalist. My expectations from Ra.One go way beyond the traditional ‘who is the no.1 or which film is the highest grosser’ rhetoric.

                                                  

I remember one of my colleagues in office drawing an interesting but alarming observation regarding Shah Rukh Khan. He showed to me a slideshow, which traced gradual change in looks of King Khan from 90’s to the recent times. The last picture of the slideshow showed a frail, extremely weak and tired Shah Rukh Khan, with prominent wrinkles on his face. My colleague, who himself is a SRK fan, signed off by saying “I fear he would end up like Michael Jackson when he is 50”. His last words left a deep impact on my mind. Shah Rukh Khan is a workaholic and a chain smoker, a deadly combination to have in your life.

Ra.One can act as the much needed boost Shah Rukh Khan needs in his professional and personal life. Everyone knows that industry’s leading actor is somewhat a lonely man (by his own confession), with a very few friends around. He is happiest when he does well professionally. It is in this regard that Ra.One as a film is very crucial.

• The movie aspires to explore a territory that has been least explored in Hindi Films. Superhero films are very few in number and there is always a question mark over their potential to set the cash registers ringing. If there is a Krish, there was one Drona too. Also, mammoth success of Robot has raised the bar for Ra.one. Both in terms of box-office fate and overall technicality and special effects.
•  The think-tank behind Ra.One has played a huge gamble by launching a nearly 8-month long promotional campaign for the film. Cricket world cup provided the much needed eye balls for the film but now the promotion needs to be continuous and subtle. The audience must not forget about Ra.One  between  all these months.
• Ra.One’s success can give a much needed ‘franchise’ to Shah Rukh Khan. Who knows there well might be a Ra.Two or Ra.Three in the future! A successful formula can secure Shah Rukh Khan as an actor and provide the cushion for him to try out more diversified and varied roles in other films.
• A record breaking Ra.One would set records straight in favor of SRK. He needs that one big, ruthless and thundering success, something that he was so used to till recently. IPL and TV have provided him enough failure, cinema has to come to his rescue.

Hindi Film Industry needs an active, witty and healthy Shah Rukh Khan. I believe, he has much more to offer, now that his career is interestingly poised. Aamir Khan is giving him tough competition in quality while Salman is matching him step by step in popularity. It is time that he rose up to the occasion with a resounding critical and commercial success of his ambitious superhero flick.

                                       

All eyes are set on Ra.One and the stakes are enormously high. That 10 second first look, followed by 30 second teaser generated humongous curiosity amongst the movie buffs. He looked dapper in that superhero costume but the trailer was too short and compact to deduce a critical judgement. All in all, the response to the first look was positive and it has further raised the expectations from this film. I wish the film does justice to its hype and SRK's hopes.

P.S. : October 26, 2011: Ra.One Releases, World celebrates Diwali and most importantly, the writer celebrates his birthday. Indeed, a very special day.