Believe in Critics Reviews?

Omkara got 2.5 stars from Taran Adarsh! Like are you foreal, Taran? The movie went on to be one of the best movies of the year. The actors of the movie won numerous awards, and Vishal Bhardwaj won it for "Best Director."

Here's the review:

By Taran Adarsh, July 28, 2006 - 13:34 IST The much-hyped, keenly-anticipated OMKARA, an adaptation of Shakespeare's OTHELLO, hits the screens today. With a mammoth star cast and a gifted director [Vishal Bhardwaj] at the helm of affairs, OMKARA is expected to prove a trailblazer, not only winning acclaim from those who appreciate realistic cinema, but also satisfying the needs of entertainment-seeking moviegoers. Hollywood has, in the past, attempted cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare's works, including several versions of OTHELLO. Although the original-source is Western, Vishal Bhardwaj and his team of writers have placed the plot in the Indian milieu' in the heartland of India, to be more specific. Attempting a film like OMKARA requires courage. It dares to swim against the tide. It defies the set rules of commercial cinema. It's not one of those candyfloss films. It's not sunshine cinema either. Nor does it follow trends' OMKARA is a serious film, about real people, about real emotions. You may find it dark at times. Also disturbing. And the generous usage of expletives [MCs, BCs, Cs] and dialogues [sample: Teri aur meri kismet gadhe ke *@!# se likhi gayee hain] could give you a cold sweat. Clearly, OMKARA is not everybody's cup of tea, not everyone's idea of entertainment' So, what works and what doesn't? Vishal Bhardwaj is an accomplished storyteller. On surface, OMKARA is Shakespeare's OTHELLO, but the adaptation is very Indian. Human traits like suspicion and jealousy can be identified the world over and that's what OMKARA highlights all through its 18 reels. But one of the prime reasons why OMKARA stands out from most Bollywood films is that every performance in the film is worth its weight in gold. And a few sequences are master strokes from writing and execution point of view. The film deserves brownie points for the change of events in its second hour specifically! But you cannot ignore the deficiencies as well' The slow pacing, the lingo spoken by the characters and the U.P. setting has its limitations. A film set in Mumbai, with generous doses of Mumbaiya lingo, appeals more in Mumbai/Maharashtra than in Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar or Rajasthan. Similarly, the U.P. dialect, the setting, the ambience, even the expletives would find tremendous identification from U.P. and Bihar, not at other regions. Also, since the film follows an unconventional route, it tends to get dark and disturbing at times. Agreed, it's the demand of the story, but those who aren't aware of Shakespeare's OTHELLO and the tragic end are bound to feel disturbed by the climax. The bloodshed and violent slant is also not something that would hold universal acceptance. Omkara or Omi [Ajay Devgan] is a gifted chieftain who heads a gang of outlaws, which include the crafty Langda Tyagi [Saif Ali Khan] and the dynamic Kesu [Vivek Oberoi] amongst his chief cohorts. The story begins when Omi appoints Kesu and not Langda as his chief lieutenant. Langda's pride is slighted and raging with envy he hatches a plot to falsely implicate Omi's beautiful lover Dolly [Kareena Kapoor] in a love affair with Omi's 'favorite lieutenant' Kesu. With the unwitting aid of Indu [Konkana Sen Sharma], Langda's wife, and the willing help of Raju, a fellow grouch, Langda's plan takes shape and results in horrific tragedy. Using petty insinuations and lies, Langda keeps poisoning Omi's mind till one day it snaps and Omi goes about tearing up his own safe and secure world. By the time he realizes what he has done and the backlash of his actions, it is too late. Omkara's love for Dolly, Dolly's unquestioning love for Omi, Langda's warped loyalty and jealousy for Omi, Kesu's unswerving devotion to Omi -- all lead up to a dark tragedy where Omi finally realizes what he has done' From MAKDEE to MAQBOOL to OMKARA, Vishal Bhardwaj's transition has been simply remarkable. OMKARA shows that Vishal is a brilliant storyteller, who has a terrific command over technique too. In fact, it wouldn't be erroneous to state that every sequence in the film bears the stamp of a genius and most importantly, someone who knows how to adapt an English play into a 2-hour Hindi film. Vishal's storytelling is equally noteworthy. The transition from a simple story to a complex tale and from a plain love story to a shocking, tragic culmination is what generates a terrific impression of the film. The narrative is absorbing in parts in the first half [it takes time to get used to the lingo], but the drama and the tense moments in the second hour is what really matters. A few sequences leave an indelible impression' The dialogue between Kareena's father and Ajay at the start: 'If a daughter is not loyal to her father, can she ever be loyal to her lover?'; Ajay choosing Vivek over Saif as the chief lieutenant and the varied expressions on Saif's face; The conversation between Saif and Raju, who is in love with Kareena, at the banks of the river. Again, note Saif's expressions when Raju mocks at him: 'What could you do when Omkara made Kesu the lieutenant?'; The 'kamar-bandh' sequence in the second hour, when Ajay tells Kareena to search for it; All sequences between Saif and Ajay, when Saif tries to poison Ajay's mind against Kareena and Vivek; The climax - the 'suhaag raat' sequence - and the dastardly act that follows. It would be wrong to reveal the end, but the conclusion to Kareena's character is sure hair-raising. But, on the other hand, OMKARA tends to get too realistic at times. The director and his team of writers [Vishal Bhardwal, Robin Bhatt, Abhishek Chaubey] could've toned down the expletives in the film. Also, the tense-filled moments get too heavy after a point and would work only for those who appreciate realistic cinema. Vishal's music is in sync with the mood of the film and might appeal to connoisseurs of traditional music, but not to a wide audience. The 'Beedi' track holds mass appeal, while 'Naina Thag Lenge' is rich in lyrical value and has a haunting feel. Cinematography [Tassaduq Hussain] is excellent at most times, but certain dark scenes could've been better lit. Dialogues are natural to the core, but, again, the expletives in the dialogues make you uncomfortable at times. OMKARA is embellished with great performances, but the one who steals the show is, without a shred of doubt, Saif Ali Khan, who plays the evil Langda Tyagi brilliantly. His looks, his mannerisms, his body language, his overall behavioral pattern takes you by complete surprise. The actor deserves distinction marks for portraying the role with such realism that you start hating him after a point. Sure, the actor deserves the highest award for this role! Ajay makes a stirring and powerful interpretation of a man haunted by uncertainty about his lover's faithfulness. The serious look that Ajay carries suits him to the T. Of course, Ajay is exceptional in the film and looks every inch the character he portrays. Kareena delivers an award-worthy performance. She looks gorgeous even without makeup. Vivek Oberoi is alright; he doesn't really get much scope. Konkona Sen Sharma is outstanding. She makes a towering impact every time she appears on screen. Bipasha [sp. app.] is highly effective. Naseeruddin Shah is adequate. Deepak Dobriyal [Raju] is a supremely talented actor. On the whole, OMKARA is a brilliant film from the making point of view and is also embellished with topnotch performances. But the box-office will be a different story altogether. Thanks to the U.P. dialect, the film will appeal more in the U.P./Bihar belt mainly. In several circuits, the dialect, the dark and disturbing theme and also the expletives will curtail its prospects to an extent. The high pricing will also go against it in some circuits.

Now, lets take "Om Shanti Om" for example. It got 4 stars out of 5! Personally, I didnt like OSO at all...

Here's the review

By Taran Adarsh, November 7, 2007 - 13:24 IST


Cut the crap, cut the gyan-baazi, cut the will-it-won't-it work naatak. Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan's OM SHANTI OM is a true-blue masala entertainer. If MAIN HOON NA was a chauka, this one hits a sixer!

Wait, a word of advice to all netizens/readers across the globe. Don't, for God's sake don't, raise exclamations like kab?, kyun? kahan? as OM SHANTI OM begins to unravel. This is atypical Manmohan Desai film presented in a novel avtaar by Farah Khan. It's definitely not for pseudos or advocates of arthouse cinema.

Now let's clear some myths surrounding OM SHANTI OM. Is it the 2007 adaptation of Subhash Ghai's immensely likable reincarnation film KARZ? Does it have traces of KUDRAT? Or MADHUMATI? Or MILAN? Or KARAN ARJUN? Hold on, there's a dash of KARZ, a bit of KARAN ARJUN, a sprinkling of KUDRAT, but beyond that it's a film that makes you nostalgic about 1970s Bollywood.

Write your own movie review of Om Shanti Om

To sum up, OM SHANTI OM is paisa vasool entertainment. We haven't seen SRK in a hardcore masala film since quite some time. He had drifted to other genres, which proved his range as an actor of repute and cemented his status further. With OM SHANTI OM, he gives back to the audience what he himself grew up on -- a thorough entertainer that will have the audience thirsting for more.

This Diwali, have a blast!

OM SHANTI OM tells the story of Om [Shah Rukh Khan] and Shanti [Deepika Padukone]. Om is a junior artist in the 70s. Shanti is the reigning superstar. He is her biggest fan. He is in love with her. Om dreams of being a superstar, but an incident changes his life forever.

Om dies in a mishap, but is reborn into the present day. He attempts to discover the mystery of his demise…

The general feeling is, Farah Khan has remade Ghai's KARZ from Frame A to Z. False! There're similarities, but it's not a rehashed version of Ghai's film. For, OM SHANTI OM takes you by complete surprise at several points.

The first twist in the tale [Arjun - Deepika's heated confrontation, with SRK listening to this important conversation] comes as a bolt from the blue. The second jhatka comes slightly before the intermission, when Arjun takes Deepika to the set of his film 'Om Shanti Om' and the entire episode that follows, right till the intermission, is spellbinding. That's a brilliant stroke from the writing [screenplay: Mushtaq Shaikh and Farah Khan] as also the execution point of view. When the opulent set is set to flames, it leaves you wide-eyed and awe-struck. Such is the impact!

The post-interval portions only get better and better! If the initial portions are laced with humour [the premiere of 'Dreamy Girl', the Manoj Kumar episode, Ghai directing Rishi on 'Om Shanti Om' song, et al], the second half moves into a new zone completely.

It's punar-janam now, but thankfully, there're no lightening, no fireworks, no zooming of the camera on the idols of Gods. The drama builds up gradually. The voices that SRK keeps hearing, the 'fire' soon after the 'Dard-E-Disco' track, the mother [Kirron Kher], an old lady now, chasing Om's car [reminds you of Raakhee of KARAN ARJUN], the flashes of SRK's earlier birth while receiving the Filmfare Award -- the incidents that make him realize that his life was cut short in his earlier janam have been well structured.

When Deepika re-emerges as well, the viewer is confused, but the mystery is resolved towards the end, which, again, takes you by complete surprise.

Given the fact that OM SHANTI OM is a Manmohan Desai kind of a film set in the present-day, it would be foolhardy to ask questions, raise eyebrows and look for logic. But the second half could've been crisper [length: 18 reels/2.46 hours], although Shirish Kunder's editing is perfect.

Farah knows what her priorities are and most importantly, knows exactly what her target audience is. The execution of a number of sequences clearly shows Farah's growth as a storyteller. Mushtaq and Farah's writing works because the writers pull out several surprises in those 2.46 hours.

V. Manikanandan's cinematography captures the gloss and grandeur to the minutest. The opulent sets [Sabu Cyril] deserve distinction marks. Dialogues [Mayur Puri] are witty and do raise a chuckle at several points. Background score [Sandeep Chowta] is effective.

Vishal-Shekhar's music is first-rate. The score is in sync with the content of the film and what accentuate the goings-on are the choreography and execution. Although every song is visually enticing, the 21-star track as also 'Dard-E-Disco' will have the masses going into a frenzy.

Now to the performances! SRK proves his supremacy yet again. If you thought that playing to the gallery came easy to certain actors only, watch SRK spin magic in OM SHANTI OM. He's magnificent, the star attraction, the soul of this film, the true baadshah.

Deepika has all it takes to be a top star -- the personality, the looks and yes, she's supremely talented too. Standing in the same frame as SRK and getting it right is no small achievement. She comes as a whiff of fresh air!

Arjun Rampal is a complete revelation. Cast in a negative role this time, he enacts his part with panache and style. Shreyas Talpade is another surprise. A complete natural, he stands on his feet all through, not getting swayed while sharing the screen space with the topmost star.

Kirron Kher is superb as the over the top mom. Javed Sheikh is alright. Bindu adds to the funny moments.

On the whole, OM SHANTI OM is Bollywood masala in its truest form and also, at its best. At the box-office, the film will set new records in days to come and has the power to emerge one of the biggest hits of SRK's career. Blockbuster hit!

Remember you read this first on IndiaFM

So my point it, obviously Omkara was better than OSO....then who are these "critics" who rate a movie. I just used Omkara and OSO as examples, do you think there is a bias that exists in the industry? Are these critics paid? Or are they just dumb? Oh and lol Devdas by SLB got 1.5 stars!

BTW, did I mention Taran Adarsh is a SRK chamcha and Subhash K. Jha belongs to the Bacchan clan. Why would I listen to these two dimwits?

although, if you read the review for Omkara, he does have a lot of good things to say.. so reading this review even, i would go watch it.. the movie might not appeal to mass audience because many people do watch movies for entertainment, not infotainment.. reasons, why i would prefer to watch OSO and SIK again instead of Omkara (it is too sad, yaar).. reasons why they were such a huge hit with the audience.. at the end of the day, think about who is watching the movie.. most people watch it so they can get away from their daily routine and have a bit of fun..

although, in terms of technical details, definitely Omkara was a better made movie...

again, can't blame him for giving Devdas 1.5 stars.. although, he could have given it about 2.5.. the movie works because of the great performances by all the leads and songs...

but i do read reviews of many people before i watch a movie..

and i prefer 'entertainment' over 'infotainment' mostly so i do choose to watch movies like that.. however, some movies with a good social message are made in such a way that they are entertaining to watch.. hence, i do end up liking those movies.. it should be balanced, imo.. because just mindless 'entertainment' also doesn't work, e.g. tashan, cc2c being the latest..

Infact, I just checked and all of Vishal's movies have 2.5 stars, except "The Blue Umbrella," which got 3 stars. Are these critics rating the movie based on their commerical value or based upon the actual content of the movie?!