All Movie Reviews of ’Om Shanti Om’ Here.

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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

 
http://indiafm.com/movies/review/12950/index.html

Komal's very short reaction after watching OSO yesterday

1) OSO is a 'dhamaal' entertainer , a paisa vasool film!

2) The song in which 30 stars feature brings the house down

3) SPOILER*** -( given below)

4) "The first half is good, the second half is mesmerising"

5) It may well gross pound 600000 thousand pound in the UK during the first weekend.

3 **The scene where SRK is recognised as the reincarnation of SRK of the previous birth, draws a huge round of applause."

When AB ignored Re!
   
By: Amul Sharma and Sonal Chawla
November 8, 2007

This and more on what happened at the Om Shanti Om trial on Tuesday evening

Thandi hawayein: Rekha, Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan at the premiere of Sarkar at Imax Wadala, in 2005. FILE PIC

Even as Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om premieres at Leicestershire (England) tonight, Shah Rukh Khan organised a special screening for B-Town's crme de la crme on Tuesday at the Yash Raj Studios, Andheri.

SRK came straight from a media event for OSO and was there till 2 am till Farah told him to leave as he would miss his flight!

Two for all

There were two trials at 6 pm and at 9 pm. The first screening consisted of the who's who of the industry, the second marked the entry of SRK with Saif Ali Khan who arrived with his kids, Sara and Ebrahim, besides Kareena Kapoor. While Harman Baweja and Priyanka Chopra who came straight from a shoot made an entry together.

What cold war?

All speculation about the Bachchan- SRK cold war ended as Amitabh accompanied by son Abhishek Bachchan attended the trial.
Says a source, "Amitabh was to arrive for the 9 pm screening but Abhishek had a night shoot, so both father and son came for the earlier trial. In fact, everyone was kept waiting for 45 minutes for the Bachchans to arrive. As a result the trial was delayed. As soon as AB arrived, he hugged SRK warmly. In fact, Drona producer Shrishti Arya called up Farah the next day to say that Abhishek had loved the film."

She was there

Also present at the screening was Rekha who seldom makes an appearance at film events these days. It is learnt that Amitabh and Abhishek sat three seats away from Rekha. But there was no conversation between them.

The source adds, "During the interval, Amitabh walked out to get something for himself, while Abhishek remained on his seat, chatting with people, but refused to acknowledge Rekha's presence."

Rishi and Neetu Kapoor's presence came as a surprise because their son, Ranbir's debut film Saawariya is also slated for release this Friday. Says the source, "Rishi is an integral part of Om Shanti Om and comes right at the beginning. He got quite emotional and felt that the makers had paid a big tribute to him."

Lovin' it

Everyone in the theatre was enjoying the movie and were cheering and shouting. Saif and his children, Ebrahim and Sara, were laughing and enjoying the film. Later, they were heard telling Farah that they would watch it again. King Khan's entry in OSO had the audience clapping and whistling, which included Rani Mukerji and Urmila Matondkar.
Karan Johar exclaimed, "I loved OSO! It's going to be a huge hit! Farah has made a complete demographic entertainer which will reach out to everyone all over the country."

The guests

The guest list at the trials included Yash and Pamela Chopra, Ravi Chopra, Karan Johar, Ashutosh Gowariker with wife Sunita, Babita, Bappi Lahiri, David Dhawan, Subhash Ghai, Kunal Kohli, Sajid Khan, Vidya Balan, Lara Dutta, Amisha Patel, Neelam, Sanjay Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor, Manish Malhotra, Shabbir Boxwala, Raveena Tandon and Anil Thadani, Dino Morea and Mimoh Chakraborty with mom Yogita. Rani was accompanied by her mother Krishna.

It is learnt that Salman Khan, who is in the West Indies for a show, was also invited. Farah had also invited Kajol but she couldn't attend as she and hubby Ajay Devgan are busy shifting to their new bungalow at Juhu. Hrithik and Aishwarya also couldn't come as they were shooting in Karjat for Jodhaa Akbar and it was a long drive back. Ashutosh had arrived straight from Karjat.

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/november/166647.htm

SRK gets stone'd

By: A hitList Correspondent
November 8, 2007

a little luck won't hurt me: Shah Rukh Khan.
pic/ pradeep bandekar

Just before he left for England, Shah Rukh Khan turned up for yet another promotional event for Om Shanti Om. This time he was wearing an amulet of coloured stones.

His pals Kajol and Sanjay Dutt also wear the same stones for good health. Apparently the stones have been given by the same doctor who had given them to Ajay Devgan, Kajol and Sanju.

Says a source, "Shah Rukh has not been keeping well for the last few weeks and was advised to wear the amulet for good health.

"Well, we know it can't be the BO success of his next release that's worrying him. According to a source from Eros (the distributors), "OSO has taken a phenomenal opening for advance booking. In four hours, the bookings in multiplexes have been over 80 per cent." But a buzzing bee whispers that the bookings of Saawariya (which opened on Sunday) still remain 50 per cent open!

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/november/166648.htm

A kitschy present-day, Farah Khan take-off on the ultra-popular '70s Bollywood potboiler that, in her own words is a tribute to filmmaking. Om (Shah Rukh Khan) is a struggling junior artiste who is a regular on the sets of RC Studios. The son of junior artistes themselves, he aspires to become a big star any day and his dreams are bolstered by his filmy best friend Pappu (Shreyas Talpade) and his even more OTT filmy mother (Kirron Kher). He is also madly in love with Bollywood's heartthrob, the 'Dreamy Girl' ShantiPriya (introducing Deepika Padukone!). Alas, she is someone else's and he doesn't get a chance to tell her about his love as his life comes to an untimely halt.

But this is a Hindi movie and you have to leave your brains out, or so the filmmaker is telling you. So, Om takes re-birth (in the film industry itself) as a former superstar's superstar son. And God (or the filmmaker) gives him a second chance to make the wrongs of his past life, right. And now, if we tell you anymore about the film, it will be too obvious! (It is, after all, a full filmy flick!).

What we liked about the film

Almost everything (Yes, we admit, we've sold our souls to SRK)! Which is 98.35 per cent of the film! The film is more a take off on the re-birth formula, made famous by Karz in the '70s than a tribute; but it does brilliantly. Farah Khan has made everyone act superbly (yes, including Arjun Rampal!). There are so many things to watch out for so we will just list a few highlights:

The cameos by almost the entire industry (Sush, where were you?!?) The fantastic one-liners from '70s Bollywood; the digital effects ala Forrest Gump. Deepika Padukone. Deepuka Padukone. Deepika Padukone. SRK playing a brash star brat. SRK's abs (of course!). The witty vision of the filmmaker.

And finally Farah Khan and SRK's and the entire film industry's sassiness to do a take off on the take off, because, when you look at it, the film is not just a take off on '70s Bollywood but also on today's filmy frenzy!

What we didn't like

Well, er, um, should we say it? You know, well, er, um… Okay, well, the sort of tackiness of the first part of the film, where Farah Khan attempts to re-create '70s Bombay. She could have done a little more and somehow you just aren't convinced and just know it's a big put on. But enough! The film is good and we can overlook this shortcoming. Phew!

Verdict

Hit! Hit! Hit! The masses will love it; the classes will love it too! The NRIs will gobble it up and froth over it and the youth, even though they may not get certain references to the Bollywood of yesteryears and even the line "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn", will love it! SRK is King.

Rating

4/5

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IN PICS: Om Shanti Om stills

WATCH VIDEOS: Ajab Si from Om Shanti Om | SRK's six-pack abs

Edited by ankita31 - 16 years ago

Can we comment here?
I'm soooooooooo happy after reading these reviews [:D/] SRK - you rock 👏 👏 I'm going to watch OSO tomorrow 🥳 And I'll post my opinion here 😃

yes everyone can post their comments here and avoid making a new post.

Om Shanti Om(review) - tickling the funny bone with middle finger

By: Phoenixnu | 347 Views

He came, he saw, he conquered. The outsider who made it. And now he is laughing at everyone - the whole industry, the way it works, the biggest stars, their tantrums, filmfare awards and at himself too.
Shahrukh Khan always makes great copy. But get ready to hear and see what he has never said before. Sample this "overacting to mere khandaan me hi hai". Even admitting "Phir bhi dil hai NRI". And i loved it.

No, am not big fan of either SRK or Main Hoon Na. Loved him in Swades and Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na. Could not digest Main Hoon Na because of that irritating Zayed monkey Khan and the Indo-Pak angle. Otherwise it was great comic book on big screen. But if you loved Main Hoon Na, then get ready to rock and roll again.

I think everyone knows whats the story is all about. And if you dont, then you must be in some neverland because SRK and his gang are everywhere. Just tell them the address of the place, they will reach faster than you can imagine to promote the film even at your neverland. Farah is not ashamed to admit what she likes and what kind of film she aspires to make. She has always been honest about it and OSO is all about that. Its MTV-style spoof from start to finish. Its not great cinema. Its just good entertainment, sabkuch bollywood ishtyle!!

Its the Alchemist philosophy at work…"when you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true." Its all about "Happy End" nahi to picture abhi baki hai dostoon!! You will get to see whatever you are expecting with some little twists and turns here and there. SRK is in typical SRK form. The film belongs to him from start to finish. Everyone else is just extra. Deepika Padukone doesnt have much to do except look good and show some cleavge. Is good in whatever she is supposed to be. For the first time, Arjun Rampal acts and yes does it well. The typical bollywood villain!! Kirron Kher is the hindi film mummy with full rona-dhona and nautanki!!

The sequences where they have showed the 70's films on big screen have been done pretty well. It's great nostalgia to see them on big screen. Now who would not like to dance to Chintu Uncle's Om Shanti Om song..(remember that scene in Shekhar Kapoor's Masoom…mummy, dekho na chintu uncle tv par aa rahe hai…om shanti om!). And here, you will have many more from that era.

Om Prakash Makhija, the struggling actor who is an extra in the films dies with his dream. And Om Kapoor, the worst actor is the biggest superstar. He has everything that he wants. Everyone dances to his tune. He is rude and is complete non-sense. Because its an indutsry where the surname "Khan" or "Kapoor" matters. And nothing else. A parody on every one who shares the same surname. A spoof on every star son.

Kept on wondering if SRK really prayed for the "Khan" surname in his last birth and got his wish granted. I seriously think that something like that happened .

And this is what i liked most about the film….they are showing the middle finger to everyone. And people have no option but to laugh. Can bet that SRK is laughing his way to the bank again.

Weak point…the music didnt work for me. You dont come out of the theatre humming any of the songs. But in Main Hoon Na, loved all songs.

In the end when everyone from the cast and crew walk down the red carpet, am willing to stand up and cheer. Because everytime when the credits roll in the end, have always wondered who are those faceless people whose names come in so small font size that they cant tell their near and dear ones to spot even their names. Forget about catching them on the big screen. This time they are all dressed up and dancing on the red carpet. Wow!!

So, go for it if you loved Main Hoon Na. Go for it even if you didnt like Main Hoon Na. Just go to have a great laugh. Films that we love, stars whom we hate, stereotypes that we cant do without….its all there. The not so great actor but the biggest star of bollywood has finally dared to laugh at himself. You should not miss out.

If Manmohan Desai is thinking of re-birth now, am sure he must be asking to be one of Farah's triplets. Btw, two questions…

Q1. Why is Javed Akhtar missing from all the promotions ? Is not there even in the film where it has cameo by almost everyone.

Q2. Why SRK never said that its the most personal film ? Because it is. Though everyone says the same these days about every new release of theirs.

(Also, was wondering if its fair to put the review even before the release of the film. OZ said…lets do it. I thought yes why not. In the last one month or so, OSO team have made me mad with their publicity and dard-e-disco. so I can be little impatient atleast. )

http://passionforcinema.com/om-shanti-om-tickling-the-funny- bone-with-middle-finger/

Courtesy:mumbaimirror.com

Better than so-so!

Om Shanti Om
Director: Farah Khan
Actors: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone



Farah's first film, Main Hoon Naa was a song-and-dance about Shah Rukh Khan and senselessness about a subject she, her writer, and her audiences knew nothing about (a bunch of Indian Army veterans out to take on the Indian Army itself, or some such gibberish).

Her second film, a more than so-so Om Shanti Om (OSO) is again a two-and-half hours long song-and-dance about Shah Rukh Khan (twice over), and yet more senselessness; but on the only subject that the director and her crew perhaps know most about: pictures, and people who work in the pictures; inside jokes and anecdotes on pictures and its people. It helps considerably that Farah has turned up with a screenplay this time.

The script then allows her the leg-room to go beyond a spoof, of what's already an enduring spoof (Bollywood).

Shah Rukh first plays one Omprakash Makhija, a minor actor, or Bollywood junior-artiste of the '70s. He aspires to become a movie-star. His commonplace surname is not the only deterrent to that dream. Makhija comes from a home of junior-artistes. He has a melodramatic mother (Kirron Kher), a close friend (Shreyas Talpade), and a 'girlfriend' he speaks to through a movie billboard. She is Shantipriya (Padukone), the top leading lady of her times.

Makhija saves the woman of his fantasy from a fire on a film-set. They become friends. She is secretly married, he realises later, to a famous producer and is even pregnant. Were she to come out with the news, the producer would lose lakhs spent on his pet-project (heroines, when married, lose their job and their fans at the same time). The producer (Arjun Rampal) sets his wife on fire now. Makhija cannot save her this time. He cannot save his life either. He is run down by a speeding car of a Bollywood superstar while trying to save his girl. The small-time extra is then reborn as the superstar's son, Om Kapoor or OK, in a story 30 years later about reincarnation and revenge. Arrogant OK is born with a silver-spoon and celluloid fans: "Jab OK take deta hai, toh OK take deta hai!"

Yes, this is a family and friends film. Self-obsessions are fairly omnipresent. But there are enough bits and pieces in it to extricate it from merely a school function of the movie frat that it could have turned out to be. The odes to Subhash Ghai's Karz, or Bimal Roy's Madhumati, or Manmohan Desai's Naseeb (or Desai in general) are obvious. SRK is milked dry to please his lot with a lively little joke on South Indian flicks here; a dance or dialogue impersonation of other actors there.

There's still something to this wilfully exaggerated, silly cinema that seems the director has either heard or lived through: the manner of shooting a moving car in the films back in the day; daily shenanigans of a film-studio and its politics; the odd gags on Govinda or Sooraj Barjatya; pot-shots on what the director perceives of intelligent films or their critics…

Importantly, self-references do not entirely take away from a tight commercial pot-boiler that there is to narrate. The pot-boiler is still the point. On most occasions, it gets narrated to resolve well.

You may never be late for this film. The votes of thanks and sponsors on its opening credits is a short-film of its own. Such 'event pictures' that advertise to keep your worries away are as idiot-proof as they are critic-proof. Marginal returns on such a genre are minimal, if not nil now. But it's far less self-serious and thereby far more amusing. Clearly, a better musical to catch this big-ticket weekend, though it's not quite the  greatest weekend ever.

Edited by joie de vivre - 16 years ago