Now with the globalization, every country in the world is getting structured in a same template. So the emotions and experiences are similar all over. Due to this, suddenly there is nothing new to express as everyone is having same kind of smoothed out experiences.

In such scenario the film makers use old hit machines as references and try to put multiple such movies into one movie. Veer is such kind of movie. It uses elements from Troy, Gladiator and even our own DharamVeer. We have nothing to complain, if the movie is able to create an enchanting experience for us for the 2-3 hours of length it has. As long as it entertains the audience, they do not worry if its a copy or a remake or an adaptation. The experience shall be entertaining or engaging.

15 mins into Veer and you feel that the makers got it right this time. They are able to create a great adrenalin pumping experience for us. The audience blow whistles and applaud to even the entry of the infant VEER assuming he is the infant Salman. The pre-release euphoria about Salman and the movie building a charged up atmosphere in the movie hall. This is the love, trust and hope audience has for Salman Khan.

But …..

I do not like these buts… but… they are are there in many major movies recently.

The But Effect acts…. the movie goes into sleep mode once Salman catches the glimpse of a princes while doing the train robbery.

Before that and more, let me tell you the background. Before independence, there was a community in Rajputana called Pindhari which is infamous for their drunken brutal ways of fighting a war. Often addressed in the movie as barbaric Pindhari, they are great warriors and are honest people in reality.

Prithvi Singh aka Dadda (Mithoon Chakraborti) is head of this clan who helps the King of Madhavgarh, Raja Gyanedra (Jackie Shroff) to win a war in lieu of a land they demand. Instead of fulfilling the promise, the king brutally kills the 4500 Pindharis with the help of the british army and canons. Though able to run away from the disaster, Prithvi Singh take oath for revenge and pride.

They get dispersed in different areas of the state to prepare their soldiers for war with Madhavgarh and the British. As the time flies, Prithvi has 2 young boys who grow up to be great warriors, Veer (Salman Khan) and Punya (Sohail Khan). Veer as mentioned above meets his dreamgirl in a train robbery where they try to get back the treasure which British are supposedly stealing from India (What was the princes doing in that train then?). Prithvi sends them to study in London where Veer very conveniently meets the girl just later to know that she studies in same college. What a coincidence ?

Veer learns the British ways and methods to equip himself with better knowledge and strategy to defeat them in their own game when time demands. Now what happens with him love story and his daddu’s revenge story, you can try to check out if you decide to watch this movie.

So till the time Salman meets his girl, the movie is very promising and engrossing. But as the love story starts unfolding, the writer goes out of Ideas. The director keeps rolling the valuable film stock to shoot stale moments which are unsuccessful in connecting the audience with any character on screen. As we patiently seat till the interval and witness a potent twist at interval, our hopes are ignited again that the movie can pick up after interval.

But… again the but comes into the picture…. and no mercy…. the fools which we are, spend so much money time and hope for a small demand of engrossing entertainment from the biggest are again let down by the Director Anil Sharma and Writer duo Salman Khan and Shaktiman Talwar.

The movie does not take off…. in-fact it goes down the drain spirally making us a VEER to watch the movie till the end.

All those crores of rupees of producer Vijay Gilani, the hard work of Salman Khan and Mithoon (no one else actually care to act!), the exciting action by Tinu Verma and Peter Pedrero, the breathtaking cinematography by Gopal Shah, everything is just drained to gutter due to shoddy work of writing, direction, editing, music director (Sajid-Wajid), Costume Designer (Anna Singh).

Why do these people fail in such a big opportunity to create something worthwhile? Why don’t they work on script and screenplay more than directly going to shoot?

These can be questions kept unanswered because that’s the way Bollywood is.

The movie rides totally on Salman’s star power, all the whistles and claps are for him. He does work hard for this movie (which he normally doesn’t) and puts in sincere efforts. Mithoon is a delight to watch. Sohail Khan does monkey job and thinks it is funny. Everyone else is totally wasted. I wonder what the Adman and Hinglish Theater pioneer Bharat Dabholkar is doing in the background row of extra pindhari soldiers? And what was the veteran marathi theater actor Vinay Apate doing in the same row? Many known faces are there for one or two scenes. The new actress Zarin Khan has a big role but no future for sure.

The climax is blow on our intelligence and patience and makes us angry about being taken for granted as fools by the film makers. On the whole, its a big disappointment. Still I give the one extra star for the good rare moments in the film, Salman and Mithoon.

BR Rating : 2
BR Verdict : Below Average
BR Recommends : Watch only if you are ardent Salman and Mithoon fan!

So for everyone who was doubtful about Raju Hirani being 3rd Time Lucky (After blockbusters like munnabhai MBBS and munnabhai lage raho), let me say: “Aal Izz Well !”

Story is based on the best-selling novel of India “5 point someone” by Chetan Bhagat. However, Hirani and his partner in crime Abhijat Joshi builds a thought provoking and motivating screenplay with support from Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

Rancho (Aamir Khan) is a unique student who arrives in Imperial College to actually study engineering and not to mug through all his college days to shine on his mark sheets. Making a great impression on his first day to hostel by giving a lesson to the seniors involved in hideous ragging, Rancho becomes buddy and guru to his room mates Raju Rustogi (Sharman Joshi) and Farhan Qureshi (Madhavan). They do everything which a student shall not do (what not to do at IIT ?) in college but become enriched by the experience and for betterment of themselves and their lives. But the at the end of the college day, Rancho disappears without even saying bye. Where does he go? Why does he go?

The writer duo have used the basic plots of the novel and used those perfectly where needed. To make the intelligent story work on the silver screen and to be appealing to the lowest common denominator also, the writers used some cinematic liberties which are out of screen so fast that you don’t mind them. 2 thumbs up for the writers who did not let the past success go in their head and took extra effort to make this one work. It was indeed a big task.

Hirani gets the solid foundation in writing itself and creates his Taj Mahal on it using his sheer genius and carefully honed talent that of a Director. The methods he has used to touch the heart of the audience while keeping the whole affair light and easy are indigenous and out of this world (like the poverty flashback of Rastogi, sharman joshi’s, family or the suicide tale of him). Hirani is one of those directors in the world who can bring tears in your eyes while having smiles on ur face. It is a no mean feet to achieve. Kudos to Raju Hirani for his sincerity, efforts and positive attitude towards problem solving. And Thank Santa to send Hirani to east than west. Nagpur will be proud of Hiran for generations to come. Aal will always be well with this man.

Like Vidhu Vinod Chopra says “A film is a writer’s child first which becomes the directors child later and then that of actors. At the end it becomes the child of the producer”. So after writing and direction the department where this film excels and actually pushes the envelop once again is performances.

Aamir as always does better than his last in the role of a unique and extraordinary student Rancho who is on the lookout for excellence. Aamir preaches what he follows “Success ke pichche mat bhago. Excellence ke pichche bhago, success tumhare pichche bhagega”.

The film is not only about him but is also about Sharman and Madhavan’s characters. They both etch out their roles perfectly. The one guy who impresses and has great future is Omi who essays the role of Chathur the competitive student who is born in Uganda and brought up in Pondicherry. His speech is going to leave audience in splits for a long while. Boman Irani is at his best again and proves that he delivers his best under great directors like Hirani. He runs the college and his daughter Pia (Kareena Kapoor) runs away with Rancho. Kareena Kapoor is sure an asset to this industry now. She only needs a good script and an able director and she can manage anything she is thrown at. She lits up the screen whenever she comes on the screen. In her advertised de-glamorised look she is able to make the audience miss a heart beat with her demure and class. Her role is small but she makes the most out of it in this all male tale. The another woman who shines is her sister on screen Mona Singh. Its sad that her role is small but I am sure she will be seen often now on Big screen where she deserves to be. She is a total bindhast actress without inhibitions and that makes her performances very real. Javed Jaffery, who does his job well, has a surprise role which comes at a surprise moment. The twist comes at interval and is really makes audiences to come back to theatre soon.

The music is already chart-buster though 2 songs seems to be out of place. Shantanu Moitra does a fab job as Music Director and so does Swanand KirKire as lyricist. However, the first half is cramped with songs. That’s one of the downer in this film with another being a low excitement phase after the initial roller coaster ride where Rancho explains the need of right education. That 5-10 mins are less catchy.

Apart from that, the movie has so many things packed in its long running lengths of 2hrs 45min but those are all so interesting and unique that you will won’t move ur eyes off the screen. Over hyped and hideously marketed Hollywood movies (read AVATAR here) must take a clue from our own desi Raju Hirani on how to make big length movies without making them feel lengthy.

The production values are great and Vidhu Vinod Chopra must be thanked to bring so many genius talents for one project. Not always such things happen though we pray it does.

So all is well that ends well. The movie leaves you spellbound and enlightened. And that’s why movies are for… to entertain and enlighten…. isn’t it?

BR Rating: ****1/2
BR Verdict: EXTRAORDINARY!!!
BR Recommends: Watch it with full family and friends. If you can afford, sponsor your neighbourhood for the movie. It won’t go waste. Schools and colleges must sponsor this movie to the pupils and parents both. States must give tax free status to the movie immediately. It’s an unforgettable Xmas gift from Bollywood to the world.

It handles a very important subject which can help avoid wastage of sheer talents (due to faulty education and social system) which this country is able to produce.

Run…. book the tickets … because those aren’t available aplenty.