With Aditya Chopra at the helm, YashRaj Banner has started experimenting with different kind of scripts and formulas. It from the box office report card, one can say that it has not succeeded in the endeavor. When YashRaj was dishing out candy floss entertainers with different flavors of love all these years, they have been accused of not trying different stories and not trying untraded path.

I feel Aditya Chopra has guts and enough balls to keep everything at stakes and try to be honest with story telling. From the floral carpets of Switzerland to scenic locales of New York and London, YashRaj has always been synonymous to Glamor, Grandeur and Beauty.

But Aditya tried his hands at different genres ranging from speedy entertainers like Dhoom Series to rustic local stories like “Aja Nach le”. From over progressive (with wrong assessment of the word “progressive”) “Niel and Nikki” to fully regressive “Lagaa Chunari Mein Daag”.

While he has got business success with experiments like “Bunty aur bubbly” which I found to be below average movie, he had lost battle with movies like “Tashan”. While he achieved landmark success with movies like “Dhoom”, he lost credibility with a fast paced racing movie like “Ta Ra Rum Pum” which I found actually worth 4 stars (Don’t you think people would have identified with todays recession times? It had a wrong time release. No one believed there can be lack of money in those times.)

In the mean while when he traded different paths with “Kabul Fiza”, he got critical acclaim. When he delivered different punch with “Chak De India”, he got both critical and box office success. In the mean while, safe bets like “Bachana ye Haseeno” proved to be successful.

I know you will be wondering why I am writin autobiography of Aditya Chopra in a Movie Review. But I must tell you that “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi” is releasing at a very very important point in YashRaj Banner’s history where people are most skeptic about them. There has been a mixed bag or reviews and responses on this movie and I really wonder when people give 2 or 3 stars to this movie and some do not stop abusing it also.

The history of Yashraj Banner with Aditya Chopra as the captain is very important when reviewing this movie. After watching RNBDJ, I can say that Aditya has got balls. When many of his experiments failed, when he is facing turbulent times at box office, he never compromises with scripts and story telling. He is honest with the story and scripts demands. When we expect experimentation from a successfull banner who has been a factory of candy floss romance over decades, we shall be ready to understand the fact that box office results are going to be different for each experiment. We can not expect each film to be successful or perfect.

People can come up with examples like Aamir Khan Production or Farhaan Akhtar production which has huge success rate while being experimental. But here the point is they are not producing movies at the volume which YashRaj Banners produces.

I know there is a big anti-YRF lobby working in the industry now may be because of the wrong monopolistic methods they tried to applying their hey days with multiplex owners, etc. But everyone learns from mistakes and one shall not overlook the benefits they have brought into many lives.

Aditya Chopra has been pioneer in establishing Studio Format Business Model which was dead in India but is popular in Hollywood. Here, he is not part of every film but gives opportunities to people who could have never got an entry into a camp like YashRaj. Yashraj is mobilizing a lot of money into the industry and enabling new directors which new ideas. They are even giving chance to good actors like Ranvir Shorey (Aja Nach Le) and Vinay Pathak (Rab ne) to be part of A+ grade movies which could have been very hard for them otherwise.

Are you going to write off all this? If you calculate the investment and money mobilization this banner has done, if you calculate the amount of income generated by this banners prodigies in outside banners, you will finally know that Aditya has indeed progressed the Bollywood Industry.

Give him a break please!

History apart, a movie is a movie and we shall review it as an individual piece of art.

The movie is about a common man with as common name as “Surinder” aka “Suri” (Shahrukh Khan) and a girl next door “Tani” (Anushka Sharma). They both get married under unavoidable circumstances. Suri is average working class human and Tani is bubbly, enthusiastic, full of like Modern Indian Girl with fire in her belly.The incidence kills the spirit of Tani. She told she would never be able to love again and give love to Suri but she would try to be the best wife.

But Sury who had been in love with her at first sight, is hell bent to get her love him. He wants Tani to love him as he is. His triumphs in doing so is what this story is about.

Suri observes Tani’s fascination for “Heroes” in bollywood movies while watching movies with her. He asks his hair stylist friend Bobby (Vinay Pathak) to transform him into a stud. And he does that and gives birth to “Raj”… Suri’s another avatar who just wants to see Tani Dancing in her dance class.

Wearing Tight Jeans, Tight T-shirts with most bright colors and weird combination in the world, Raj bumps into Tani at the dance class. By some mistakes, he has to appear as partner with Tani. He had no plans to continue as Raj, but had to due to the bonus of getting able to dance with Tani every day and to know her better. What happens next is a fun fair and a family film.

I won’t disclose more as I think everything is already said about the story of the movie and we shall try to keep it as secret as possible.

The story is unusual, unique and never been told in Hindi Cinema. The protagonist played by a person who is labeled as most romantic hero of bollywood is appearing in most unlikely avatar. The heroine of the movie is not as per strict standards of Yashraj Banners and is as good as any other girl we see everyday. The story does not have locales of Newyork, London or Europe (the movies now a days have made us believe that there are stories to be told only about NRIs. Aajkal Indian me Indians rahte hi kaha hai?). The story does not happy chiffon sari clad beautiful female protagonist.

At first reactions, we may reject many parts of the movie, but when you do some deep thinking, you come to know that Shahaditya has not let down the story. They have been honest to it. They could have brought unbelievable twists in the tales and could have presented Raj as most fine romantic character. But they have gone by the surroundings of the characters in the movie and had been loyal in bringing out characters which are real to the story and its happenings. Thats why Raj is not pure sophistication but is modern rustic jaat young man with his own rough edges. Nor Tani  is a sample of unachievable sculpture of glamor.

Do you think that Yashraj shall never attempt such story? Do you think Shahrukh who has been accused always about doing typecast roles of romantic interest of already engaged woman, shall not try his hand at something as different and unique as Suri?

Will you write off the guts of these guys? Well, then you shall not demand experimentation at the first place.

Aditya Chopra has strong command over the movie from the first frame to the last. He knows what story he wants to tell, what is the story about and how it shall be told. He is honest to the story and tries to give all the entertainment and drama in that format.

We never feel detached to the happenings of the on screen events barring few (20-30) minutes in between where things get little bit stretchy and boring. There are few scenes which you can say are part of average low budget hindi movie (like the Sumo fight) and there are some lengthy scenes which may distract some people from the proceedings of the movie.

But soon Aditya manages to get it back on track.
SRK puts all his cloths of a super star and slips into the shoes (slippers?) of the character of Surinder. Also in the modern and hip role of Raj, he does not get smooth suave characters as he used to play. Raj is also having the rustic Jaat feel on the character and some times goes as overboard as appearing cheap. SRK shall be applauded for his courage to accept such role. Aditya Chopra shall be rewarded to produce a movie with such characters.

Newcomer Anushkha Sharma surprises with her finesse and prowess in portraying the role of Tani. She comes as pleasant surprise though she is not standard heroine. It would be interesting to see how she manages her further career (I hope she does not end of like Gracy Singh).

Vinay Pathak as Suri’s Friend Bobby is a surprise element of the movie and does full justice to the role. He is the lite element in the movie.

The cinematography is excellent. The screenplay could have been little tighter. The choreography could have been much much better. The main week part of the movie is music. Salim-Sulaiman fails to give numbers which are expected from Yashraj banner. Though “Haule Haule” is good, “Tuzh me rab dikhta hai” is good. “Dance Pe chance mar le” is catchy but not an immortal dance number.

The surprise song where all YashRaj’s current heroines (Kajol, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Pretty Zinta) features is also not very good nor the song where SRK woes Anushkha as Raj. Aditya Chopra sure lacks in choosing good music as his dad, Mr. Yash Chopra used to excel in that.

It is a family movie and you can watch it with your it together with your parents and kids (adding to revenues of Bollywood). So go watch it . On the whole, the film is full on Shahrukh Khan-Aditya Chopra entertainer and we can call them as Rab ne bana di jodi- “Shahaditya”.

BR Rating: ***1/2
BR Verdict: Very Good!
BR Recommends: Watch it with full family and friends. Shahaditya Rocks!

The deadliest date for some and lickiest  date for few. Many people had eyes on this date for different reasons. Few had fear, few had faith. Sports buff were waiting for it due to Olympics….. and we…. the madly-in-love-with-bollywood crowd…. we were waiting for it due to this years most awaited movie…. Singh is Kinng!

Of course it had to be awaited…. because… it is Akshay Kumar’s Tribute to his community. It is his 2nd attempt after “Namastey London” to win the international market. It is from the producer of “Namastey London” and Director of “Welcome”…. 2 of the biggest hits of 2007 from Akshay Kumar. Not but the least, its lead pair is most successfull actor and actress of 2007. So the expectations are sky high.

Billion Dollar question is: Are those fulfilled?

That’s why I am hear for. To give you the insight of the movie. To help if decide whether or not you shall spend your hard earned money and precious time on this flick.

So whats the story? Actually its something I had not expected (I should stop building my own stories after watching promos), but whatever they offered is full roller coaster ride of fun (fulltoo), thrill(few) and emotions (enough). All this together, they provide a proper bollywood nautanki. The good part is they were clear about their vision and they succeeded getting it on silver screen.

The story of the nautanki goes somewhat like this:

Lucky Singh (Sonu Sood) is from same”Pind” i.e. village as Happy Singh (Akshay Kumar). The most common thing in them is they both are hated by their community and people but for total different reasons. Lucky Singh is King of Underworld in Australia. He is Don of Dons. He is disliked in his village as he has defamed his Sikh Community and his village. On the other hand Happy Singh is disliked due to his extra helpfullness. He is always trying to help others but does a greater damage in the process. So he becomes kind of headache to the fellow villagers.

So his friend Rangila (Om Puri) devises a plan to get him out of the village by blackmailing him to volunteer into the cause of getting Lucky Singh back from his vinoumous journey to nowhere but death. Happy easily gets trapped but he also brings in Rangila with him in the journey.

What happens next is the story of the movie… which is quiet unusual headless comedy, so go enjoy it personally.

Let’s first talk about promotion of the movie. I must congratulate Vipul Amrutlal Shah for his faith in his product and putting so much money on promotion. Apart from that he deserves appaluse for the production values, great unseen locales and of course his endearing support to Akki in becoming the new Super Star of Indian Movies.

Then comes the second pat on the deserving back of the director, Anees Bazmee. From “No Entry” to “Welcome” to “Singh is Kinng”, Anees is climbing success ladde. Congratulations to him for pulling of another headless comedy so well.

On the music side, Pritam (Singh?) Chakroborti has given another smash hit album for Akshay Kumar. The Title track is already topping the charts followed by the “Jee Karda” track picturised on marvelous locations of egypt with santilatting, sensuous Katrina Kaif dancing to the great thumpy tune with the Punjabi Munda Akki. The 2 million rupees SnoopDog and Akki song is used unfortunately at the end titles. End title video songs are so much hard to watch properly with 80% of audience standing to leave the cinema hall. What a waste!

Cinematography is awe inspiring. The action scenes are breath taking. Choreography is inspiring. Screen play is taught and the dialogs are hillerious, emotional and hard hitting where needed.

Covering all the other departments above, I had left the best part for the end and that is performances. Akshay Kumar leads the all other talented lot. He performance both the villager part and the Kinngs part with elane. Katrina Kaif compliments him perfectly. Kirron Kher is excellent. Sonu Sood is outstanding. He has got the most meaty action scene of the movie and that will help him grab some more A+ class movies. There are many other characters and each has significant and sufficient screen time even the movie is just over 2 hours. Ranvir Shorey succeeds in impressing again. Neha Dhupia is able to attract all the eyeballs on her despite presence of the another Kat. She does her job well.

So the thorn has been bestowed upon the Kinng finally! Akki is King… New international superstar of bollywood. I hope with “Chandi Chauk to China”, he becomes true flagbeerer of Global Bollywood Movies. I pray for him and bollywood.

BR Rating: ***1/2
BR Verdict: Very Good!s
BR Recommends: Watch it with full family and friends. Get mad with the comic rollercoster ride.