Who hasn't heard of Om Shanti Om! Now that diwali, and the film, is finally upon us, all that is left is to let the hype be, and see if the movie is worth all the marketing tricks employed to ensure its success.
Is Om Shanti Om the worst example of commercial film making or is it masala entertainment at its best? Well, that depends on what kind of movie goer you are.
If you are the kind who takes pride in collecting every single award winning film ever made, or doesn't let rain or storm stop you from trekking to foreign films made by people whose names you can't pronounce, in languages you can't understand without subtitles, please stay away from OSO - this will be your worst nightmare come true.
If on the other hand you are looking for an escapist masala entertainer, with a good star cast, and a budget big enough to ensure that whatever you see on screen, nonsense or not, is stylishly presented, do buy your tickets bravely - you will get your money's worth.
The story -Since everybody already knows Om is a reincarnation drama, let me just skim through the barely there storyline.
Om is a film extra, ok, junior artiste, madly in love with Shanti, a star. Of course they meet - the film world is a small one. He even gets to do a hero to the rescue scene with his damsel in distress heroine, and the the unlikely pair become friends, or so he thinks. Twists in the tale lead to Om dying, and to a quick soul transfer.
Cut to 30 years later, and Om(everything's the same - the name, the nose, even the hair minus the sideburns, and the tattoo which is now a brand!) is a bratty star, inexplicably terrified of fire, living the life he dreamed of in the drunken ramblings of his previous birth. He stumbles across his Shanti when auditioning for the perfect face for a film he knows he has to make.
The story has elements probably taken from every reincarnation movie made before - there are traces of Karz and Karan Arjun here(I don't know the others to name them) but you don't really mind because Farah has made no secret that she has freely borrowed from these sources.
For the most part, you know what is coming, right down to the dialogues - after all, you've seen it all before in one movie or the other. But there are some twists in the tale(including one totally creepy one that solves the mystery of the missing body) that take even a savvy movie goer by surprise- these are what the movie revolves around.
The acting -Om doesn't call on the actors to strain their histrionic skills too much, and so all is well. Kirron Kher by now has the role of mom down pat, and provides for some fun as the overly dramatic, Paulo Coelho spouting(in translation, of course!) filmy mother. Shreyas, though not too convincing as a 50 something, is totally at ease with his role as friend to Shahrukh, Arjun Rampal makes a smooth, suave, sexy villain, and Bindu is perfect as 'heroine ki ma.' Deepika looks gorgeous(like an Aishwarya Rai exuding warm vibes, a friend commented) and is not bad for an absolute newcomer. Her acting skills could do with a bit of touching up though - watch her delicately tapping on the glass when she should be hysterical, and you will understand what I mean. As for the Khan himself, he breezes through the movie having a blast. Yes, he flaunts a buff, fully waxed body that's worthy of Salman Khan. The effect, however, is unappealingly transgenderish, unlike his casual(all male) attractiveness in Chak de.
My verdict - The first half is more entertaining than the second which could have done with a bit of scissor work, the sets are opulent, the songs hummable(forget that in the movies of the 70s vamps, not heroines, did the item numbers, and simply enjoy the show), the costumes pretty, and the heroine is very easy on the eye.
Farah Khan doesn't pretend she's making an intellectual movie, so sets about having the most fun she can. She's thrown in some comedy, some action, a bit of drama and even few moments of suspense to cook up this potboiler, and if you ignore a couple of eye rolling moments, and a general restlessness that takes you over in the second half, the effect is not bad - a little like that of feasting at a marriage where the menu has remained the same for generations, but the presentation has prettied up .
Farah takes a dig at everybody and everything in the film industry, and best of all, she has the actors and actresses laughing at themselves. If nothing else, the movie is worth watching for the Omaswamy scene, and the award ceremony(both spoofs reminiscent of the Scary Movie series) and the revealing of Shanti's secret(s). Of course, there is the much talked about Om Shanti Om song where just about very living star in Hindi filmdom makes an appearance.
Farah should also be commended for giving all the usually invisible hands in a movie, credit for their work, and in the most innovative manner too!
I would rate Om as a slightly better than average masala movie that would have floundered if not for SRK and the good cinematography.
Should you spend your money on the movie - Sure, once. Just don't ask too many questions, and don't buy the ticket in black - it's not worth that much!
