The best Hindi Cinema had to offer in the decade gone by..

Hindi Cinema has seen a major transcendental shift in the past decade. Though mainstream (read Candy floss/Masala/Blockbuster) cinema like Om Shanti Om, Ghajini, Dabangg manages to rake in the big bucks at the box office, today there is a movie for a viewer who does not worship stars but instead appreciates meritorious and quality cinema. Plethora of new age film makers are telling stories on screen which are not make belief...but stories one can identify with. Corporatisation of Hindi Cinema has made sure that the talented film-maker has been nurtured and his work seen the light of the day.

Here's my small writeup on the top 5 films of the decade (2001 - 2010).



1. Swades (2004) - Ashutosh Gowariker's gem about an NRI reconnecting to his roots will be known for SRK's strikingly earthy portrayal of Mohan Bhargav. Ashutosh Gowariker was able to bring forth on the silver screen - SRK the actor. When we saw Mohan Bhargav we saw Mohan Bhargav, not SRK the larger than life superstar. Swades is arguably SRK's best performance so far and a reminder of how unutilised he has been as an actor. The film is bigger than its supposed minor flaws and a slightly stretched runtime because when viewed in its entirety, the patriotic pride and emotions it manages to invoke in the viewer is unparalleled.



2. Dil Chahta Hai (2001) - Hindi Cinema has been demarcated into clear time-lines -- the Pre and post Dil Chahta Hai era. Nothing connected and caught the imagination and psyche of the Indian urban populace like Dil Chahta Hai. The story of Sid, Sameer and Akash, their coming of age was indeed path breaking not for its cinematic brilliance but for the very single fact that the characters were people caught in situations, one could relate to. Dil Chahta Hai will be eternally known as the Film which contemporarised Indian Cinema.

3. Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002) - Released just after the Godhra riots, Mr. and Mrs. Iyer with its engaging screenplay, superb execution and brilliant performances by the lead pair captured the disunity that still plagues our nation. Mr. and Mrs. Iyer was the ignition spark for the new age film maker - one who was willing to experiment and not let commercial considerations or acceptance overrule his creative tenets. Mr. and Mrs. Iyer was the birth of parallel/off beat Hindi Cinema as we know it today.

4. Dor (2006) - An immaculate script, a visionary director, talented actors and haunting cinematography - Dor is pure magic on screen and epitomizes the hallmark of aesthetic film-making. A tale of women empowerment and liberation which is witty, non preachy yet emotionally moving.

5. Dev.D (2009) - Inspired by the legeandary novel Devdas and films of similar name, Dev.D successfully and charmingly retained the major ingredients of the original story - of romance, jealousy, egotism, unrequited love, anguish, addiction and tragedy and amplified this with a smashingly cool urban treatment. It is shocking, awe-inspiring, cold and thought provoking. Stunning art direction, cinematography and a superb soundtrack, Dev.D is certainly one of the stand out works of the decade.

Films which just missed the cut: Jhankaar Beats  Rang De Basanti, A Wednesday, Rocket Singh, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Wake Up Sid, Love Sex Aur Dhoka

An Instant Connection!

3 Idiots (2009)
Director: Raj Kumar Hirani
Cast: Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, R. Madhvan, Boman Irani, Kareena Kapoor

Rating: 3.5/5

If I had predicted 8 years back when I was in Class IX that I would study Commerce for the next 5 years, do an MBA and take up a job in Sports Marketing, many of my peers would have been amused about my slightly off beat path, while the uncles and the aunties would have scorned and said “ Beta science kyu nahi lete, intelligent ho, tum engineer ya doctor bano.” (Thank god my parents are not one of those uncles and aunties and I did what I did and in future will do what I want to do with complete freedom!) Though, now we have people taking up off beat professions and doing well for themselves, the typical middle class view of education has remained unaltered over the years. Education system itself hasn’t changed much – emphasis is still on rote learning; and doing a B.Tech, MBBS or an MBA ensures one a successful career.

It was high time that a movie was made to portray and challenge the values of our education system and who better than Raj Kumar Hirani, the man behind the ‘Jaadu Ki Jhappi’ and ‘Gandhigiri’ to give his idealistic and super entertaining take on this issue.

Three Idiots based in a very stereotypical setting of an Indian engineering college makes a mockery of the education system where engineers don’t graduate but they are manufactured with complete disregard to their raw materials i.e. their talent, passion, mental framework and area of interest.

The biggest plus point of this movie is that it does not preach, it connects and connects like no other! It is through a well knit story with capable actors that the director manages to captivate the audience for over two and a half hours and inject ‘gyaan’ from time to time while not compromising on the entertainment dose. Raj Kumar Hirani knows when to give what dose and in what strength.

The movie is a quintessential bollywood entertainer and the director uses all clichés and ‘creative freedom’ to drive the movie along its runtime. A group of three friends having different background and varied interests, bond and cherish each other for a lifetime like Dil Chahta Hai.

The film does well to show a typical lower middle class setup. Raju Rastogi played by Sharman Joshi has a sick father and an unmarried sister at home and relies on astrology and religion to overcome his dire circumstances. The film has audience in splits when Raju’s domestic life is shown in black and white with melancholic music playing in the background. Farhan Qureshi’s (R. Madhavan) parents on the other hand have sacrificed all luxuries in life so that they could support their son and see him become an engineer.

The protagonist Rancho played by Aamir Khan is a witty guy who thinks out of the box, defies and challenges set patterns and values of education, brings a revolution in his friends' lives, confronts his dogmatic and vindictive college Dean and has a subtle love interest in Pia who turns out to be the Dean’s daughter!

In 1989 he played a college student, hung a guitar on his shoulders and sang “Papa kehte hai bada naam karega....koi engineer ka kaam karega.” It is remarkable that 20 years down the line he can still convincingly portray the character of a 20 something. Aamir has indeed traversed a long way and 3 Idiots establishes his unique indomitable niche in Hindi Cinema. Here’s one actor who has managed a difficult feat – of continuously doing meaningful, yet commercially successful cinema (I have deleted Mela and Ghajini from my memory).

Aamir’s role in three idiots doesn’t really stretch his capabilities as an actor. The role could very well have been portrayed by a Ranbir, a Shahid or an Abhay Deol. But what a superstar like Aamir can do to the character of Rancho, none of these guys can. As Aamir gives gyaan to his two friends and explains them the funda of ‘aall iz well’, you know that he is successfully elevating this movie to a cult status!

Sharman Joshi and R Madhavan playing the other two leads give a subdued yet effective performance and let Aamir drive the show. Kareena is at her bubbly best! But the two performances that really stand out are that of Omi Vaidya who plays Chatur and Boman Irani who plays the college Dean. The movie would not have been even fifty percent as humorous had it not been for the antics of Chatur who pulls off one of the most hilarious five minute speech one can ever hear. Boman Irani is the only character in the movie who I think is irreplaceable. All you can say when you watch Boman is “Hail Sahastrabudhhe”!

The film is well complemented by cinematography, music and choreography. The opening shots which zoom past the Himalayas and the ending scenes shot in the serene and isolated valley of Ladakh are a visual treat. Swananad Giri pens some meaningful lyrics which are backed by good music and renditions by Shantanu Moitra and Sonu Nigam respectively.

Three Idiots, even though crowd pleasing is not above its flaws. Hirani sticks to his tried and tested formula of pitting a Hitler type figure against an idealist hero. There is way too much glycerine used in making this movie! The mawkish sentimentality in some of the scenes is uncalled for. In order to prove the genius in Rancho, the director resorts to an unimpressive gimmick in the end. The “All Iz Well” funda over stays its welcome when it is used as a device to culminate the climax of the movie. Also, there is no denying the fact that 3 Idiots is largely inspired from Chetan Bhagat’s ‘5 Point Someone’ and there is no justification for the filmmakers to not give the credit to the author for the story right in the starting credits.

Notwithstanding its flaws and controversies, 3 Idiots is a good effort which gives the audience what it needs most – entertainment. The film is Hirani’s way of saying – “Indian Film Audience, tussi great ho, tohfa kabool karo.”


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P.S. Writing this review is like coming out of hibernation for me. Many of you have complained about my absence but the new job has made me BUSY in the true sense of the word. I have missed reviewing some major movies like Kurbaan, Paa and Rocket Singh ( My favorite movie from 2009) over the past few months but will try to be regular with my reviews at least for the big movies. The OSCAR season is knocking and it will be great to review the favorites for this year. My next blog entry will be about my expectation from 2010's most anticipated movie - My Name Is Khan.
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Wake Up Sid is a Breezy Watch..

Wake Up Sid (2009)
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Kon Kona Sen Sharma,

Rating: 3/5

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There are movies which have a subject matter you can relate to, movies which are a reflection of the lifestyle and attitudes of the new generation. These movies have characters you can identify with and their story is essentially one that you know as it has already unfolded or unfolding in your life or the life of people around you. Wake Up Sid is one such movie. It is yet another addition to the F5 Club as I call it. F5 Club consists Hindi movies (Eg. Dil Chahta Hai, Jhankaar Beats, Dev D & Luck By Chance) which have F5’ed (read Refresh) the multiplex going audience by serving them a slice of their own life.

Many of us (the self made kind) have always said to ourselves – “Oh these rich brats have had it all easy in life having being served everything on a silver platter. What do these kids know about responsibility and the struggles of everyday life?” Siddharth Mehra played by the dashing Ranbir Kapoor is one of those rich brats who lives life king size and whose occupation is spending his father’s money! In Sid’s dictionary, the words love, work and study don’t exist! He flunks his college exam, refuses to join his dad’s business and leaves home after a fight with his parents. But for all his immaturity and I don’t care attitude, Sid is a sweet and endearing character, a person you would like to befriend. The movie is about the series of events that lead to Sid’s awakening as a mature and independent man. The plot is as predictable as a straight line yet you relate to it as it sucks you in for those two and a half hours while you sip Coke and munch your pop corn.

Besides the coming of age of Siddharth Mehra, Wake Up Sid is a feel good romantic movie. The romance between Sid and Aisha, a girl who shifts to Mumbai to pursue her passion as a writer is not of the love at first sight variety. Opposites attract but it takes time for the realization of mutual attraction to set in, something which is shown well in the movie.

The young debutant director Ayan Mukerji proves that often the person who writes the script is in the best position to direct it. The story and its subsequent execution has both simplicity and honesty. This honesty is reflected in the way the characters are etched out. Sid’s friends are real and ordinary looking people, the kinds who are not necessarily the most stunning looking people you will ever see. Then there are Sid’s parents with whom he does not share a very close relationship with. His mom like any other mom barges into his room without knocking, cleans up the mess inside, dotes on his son and insists that he eats ghar ka khaana. His dad on the other hand is a go getter, a self made man who is proud of his achievements on one hand and dismayed by his son’s aimlessness in life on the other.

Ranbir Kapoor once again shows his charm and swagger as he plays Sid effortlessly. It is true that the role doesn’t really stretch his acting capabilities but he needs to be credited for sustaining audience interest in a predictable plot. Ranbir is without a doubt, a mega superstar in the making. Konkona Sen, the seasoned actress is at her best playing a role which she has played many times in the past. It is a master stroke by the director to get Kon Kona to play Aisha instead of one of the reigning queens of Hindi cinema. Konkona fits the bill perfectly. The casting of the support cast is good and director manages to extract quality performances.

Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions adds to the movie the bright, colorful and larger than life glitz it is known for. Whether it is the sea being overlooked by the Bombay skyline or the colorful and often creepy streets of the suburbs and its defaced buildings, top notch cinematography ensures that Bombay is captured brilliantly. Having been born in Bombay ( I insist on not using Mumbai) and spending the first three years of my life there, this movie made me miss that city. The flair, passion for life, the mad pace, and the clichéd - never say die attitude of the city is in the backdrop a very important character of this film.

With the music of Wake Up Sid, Shankar Ehsaan Loy have added yet another feather in their cap. The soundtrack is uplifting and Kya Karoon (a quintessential feel good song) & Iktara (soulful and additive) are the best picks in the album. It is a pity that the male version of Iktara which is there as a background score in the movie was not included in the album.

Despite being bound by limitations of being predictable and moving at a slow pace, Wake Up Sid works because it is honest (Yes I once again use that word). It is a movie which makes you reminisce those times when you were uncertain about the direction your life is going to take or that time when you were unsure of your feelings for someone or the first time you really felt a sense of purpose and pride. If a movie manages to strike a chord like that, it is a successful attempt. Wake Up Sid is an urban story which is well presented.

An exhilarating ride of kameenapan...

KAMINEY(2009)

Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Amol Gupte
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj

Rating: 3.5/5

Many of you, my dear friends and esteemed readers have complained why I haven’t reviewed Kaminey as yet. The fact is that like every major release hitting Indian theatres, I did see it on the day of its release - 14th August, but as I got out from the theatre I was dazed. For once, I wanted to reserve my judgment as I don’t think I had absorbed the brilliance (or the possible lack of it) in the first viewing. One thing was for sure – Kaminey warranted a second viewing and after having finally seen it for the second time with a fellow film enthusiast I finally write my review. Read on...

Shahid Kapoor’s character Charlie says in the beginning of Kaminey, “Yeh life badi kutti cheez hai”. With this very dialog the director, Vishal Bhardwaj stamps his authority on the movie and reminds us of the rusticity of Omkara.

The setting is grim and murky and not once in the film do you see a scene set in broad day light with a clear blue sky and the sun shining! In this backdrop unfolds the lives of two twin brothers Charlie and Guddu. Wait, did anyone just shout the words – cliché, formulaic or been-there-seen-that? Hang on, because this is not the run of the mill “twin-brothers-parting-in-a-Kumbh-Mela-and-uniting-after-20-years-to-take-revenge-on-their-father’s-killer” saga. Vishal Bhardwaj has his own take on Hindi cinema’s (I hate the use of the term Bollywood) favorite storyline. True, that there is a Deewar between the two brothers but this deewar is sans the two Ms – Maa and Melodrama.

The story takes its precious time to truly engulf you. There is some confusion as seemingly random scenes roll out one after another and half an hour into the movie you haven’t been able to figure out what is really happening! It’s almost as if, it is a deliberate attempt on the part of the director to go slow with the screenplay in order to enable the viewer to absorb himself in the setting the movie has been executed in. But one hour into the runtime Vishal Bhardwaj successfully manages to finely sketch the different characters and put various shades to them. The characters are real and life like speaking everyday language like you and me, yet living realistically dramatic ordinary lives.

The lives of a group of gangsters trying to close a major drug deal with help from top brass of the Mumbai-Anti Narcotics Bureau, a Raj Thackeray proto-type with a ‘Jai Maharashtra’ propaganda trying to get his sister to forcibly marry a Builder’s son so that he can get dowry in his election fund, a local goon wanting to recover his lost savings from a fraud informant and stumbling upon a golden guitar in the process, his estranged brother – a regular next door guy struggling in life and who due to circumstances very hesitantly has to elope with the girl he loves, all intervene through a bizarre series of events and mayhem ensues!

If Vishal Bhardwaj’s direction is the spinal cord of the movie then Shahid’s performances as Charlie and Guddu are the heart of the movie. These two roles present a major challenge to Shahid but he rises up to the challenge and makes the most of it. He proves that his acting capabilities are not limited to the chocolate boy roles we are accustomed to seeing him in. Again the credit goes to the director for the brilliant characterization. In Charlie, Shahid has got a memorable character which will be etched in the viewer’s memory for times to come. Shahid is so good that at the end of the movie you cannot think of any other actor who could have done justice to the two roles. And yes the lisping and stammering act which has already become a rage is pulled off ‘awefomely’ by Shahid! He is without doubt a HUGE Superstar in the making.

Priyanka Chopra (I admit without any qualms that she is my image of the ultimate woman) as the lead actress on the other hand plays the role of Sweety which is beneath her super glamorous image. She carries the toned down look of a Maharashtrian girl with great Chutzpah. Again thanks to the director, her character has some brilliant moments in the movie. Like in that raunchy scene where she tells her lover Guddu when they are making out in a tent and ready to go all the way – “Tere mere beech mei koi teesra aa jaaye, mujhe pasand nahi!” Go figure what that meant! Then there is that scene in the end when she pulls off a ‘Bride’ (Read Uma Thurman in Kill Bill) by picking up a machine gun and pointing and shooting at her own brother for conspiring to kill her lover!

Amol Gupte shines in his portrayal of the Mahrashtrian politician. The casting of the rest of the supporting actors is spot on and their performances A grade. It’s a relief to see fresh faces in the supporting cast and it is this freshness that adds newness to this film!

Kaminey truly has some magical moments. It is commendable how the director amidst the bang-bang mayhem has managed to incorporate a love story between Guddu and Sweety and make it so endearing. The scene where Guddu lashes out on Sweety after finding out that she fakes her stammering deeply moves you. In that very scene the director is able to highlight the insecurity of Guddu’s character on one hand and Sweety's deep love and willingness to go to any lengths to be with him on the other. Then there is that hilarious Bhope Bhau vs. Tope Bhau confrontation which is another masterstroke!

Vishal Bhardwaj recently said in an interview that he considers himself a music director first and then a film director. The background music and soundtrack of Kaminey is pulsating! The Kaminey album has something for everyone. Listening to ‘Dhan Te Nan’ in a Dolby Digital theatre gives you gooseflesh and increases your rate of blood circulation! The lyrics for other songs are brilliantly penned down. Sample this:

“..Ishq mei jalte hue saans tezaabi lage, raaz khulta nahi, koi toh chabhi lage.” (Raat Ke Dhai Bajein)

“...Meri arzoon Kamini,,mere khwaab bhi Kaminey.. ek dil se dosti thi, yeh huzoor bhi Kaminey...” (Kaminey)

“...Yaad hai peepal ke jiskey ghaney saayein they, humnein gilhare ke joothe matar khaaye they...yeh barqat un hazrat ki hai, pehli baar mohabbat ki hai.. aakhri mohabbat ki hai” (Pehli Baar Mohabbat)

Mohit Chauhan’s rendition of ‘Pehli Baar Mohabbat’ is divine. He is arguably the number one playback singer these days with tracks like Masakali (Delhi 6), Khuchh Khaas (Fashion), Tune Jo Naa Kahaa (New York) and Yeh Dooriyan (Love Aaj Kal) to his credit.

Kaminey won’t connect with the sensibilities and tastes of the average Indian movie goer. It requires the viewer’s attention and intelligence throughout. The film cannot be labeled a masterpiece as it loosely draws inspiration from films like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and Pulp Fiction. But it is not a mish-mash or a rehash of these films. In fact it is a brilliant fusion between the two different worlds of cinema. The movie’s real star is the director Vishal Bhardwaj who proves that what Guy Ritchie/Quentin Tarantino can do, he can do as effectively, if not better with a desi tadka! Kaminey is an insane ride. Jump in and enjoy this ride with the Kamineys and sing - Dhan Te Nan..Te Nan..Te Nan

Plays To The Galleries...

Ghajini (2008)

Rating: *****

By,

Rahul Ojha

Its one of the most hyped movies in Bollywood history and over the past eight months we’ve heard and seen it all – the hair cut, the jokes about the Aamir-ferocious-look, Aamir’s guide to get the 8-Pack abs and the brilliant marketing campaign in build up to the release, which will make for a fascinating case study for marketing students at the country’s premier B-Schools. But talking about the core product itself i.e. the movie – Ghajini, one has questions. Is it yet another cinematic masterpiece coming from the Aamir Khan school of cinema? Does it live up to the tremendous hype? Is it the best movie of the year? Unfortunately, as is often the case with over- hyped extravaganzas the answer to all these three questions is NO. But is it a bad movie? Certainly not! That this will be liked by the movie goers by and large and that it will be a blockbuster is a foregone conclusion.

First up, let’s set the record straight. Ghajini is a remake of a South Indian movie of the same name which itself is inspired (the favourite word for Indian film-makers when they blatantly copy foreign material) from Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece – Memento (2000). Therefore, you can’t credit it with any points for originality. But director Murgadoss’s ‘Ghajini’ is NOT a scene by scene copy of Memento. And how could it ever be? The film makers realise (or assume) that the average Indian movie goer is too unintelligent to grasp an intriguing, non linear type of storytelling with a twist in the end that would leave him dumb founded. Hence, to rake in the moolah, the film makers turn Ghajini into mishmash of Memento and Masala cinema of the 70’s and to add icing on the cake – action straight from the Rajnikanth School of Martial Arts. Now that is what makes for entertainment for the masses!

Ghajini’s ‘Indianised’ storyline has all the three hallmarks of a blockbuster, the 3Rs – Romance, Revenge and the Righteous ending. It has a back and forth style of storytelling which doesn’t warrant a crossword solving approach by the viewer. Sixty percent into the run time and the viewer knows what it will culminate into!

The romance element in the movie is endearing with newcomer Asin doing a great job of playing the chirpy girl next door and Aamir as the ambitious business tycoon mesmerized by her earthy ways. We break into romantic ballads courtesy dream sequences (The tracks, Guzarish and Kaise Mujhe will go down as A.R. Rehman’s best works). The romance blossoms, but the inevitable tragedy strikes and a revenge seeking animal is born.

The build up to the climax is great as the screenplay engages the emotions of the viewer making him feel the grief and pain of the terrible tragedy of the protagonist’s girl friend brutally murdered in front of his own eyes. You expect one-helluva ending, something like the ending of ‘Unforgiven’ in which Clint Eastwood left you awe-struck. But Ghajini’s climax is laughable! Aamir Khan gets possessed by Rajnikanth. Dhoom-dhaam-dhishum, bodies fly in the air at the touch of a finger! Mission Accomplished!

From start to finish, Ghajini is dominated by the one and only, Aamir ‘Ferocious’ Khan. It is the sort of role only a few can do justice to and performance wise it won’t be an understatement to say that even the toughest of men in Hindi cinema like Dharam Paaji (in his prime) or Sunny Deol couldn’t play the revenge seeking Sanjay Singhania any better than Aamir Khan! Yes, as always he successfully re-invents himself and hats off to that! But you can’t help but wonder what was his motive in selecting this role? Maybe because, its a tailor made role to get the whistles from the 'front rows' and an attempt to establish himself as the biggest undisputed superstar of Hindi Film Industry.

All the dissection done, Ghajini is an entertaining and riveting affair, a onetime watch but nothing beyond that. One expects an Aamir Khan flick to be an intelligent affair and the film-makers (Aamir included) use this image to masquerade Ghajini as a different, creative and intelligent piece of work which it is certainly not. Ghajini is conveniently contrived and has half a dozen plot holes which if given attention to insult your basic intelligence! Why the pretense? Why not sell it as a no-brainer-masala pot-boiler in the first place?

An Overcooked Recipe

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)

Rating: *****

By,

Rahul Ojha

What happens when you over cook the best recipe? Result is a cuisine that you eat when you are hungry without relishing it. The most awaited movie of the year - Aditya Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (RNBDJ)is just like that overcooked cuisine which the audience is expected to digest just because it has the magic ingredient, the Badshah of Hindi cinema Shahrukh Khan starring in it.

The plot is about the unrequited love of a geek, meek and a shy small town man who marries a pretty punjabi girl in unexpected circumstances. How will he win his love and make the only woman he has ever loved, love him in return? This interesting plot premise, despite taking off well in the first 20 odd minutes is battered, thanks to shoddy writing which lacks both conviction and logic.

The only well written and endearing character is of this geeky guy – Surinder played by SRK. The new actress Anushka Sharma comes across as beautiful, confident and charming. She fits perfectly in the role of a Punjabi girl, giving a decent but low impact performance. Raj, the cool, clean shaved and hip Jatt guy again played by SRK is a bad caricature of the romantic image of ‘Rahul’ and ‘Raj’ created by SRK and Yash Raj over the years. After the initial interest, this character too fails to make the storyline any interesting. So there you have it , when in the script two out of the three central characters are ineffective, you know it’s time to fasten the seat belt as this flight is in some trouble.

But this flight somehow doesn’t crash. What saves it is SRK who gives it his all to make Surinder and Raj as endearing as possible. He is the sole reason keeping you on board. SRK tries hard and succeeds to engage you emotionally in some sporadic scenes just like the small and few chocolate pieces hidden in a big plain biscuit. Also, the success of a romantic comedy is determined by the number of magical moments the lead pair have on screen. In RNBDJ, unfortunately these moments are almost nonexistent. But right from the last few minutes to the end of the credits the film ends on a creative, humorous and feel good note which again spares it from the wrath of the audience.

The film has only four main songs, Haule Haule and Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte being the highlights. Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte is a tribute to the great romantic heroes of the yester years and has five leading ladies of Bollywood dancing in five different segments. In segment one the duo SRK and Kajol dancing together once again shows us why they were and are still the best looking pair in Hindi Cinema. And In the same song in segment five, Rani Mukherjee looks totally out of place. Nevertheless this track is an extremely entertaining affair. The title track, Tujhe Mei Rab Dikhta Hai is a huge disappointment with the way it is picturised. Though the movie is shot well and has good production value which one expects from Yash Raj. The Amritsar setting looks very authentic.

So all in all ‘Rab Ne…’ is a watchable but underwhelming affair. Aditya Chopra is below average in his duties as script writer, dialog writer and director. Infact, after Mohabbatein, he has plummeted to a new low. There is a lesson to be learnt for directors who lack a great script and expect SRK to deliver the goods for them each time no matter how puerile the plot. And SRK needs to watch DVDs of Swades and Chak De and remind himself of what he is capable of, and in future choose roles of substance. RNBDJ is not going to be a highlight or milestone in his successful career.