I'm totally in sync with the author of this article. But he still has not hit the nail of the problem which lies in the biased critics of the bollywood movies. Take the review of a "Rules" and a "Kal ho na ho" and read them from a common man's point of view. The outing to a movie with family is a costly affair and people goes to movies based on reviews for assured entertainment. And tell me, how many of these reviews are written honestly?
This review is absolutely spot on! Movies like Dil Chahta Hai, Jhankar Beats, et al make you think because they depict the urban milieu and youth of today. Movies such as KKKG, KHNH, et al are a mixture of melodrama and hamming--with SRK as the King of Hams. In fact, when I was watching KKKG, I couldn't help wondering if SRK's character may not have actually been AB's character's actual baccha by someone else. After all, it is AB's character who finds him, brings him home and adopts him. And AB's character is supposed to have a glad eye! Also, that use of the National Anthem in a British school function was just too disgusting! And compare the depiction of Chandni Chowk in KKKG with its depiction in Monsoon Wedding. Which is more real and more evocative? Also look at Sanjay Leela Bhansali's RAPE of Devdas--I would still go for the Dilip Kumar-Bimal Roy version any day! The only excellent performance in KHNH was that of Saif Ali Khan's--graceful and understated. The rest of the cast screeched so much they hurt the eardrums!
brilliant article.... its high time we got out of the pink balloons and the blue clouds...and a few loud characters and then....larger than life sets and costumes...and songs...from the chopra-barjatya-johar stables...and look for real cinema...its apity tht movies like samay and dhoop...didnt really do well...inspite of being wonderfully mad and acted out.... and to add to the misery..the hackneyed stories of chalte chalte and kal ho na ho....and all such crap...goes on to be big hits....tht inspire the nikhil advani's and the kunal kohli's to jump on the candy floss bandwagon...and the craziest thing...the khalid mohds and the jitesh pillais and tarun adarshs will sit and harp and crap on these movies....than actually praise the better ones....alas....sad state for hindi cinema.....
hey i don't know how ppl, who are already fed-up in life and their personal problems, manage to go and watch a hindi masala movie..and that too like a Baghban film?? i guess ppl try to relate their own situation with that in the film and do expect tht some good will also happen as that which happens with the hero in the film. DCH was a gr8 movie.. why ppl don't get into movies with a different touch like 'Cast Away' ?? are we technically lacking??.. i guess no.. and that's why it was interesting watching first 15 minutes of Koi Mil Gaya.. with those graphics.. etc etc stuff..
this is exactly the kind of pretentious nonsense that editorials are filled with....soft feel good films are the standard genre of any society...can we remember when harry met sally, youve got mail, how to lose a guy in ten days, sleepless in seattle etc...all of which are monstrous box office hits...
the point is that the mainstream audience, or a large part of it celebrates the values encapsulated in these movies, not because they are real, but because escapist entertainment is exactly what they desire...and if well executed movies like kal ho na ho and chlte chalte find favor with the audience then its time to applaud the directors for their ability to tap with the audience, not bemoan their lack of creativity....
Indeed good article... And yes good points.... people like SRK , Karan Johar, Chopras and Barjatya r playing with emotions , no new story... So yes....we r looking 4 and waiting 4 new genre who will give us "Hatke" films in real sense ! Rekha
Cant be more true. I am surprised that Kaal ho na ho is a hit??!! I think if you make a happy go lucky film with a big star set abroad, you have a hit. Dont bother about story, screenplay etc. Give me a break.. Chalte Chalte and kal ho na ho are at most a B+ grade movie, if they are hits, we are going nowhere but down. People here in USA are starved of family drama and I am sorry to say that they seek happiness, which is missing in their lives, in the movies.NRIS are now more stupid than common people in India. More articles like this one, please. And please, do something so that we dont waste money watchin these substandard movies like KHNH. Your reporting of the movie said' definitely watcheable'??
We are indians mate and this is our culture. Many may have forgotten but these directors who made brilliant films like Baghban, Chalte Chalte and Kal ho Naa ho ( totally original, i wonder if u have even seen anand) have certainly not forgotten the culture. I live in New Zealand and i know this and many more ppl in oversaes who have appreciated these three films a lot. Sunil i know what u mean by new ideas n all, but guess wat these films are loved by ppl. Not films like Koi Mil Gaya, except in India where i dont no y ppl have gone so crazy bout it. its a good film till it comes to the alien, from there on its wat i call total bullshit. ooh jadu is here to save the day, good 4 the kids but not gud enuf to say its the best. Once again mate, we are indians and if u wana adapt the european culture then why not be in europe. These films have done gud for bollywood for about a century. LETS KEEP IT THAT WAY. Cos thats what the world wants not just india.
Yes, It all started with Dil Chahta hai, I feel and to add Ram gopal verma's set of different movies. Nobody in today's life will accept DDLJ concept people want script, Munnabhai MBBS for example the carrom board script was too good. People making such different movies can only bring some life to bollywood. Our movies are always the best no matter what the world thinks. We should have our own international awards and make other international people sweat to make daringly different movies. But in south especially kerala, different movies are a common place and many good directors come up with hindi version. For example, Hera pheri. But good looks also matter with acting in bollywood and there are few today, Saif, Sanjay dutt, hrithik and good old srk. SRK does act (not ham) unlike what other people think. People still accept him, I do. Other wise Vidhu Chopra would not have offered him Munnabhai or lagaan fell out of his hands (due to his own folly). Well, for karan johar and his love sagas that is okay as long as they are feel good but he added the "adopted Gia" concept to KHNH to make it different which worked otherwise nobody will watch KHNH love triangle (like hum T H S)
I totally agree with the author's view about the lack of creativity with the "big names" in Bollywood. They simply want to keep rehashing the same formula in different settings in order to take no risks at the Box Office. This will continue until the awards start being given to the movies that actually merit them. The so called "popular" movies are usually the big winners at the awards functions. The real movie makers that give us true creativity are usually not even mentionted at the awards shows. Basically, the makers are interested in making money with tried and tired formulae. However, it is the movies like 3 Deewarein, Pinjar, Mr & Mrs Iyer that leave you with a lasting impression.
