Monday, September 21, 2009

Dil Bole 'Wah Wah'......!

In other words, I LOVED the film, even if the title sucks, and Rani is more Bubbli than Veera! But it is Shahid who captures hearts with a slick and cerebral performance in a movie that is supposed to belong to (ghar ki) Rani. Not that Aditya Chopra's girl does not deliver. Rani is superb as Veer Pratap, but as Veera, it is yesterday once more. Plus, the close- ups are a little cruel. The thing about Rani is that she has blinded us with her wholesome appeal over years, and it is impossible to switch gears and accept her in an ill -fitting gold bikini top. Kyon???? You want to scream. Leave that to the hungry bimbettes who need the exposure ( pun!). Rani is way above the rest in the histrionics game, and she isn't going to woo new admirers by stripping. By the time the credits roll and the bikini-harem pants finally come on, the audience is already in love with her. Besides, the work that has gone into her performance is equally evident, when she hits those balls out of the field. The script is king , here. What an unusual story, and how cleverly executed, minus any artificiality ( if you can ignore Rakhi Sawant and some horsy creature called Sonia, clad in lame hot pants). This is the sort of 'family entertainment' that has been ignored for too long by our hot shot producers busy chasing ludicrous plots and action thrillers sans logic. It is very much an old- fashioned, sweetly chaste, unapologetic 'sarson da saga', more Punjabi than makki di roti, but equally palatable. The OTT Yash Raj touches are everywhere, particularly in a silly 'date' sequence, in which Shahid takes over a typical dhaba to woo his 'Buffalo Girl', no, not with lassi , rabri and jalebis alone, but a chilled bottle of Moet!
The 'Nautanki' dressing room resembles a Baz Lurhmann set from 'Moulin Rouge', or at least the dressing rooms of the ongoing Lakme India Fashion Week. Some nautanki company, this!! To justify it, Rakhi Sawant performs a sizzling item number that leaves Bipasha Basu's 'Bidi', in its packet... or at the gatepost. Rani as Veer Pratap, matches her step for step in this wonderfully choreographed number. As for Shahid's hot moves and his SRK take- off - the man struts his stuff with absolute panache. He could so easily replace ALL the Khans with his freshness in this role. Far more convincing here than in that embarrassingly gauche, stutter-lisp 'Kaminey' double dholki. His bod looks hot - all compact abs and strong tennis wrists. Let's hope success doesn't corrupt this young actor. He could be the 21st century Dilip Kumar.
As for Rani..... darling, you proved your point. You are the best. Now, will you just go off and get married, please?
And yes, leave those LBDs to the wannabes. Stick to patialas and mojris - nobody wears them better.

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

(He could be the 21st century Dilip Kumar.)
And I faint.
:-|

ek-ladki-anjaani-si said...

Somehow the movie reminded me of a Bunty Aur Babli + Chak De.... with the ending stolen from Lagaan! Nahi kya? Or was it Iqbaal?

Off I go to watch "Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs." Are you into animations De?

R {back to life! back to reality. twas great talking to you! do call me when you get here}

Unknown said...

We are tired of this Punjab fixation that Yash Raj and some of his peers have developed, presumably to strike a chord in the hearts of the Punjabi diaspora in the U.S., Canada, UK and elsewhere.

The same old fields, same old Bhangra and same old colorful inane song-dance routines, same old, same old.

VikR said...

You once said that you have a responsibility to your readers and it’s only to them that your responsibility matters. But with all due respect you love this 'silly' sugar-coated doughnut of a movie and it’s take on romance and comedy and you trash a masterpiece like 'kaminey'. Is this being self conscious, subjective or self-indulgent, refusal to change with times? You have a cult fan following, please do not disappoint fans like myself, that’s my only request. A loyal fan!

Unknown said...

This review is good and what you said about Rani and Shahid is too true. Shahid shines better with such restrained performances, not the Kaminey type loud performances. Thanks for your politically incorrect but honest reviews. Shahid is one cut above all the hyped Khans except Yousuf Khan.

Pratap said...

I enjoyed the movie too.

The director (and Aditya Chopra?) need to be educated on the difference between US and UK slang - especially if they want to tug at the NRI heart (and purse!) strings.
Shahid's Rohan who is supposedly raised in the UK uses all typical American sports terms and even does the (in)famous Obama fist bump!
That was the major disappointment. The skimpily clad bimbette was over-the-top and an annoyance. The take off on Mandira Bedi was cool. And it was good to see Poonam Dhillon after ages.

sonal said...

Havent seen the film, didint think it worth my time.The same old song and dance routine and visuals that seem a lift from so many other films.Nothing new and Ranishould quitely retire.

Unknown said...

saw the original, "she's the man". need i say more?

obssesor said...

You of all people liked it?
Seriously?

Sun said...

you didn't like kaminey, but u liked dil bole hadippa????

?????

u just wanna be controversial I guess

only this has ended up becoming wayyyyyyyyyyy too funnyyy...

ok, so let me ask you again...

you didn't like kaminey, but u liked dil bole hadippa????



LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Abhay Agarwal said...

Dear Maam, either I went to see a different film or you did not write this article or you wrote it but are being facetitous!

Why do you call it a family entertaniner? It is a family murderer. I took my wife and 2 children to see the movie and spent Rs.960 for 4 tickets at PVR. I might as well have given that money for charity to YRF chosen foundation.

My 7 year old son has seen enough 20-20 matches to be completely incredulous of what the movie showed.

Maam, this movie is a slap on the face of the intelligence that is developing in this country. The makers believe that any corny shit that they dole out will be accepted by the masses. Maybe the 60+ would but not the newer set Maam.

I felt like filing a criminal case against YRF for scamming me of my hard earned money. But that will be like throwing good money after bad so I let is pass.

Please Maam please tell me that you are being facetitous.

Unknown said...

Hello Shobha,

Now wat do I do…. I read reviews and was sure that I will NOT waste my precious time… reading other comments I am not sure.. wat have u done nowwww…

Now I must watch as u liked it YOU…

Love Gulshan

Unknown said...

Or is it that u came back form ur trip n were nostalgic about India…naheeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Anonymous said...

Are you just trying to be the blonde bimbo - India's version of Sarah Palin? Or you seriously disliked Kaminey and liked this one?

Ok, I think I'm being too judgemental now.

sourav said...

I have seen both the movie hadippa and kaminey.though hadippa is an inspired movie with all the masala that every YRF movie has but the film was "entertaining".Rani performed excellently and I believe kaminey was an absolutely boring movie. There was nothing called "masterpiece" in the movie.The director wanted to be like tarantino but the film was not "entertaining".I think for pseudo-intellectuals it is a master-piece.The only best thing about that movie was its dialouges,Amol Gupte and its music.
Hadippa doesnt bore you and kaminey in order to sound "different" went on to become a "wannabe tarantino" movie.

nancy said...

script is king, really? Considering its a direct lift of the hilarious 'she's the man', i doubt it.

arj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shobhaa De said...

Gosh!!! Such rage! It's only a movie, guys! To each his own Kamineey. But it is disappointing to know this one( Dil Bole...) too was a lift!! I should have guessed. Thank God, we have made a sensible choice for a change by selecting Raja Harishchandra chi Factory ( have I got the title slightly wrong?)as our pick for the Oscar's. I mean... where's the comparison between Dilli-6 and a wonderfully thought through Marathi film??

Unknown said...

But Oscars is a different ball game. We can someday hit the Oscar with some luck bychance.

Your not liking Kaminey burnt many hearts. There were 3 choices. You could have been a hypocrite and praised the movie inspite of not liking it much. Or you could have simply kept a politically correct silence. But you made the third choice and received many angry responses. On top of it, you gushed over DBH. What is one person's amrit is another person's poison. Pasand apni apni.

Sparkling said...

Seriously???

A.prem said...

dint like the original "shes the man" nor do did i like this one..

shahid was cute though.
rani danced well.

Shreelaalit said...

good day Ma'am..
I am really surprised you liked the movie. I was expecting a different perspective from you..
But glad u liked it. I can watch Rani and Shahid in any role.
They have grown, from stars to be actors.
Keep writing.

Latha said...

Hello Abhay,
It's not facetitous. It's facetious. Next time have a spell-check.
Nice day all....

Aniketh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
maglomaniac said...

To each his own.
Although I havent seen DBH,but I dont have much hopes from the same.Specially seeing Rani's desperate attempts to show some ahem ahem:)
But Kaminey WAS a masterpiece,well that's how I felt.
And for DBH that's how you felt Shobha.
To each his own.

~Harsha

चंद्रमौलेश्वर प्रसाद said...

"Not that Aditya Chopra's girl does not deliver."

Well, well..... Rani delivered!!:)

Unknown said...

i have gone to see KAMINEY JUST FOR SHAHID ........... rani ..ykkkkkkkkk kitni over age lag rahi hai .........rani ko bina dekhe pix dekheni ho jaya ja sakta hai nah .........

Robin Walia said...

she's joking yaar....tongue in cheek...good one shobha ...ha ha ha..

Unknown said...

My o my, you really liked it?
I really don't think this is 'tongue in cheek' as Robin Walia is pointing out. Shobha is a woman who hated Kaminey, if she has to diss something, she won't gloss it over.

She loved Wanted as well which is not intellectual cinema either, they are both masala films in their respective categories. The thing common between the two is that both of them have hot men! I hope she is not being sarcastic towards Shahid coz I am seriously going to hate her. Shahid was damn hot, he has immense screen presence everytime he comes on screen you don't want to take your eyes off him!
People need to get over the older lot seriously and welcome new blood.
And the movie was a typical YRF full on masala flick, exactly as it promised.

Unknown said...

I am still in double minds about this article, is it really Shobha De talking? Becasue the line 'script is king' does not sound right?

Peter Williams Amalraj said...

Twitter or Blogger.. It's better to play safe :)..Now that i read that 'twitter and be damned.." Never did i expect Shobha Ma'am to respond to the rage following "DBH" review.. Hmm.. 'Script is King'?? well..Then the original 'she's the man'reminds something from the Bard of Avon's..Shakespeare's "Twelfth night" .. any Viola <->Veera resemblences ???

Unknown said...

I don't understand why suddenly the Indian audience wants to act all intellectual. It is quite obvious to every tom dick and harry that DBH story is taken from a 'she's the man' or 'twelfth night' bla bla.....nobody is trying to hide that! Why can't people just get over it. Since when have Bollywood movies been original anyway! You watch Bollwyood because it is masala with lots of singing and dancing. And lately Bollywood is trying to be oh! so great ... by showing that we Indians live abroad and we dress up like the west and we are so accepted in the west, that is more cheesy than a DBH!
If you want to watch intellectual cinema which makes really think, you watch good English, European and Iranian etc. films or rare good Hindi so-called art films (with intellectual I don't mean Hollywood because that can be sometimes as cheesy as Bollywood). So, kudos to Shobha De for saying what she said, atleast she is being honest and not trying to show 'I am an intellectual' how can I not like a Kaminey or how can I like a DBH.

Harish said...

aiyyo,, egjacktly! why such rage over a movie. I just told someone that kaminay was silly... and gory... and that shahid looked like a stuffed potato in kaminay, not at all sexy... and one of my friends severed all ties with me. Seriously!

But i was happy that Shahid has made a place for himself in this bad wild bollywood, even though he has celebrated and not celebrity parents and step parent.

We are a very "literal" nation! we love to take things literally and drag it perpetually until we finally find some new newzy item.

Hadippa! was a crazy film. A cute crazy film. But seriously, i feel Yash Raj should try serving some filter kaapi of rekha/sridevi era instead of the same sarson ka saag and khet khaliyaan of Punjab. Im sick and tired of Punjabified hindi.

Rani looked like a butch not masculine... Shahid looked yummy... (drool drool) Rakhis bustier would have just blasted with the molten silicon valley beneath it.

The Pakistan-India cricket was hilarious. Especially people hugging each other et al was so so filmy.

but after all thats said and done, I feel hadippa wasnt a movie to sit back and intellectualize... it was meant to sit back and yenjoy...

And yes, in that thought, I yenjoyed it.

The happiest I was to see that no one from SGPC community objected.

The film didnt thrive on controversy, but meaningful acting and a meaningless plot.

finding meaning in bollywood is the most demeaning thing to do.

especially in a YRF film.

did u notice, the previous 2 films of YRF "rabne bana di jodi" and "Dil bole Hadippa" both dealt with double identity...

Babu said...

I too was bit disappointed to read such good words about DBH (Dil Bolle Hadippa)

Rani does not have Punjabi accent. zabardastti she is trying to speak some Punjabi words in between.

Six sixers in an over accha tha. I wish our Indian cricketers too cud learn something from Rani

Regards
movies in Bangalore

Unknown said...

I usually rely on Shobha's reviews...but not any more!
DBH was a diappointment, to say the least!
Rani was there in every frame, and poor Shahid had very little to do!
Shahid is a very good actor/dancer, but with Adiya Chopra at the helm, what else can one expect?
It was Rani all the way.Sadly, she looked jaded and old..maybe it is time she retired a la Madhuri Dixit.
Wonder why our heriones reach "burnout" so fast?
Would appreciate Shobha's take on this...
Rashmi

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

is this marketing post? i heard from trust source that movie is horrible and iam off same opinion
dil bole hadap pa

so I cant rely on your review anymore.

sandy said...

Shobha,
Farah Khan was right. You clkearly don't understand films and do an awfully poor job when you try to judge them. When I read your piece, I thought you were being sarcastic and making fun of the movie, but then realised you actually like this piece of trash that has been recycled from the yash Raj factory for the nth time.

And are you serious when you say that this is the kind of entertainment that has been ignored for too long by our producers. I haven't laughed harder.

And yes, I don't think it's our business whether Rani chooses to marry or not. I'm wondering why you of all people should be bothered with it.

Anonymous said...

Yuck...you actually liked this sorry movie :O

Anonymous said...

You ACTUALLY preferred this to Kaminey!!

Unknown said...

nice review....

Work from home India