Om Shanti Om

Om Shanti Om is something that is not possible to absorb at first glance, while at second glance it is a great intertextual textbook of Bollywood for the advanced. I was saving the anticipated experience for a time when I was sure about at least half of the guest stars. Which I did after two years of intensive exposure to this unique world of cinema. There is so much in Om Shanti Om that it was hard not to lose myself in it over a short period of time... I share the discomfort with the 1970s reflection, but I also expect another similarly stylized film, Action Replayy, to delve more deeply into the subject. It's not exact, but the basic premise is the same as the importance of the 1960s for Czechoslovak cinema. It will thus be necessary to discern the key features of this decade, its influence on the subsequent decade, and also its difference from previous developments, which can be a real challenge. Specifically, coconut, to quote precisely from Om Shanti Om, ;) But before I express my fundamental enthusiasm, I must pause at the imbalance of the major blockbusters, which, while obviously meant to evoke individual genre changes, are after all part of a single cinematic whole. Logically, therefore, I cannot be enthusiastic about such contrasts as the "Dard-E-Disco" parody and the superb dramatic climax of "Dastaan-E-Om Shanti Om." Whereas the lyrics "Main Agar Kahoon Tumsa Haseen" is like being cut out of "Singin' in the Rain" and "Moulin Rouge!" at the same time. However, after the Filmfare awards and the title song "Om Shanti Om," the two scenes with the biggest accumulation of stars, the explosion of glitter was so powerful that it must have blinded everyone. It was definitely a good thing that I had seen the film Don earlier, where Shah Rukh Khan also played a similarly distinctive double role, and I was more used to his style. I'm slowly coming to like him. In his case, it may not be a matter of course, but of a carefully built relationship with the viewer, which may become stronger and deeper over time. In Deepika's case, Karthik Calling Karthik certainly helped, but there I have to balance my not-so-substantial enthusiasm for this beauty. I was much happier with the excerpts from the fictional films of Abhishek and Akshay. Finally, Kumar becomes the new old man for the director's next film, which I am looking forward to. I do believe that Dhoom 5 will be made, just as was once predicted for the Rocky and Rambo franchises. :D (18.11.2010)

In Indian films, it's usually not the musical numbers that catch my attention, but in the case of Ohm Peace Ohm, it's the musical numbers that I enjoyed a lot. They have a great positive energy to them, they are well shot, imaginative, and beautifully kitsch. And on top of that, there's a story that is good and brilliantly acted by the excellent central duo. (19.05.2017)