Baabul had everything going for it..legends like BIG B, Hema malini..numero uno actress Rani M, Superstar Sallu and hot hunk John Abraham..great Banner..good music..an beautiful concept..but unfortunately, there is no soul, nor any compassion felt for any of the characters..you come out of the theatre thinking "OK so thats 30 bucks down the drain..what next ?" The experience is like watching one of the saas-bahu Ekta Kapoor serials..only this time its on the BIG screen !!
Big B has done a marvellous job as the father-in-law who cannot stand to see his D-in-law suffer her husband's loss. Although a little far fetched, he brings a certain believability to the role when he plays matchmaker between Rani and John..his acting, be it his buddy relationship with his son, his respect towards his Elder brother, his love for his D-in-law..Big B has managed to get every nuance correctly, managing us to emphatise with him, ever so slightly. However, the way he convinces John to woo Rani, or Rani to marry John seems too easy..but clearly the movie belongs to BIG B !
RANI has performed well too..but somehow we find it difficult to connect with her pain and sufferings..her act in the first half with Salman was good..but post interval, there is too much melodrama, so much so that she is relegated to crying her guts out..which becomes a little irritating at times..the best scene where I liked her was the one where she dances in the rain holdin Sallus sweater and then bursts into tears..the recognition that dawns upon her that her husband is not coming back.Also noteworthy is the scene where she confronts her father in law about his plans to hook her up with John..altogether a good show, but too many tears spoils the performance considerably.
SALMAN is in his comfort zone ..being the smart brat..some of his dialogues are so cheesy, that you would think he is trying to hold his laughter while speaking them..his scenes with Rani, the tea-coffee bit, and the milk drinking bit are quite good and entertaining..in fact, SALLU could be termed the comedian in the movie !! But his scenes with John could have been better written and performed..
Hema Malini looks as gorgeous as ever..i was completely mesmerised by her elegance and beauty..though she does not have much to do footage wise, she does throw in a good act in the end when she refuses to accept Rani's marriage to John..
It seems like JOHN Abraham has forgotton how to act !! I havnt seen such a tired and pale performance from him..he seems to be completely disinterested in the proceedings and only adds to the boredom mouthing lengthy dialogues with a wooden expression all over his face...
Technically, the film could do with some editing..couple of songs could be trimmed down ...the movie gets too melodramatic and dialogue heavy post interval, that I found myself dozing off a bit !!
the costumes in this movie are out of this world..beats even Karan Johar flicks !! makes us look like paupers !
The little kid in the movie is cute ..the scene where he hides in the cuboard amongst his father's clothes is well handled..Sarika in a tiny role as the repressed widow excels..
Music is fine ...although theres too much of it in the second half..out of the lot, Come on comeon (which seemed like a visual rip off of Shava shava) & the haunting Bhavari piya are good..
the movie suffers from a lack of a tight screenplay and editing..
Overall, a movie with a good concept and message..but minus the soul..