Ra.One - **1/2
Finally it releases, with so much pre release hype as it seems 50 Cr has been spent on just promotion, it has humongous expectations to meet. Does it meet? Well sorry to say but sadly the movie falls very short.
Movie opens with a South Indian Geeky Dad Mr. Shekar Subramaniam, trying hard to impress his Dude Son Prateek aka Lucifer who dislikes his geeky ways of expressing care and affection while Hottie Mama is busy writing a thesis on Indian foul words. Ah!! So he decides to invent a game wherein the villain never loses and names him Ra.one as in Raavan and hero as G.One as in Jeevan, life huh I never got this one until I watched it on screen, also helped by pretty lass Shahana Goswami and a Chinese side kick Tom Wu. Well once it’s ready to be released in market and whole crew is enjoying d dancing n party, Ra.One automatically comes out of the game thanks to the little Kiddo’s play with him and decides to kill Lucifer at any cost. Well this is the first hour of the movie and it is as boring and apathetic as this para is. What happens from hereon you have to watch it on screen 2D or 3D i.e. if you wish to at your convenience; as it might not make any big differenceïŠ
Good things first ; which are hardly few sequences, best scene in the movie is the pre interval fight between Ra.1 and G.1 have to give away to the special effects team for this one, well next you shake up and sit to blow ur whistles endlessly when Chitti arrives for a minute on screen. Kareena gets her share of moments in Chamak Challo and she sizzles on screen and lastly the preclimax stunts though a copy of previous movie of same kind may raise some interest but that’s it.
So coming to bad things, they are plenty, whenever someone intends to make a super hero movie one gotta be ultra sure about the entire product and just not go ahead with an idea, which is what seems to have happened here. On paper it might sound great but when it comes to execution director Anubhav Sinha fails badly, he can blame it for the amateurish story and screenplay but still can’t escape from shoddy handling of vital scenes.
Sharukh should have made a note of the futility of this extravagant effort of his. It is so shoddy that one might just miss Big B’s voice over which comes midway for a minute, and even though one can garner loads of whistles for Rajini Sir’s scene, it is unpardonable for the way it has been put forth, it’s an almost nothing scene. And what were poor Priyanka and Sanjay Dutt thinking while Okaying their five minute act and that too at the beginning how can one develop positive feelings further, it goes down hill right from the start. Music is strictly average and Vishal Shekar seems to have lost their charm somewhere. Only ‘dildaara’ remains in mind when you are out of the multiplex, Akon’s hyped chamak challo song is strictly average and that too if not for Kareena’s oomph factor in it. And if one has patience to sit through the end credits you might also like Raftaarein, but one can always watch it on TVïŒ The new kid though adorable doesn’t get your full appreciation, Kareena as said has her oomph factor going for her. One keeps wondering where did Shahana disappear mid way. Satish shah is no more comical; and dilip tahil is no more stylish. And climax is just pathetic.
So left with dissecting the two main protagonists, Arjun Rampal has always been more of a dashing model, atleast I have doubts about his skills, here again he is given a role wherein he has less to act and to be more stylish and showcase his hunky looks and this is a cakewalk for him and he does it with ease. Bad part is he has little screen space; one doesn’t get to see him until second half. Sharukh to be fair gives his heart and soul for the project but as they say it all has to blend into a right mixture which sadly doesn’t happen here. As a doting father he brings a few smiles but he shines in his robotic act, he’s full of life and brings the house down with his act and the dare devilry stunts might atleast please the child audience. The rest are left with wanting a lot Alas!!!!
Closing comments; it will get a thunderous opening that has been well assured by the wide publicity but will be difficult to sustain it, as it is unlikely that it will have a second time audience. It’ll have a tough road ahead. If you ask what’s the best thing in it? It’ll be the trailer of Don 2 ïŠ So just like any avid Sharukh fan I hope it’ll be a Better.One!!!
Still better what I just saw on FB: Who liked Ra.1 or G.1, No.1 ïŠ it’ll continue to be a butt of jokes for next few days… I go with a generous **1/2, just like the noodles and curds mixture which our geeky hero eats, it doesn’t have the right blend of mixture to make a movie work. Hard it is more so for the Khan.