Allow us to give you a little peak into the world of reviewing films in India. Here's how it works. Someone makes a film and a company/ production house finances it. A few days before the film will be released, the production house organises screenings for the media so that by Friday, you can go to your favourite news outlet — newspaper, television channel or website — and find out what the film reviewers thought of the film.
The only production house that doesn't follow this pattern is Yash Raj Films, whose policy appears to be that real fans and reviewers get access to the film at the same time: a 9am show, usually on Friday. This week's big release is Jai Ho, directed and co-produced by Sohail Khan, starring Salman Khan. The Khans didn't organise press screenings of the film in India, which is why you'll have to wait to get the Indian reviewers' verdict on the film.
But this isn't them taking a leaf out of the YRF book because it seems they did show the film to a couple of reviewers writing for publications targeted at Indians in the Middle East. So while Indian reviewers are all adding to Jai Ho's box office collections by watching first day first show, Sohail Khan Productionz clearly showed a little more love to Emirates 24/7 and Gulf News, who put up reviews of Jai Ho last night.
Here's what they have to say. Emirates 24/7 says you should watch this film only if you're a Salman Khan fan: From Monish Bhel to Suniel Shetty, to Mahesh Manjrekar, to Ashmit Patel to Yash Tonk, to Mukul Dev to Sana Khan, to Tulip Joshi to Vikas Bhalla, to Aditya Pancholi to Sharad Kapoor, they all find a part in their pal’s social crusade. It’s not their talent, or the lack of it, but their loyalty to the Khan that clearly worked in their favour. If anything, it appears to be Salman’s way of saying ‘thank you’ to his friends.
He even pitches a newcomer as his ladylove, further emphasizing how ‘Jai Ho’ is more about flaunting Salman’s ‘being human’ persona and less about a movie. So there, he borrows a slogan made famous by AR Rahman’s musical genius in Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ropes in 'Ghajini’-famed Murugadoss to spin a story influenced by his pal Sanjay Dutt’s endearing ‘Munnabhai’ series and Aamir Khan’s celebrated ‘3 Idiots’, and calls his buddies to fill in the blanks.
The only hiccup being there’s no real genuineness in this attempt. While Salman loyalists might applaud and hoot, and ensure their star remains unaffected at the movie box-office, it’s the other discerning movie-watchers who are left rather disappointed. Gulf News wasn't particularly impressed by the film either, with the reviewer wishing at the end that the Khan brothers "had also remembered not to underestimate [the common man's] common sense." He’s an angel with rockstar looks.
But the problem is that they drum his goodness and his Gandhian philosophy into our heads with irritating frequency. Just like Dabbang and Bodyguard, he’s like this incredible hulk. When provoked, this gentle giant turns into an animal. He snarls, he bites and sucks blood. His punchline: “The common man is like a sleeping lion, so don’t poke him” is laughable on paper, but Khan persists. Agreed, he has incredible star power but even he seems to be skating on thin ice here.
The story of Jai Ho is far too simplistic to be taken seriously. While it’s laudable that Khan plays the righteous Samaritan, he doesn’t progress beyond the help-each-other-out phase. The gory action sequences are all orchestrated to highlight Khan’s buffed- up body and there’s one too many. The climax in which Khan’s shirt rips to show a gleaming, magnificent torso might make this journey less painful. However, the review has observed that Salman, 48, doesn't look a day over 35, in case you were interested. Here's what we can tell you of Jai Ho's plot.
Salman Khan plays Major Jai Agnihotri, a patriotic but misunderstood army officer who is kicked out of the army because he doesn't follow his senior's orders during an operation. He chooses to become a mechanic after being dishonourably discharged from the army. When he isn't fixing cars, Jai goes around as the neighbourhood good samaritan. From helping students with their exams to solving kidnappings, it's all in a day's work for the ex-major.
Tabu plays Khan's sister, Riya and newcomer Daisy Shah plays his love interest. We've been told that Shah's carries off diaphanous saris nicely and her blouses are like the secret of a magic trick: you know it's there, but it's difficult to spot. Spoiling this happy-happy-joy-joy world is the villain Danny Denzongpa, a mean politician who kills his opposition and has the local police on his payroll.
No one stands up to him except, of course, Jai with his slogan: "Aam aadmi sota hua sher hai, ungli mat kar." Will Jai be able to bring Danny and the other bad boys down? Will his shirt-ripping scene in the climax top the shirt rip in Dabangg? Can he and his lady love live happily ever after? Is Jai Ho basically the story of Munnabhai and Chulbul Pandey's love child? Watch this space for our unbiased film review soon.
1 comment:
Jai ho Rating 3.5 star.‘Jai Ho’ is the story of honest ex-army officer Jai Agnihotri (Salman Khan), who fights for justice and honesty. Jai, who battles corruption and injustice prevailing in the society, firmly believes that one does not have to wear a uniform to serve his or her country.
http://bollywoodmoviereviews2.blogspot.in
Post a Comment