Well, it is The Y Factors first review of a Shahrukh Khan film. (We skipped MNIK). That was the time in January 2010, when The Y Factor started with the review of Rann. So ever since the creation of The Y Factor, there has been no SRK release.
Has it been worth the wait? Has SRK delivered to the public, what he has been promising since the past 22 months during the making & and in the past 2 months while marketing the film.
The film is about a father and son, one a game maker whilst the other an avid gaming buff. Shekhar (Shahrukh Khan) is trying to convince his gizmo freak, villain loving son, Prateek (Armaan Verma) the values of good, evil and life. Completing their circle of love is Sonia (Kareena Kapoor, Bodyguard, Golmaal3) the out of control Punjabi kudi, busy completing her thesis on the usage of foul language and its impact if used on the male gender (tere tau ka poda, for starters).
Dalip Tahil is the owner of Barron Industries, which employees Shekhar and assigns them a new video game. Shekhars colleagues Jenny (Shahana Goswami) and Okashi (Tom Wu) successfully design and launch a game titled RA.One (Random Access ONE). On the launch night, RA.ONE successfully manages to step out of his virtual world and enters the real world to complete his unfinished game with Lucifer. For the rest, watch the film.
This film has been touted as the most expensive film in India, largely attributing its costs to the use of CGI to recreate the game scenes and for the fights and chases. Money well spent, each and every rupee, dollar and pound. The special effects of the film are world class and for that alone SRK should take a bow! Be it the game scenes or the chase of RA.ONE across the streets of London, truly world class. Kids will love this aspect of the film and they do. Hamza could not sit on his seat during the car dump sequence.
Cinematography by Nicola Pecorini and V Manikanandan is again top notch. Be it the aerial shots of London or the in your face sequences in the house, they involve you as an audience in the film.
The music of the film by Vishal Shekhar is mindblowing. Even their background score, especially the high pitched signature tune for RA.One is haunting. The Dildaara song really leaves an impact throughout the film, whilst Bhare Naina stirs the right emotional chords. Criminal really gets the crowd moving and what can one say about USs latest import to India, Akons Chammak Challo. Amatullah was dancing in the aisles and the crowd in this Mysore multiplex really shook the floor when Kareena took to the stage. Excellent choreography by Ganesh Hegde.
The story by Anubhav Sinha is simple and sweet. Coupled with the fast paced screenplay by Anubhav Sinha, Kanika Dhillon, Mushtaq Sheikh and David Benullo, the film does not waste time in unnecessary, long drawn fight sequences or useless talk, thus keeping the tempo on throughout. At around 2 hours the film does not have a single dull moment. Unlike other films of late, the film does not take itself too seriously. The intricacies and the reasoning of how and why the real and virtual worlds collide, is expressed do beautifully in the opening shot (just like Robot had explained about humanoids last October), that no one wastes time trying to figure out how and why are things going out of hand. Another bow for the makers for that.
The acting is just right for every character. Be it the intrusive Iyer by Satish Shah or the larger than life Richard Bransonish Barron, pun intended by Dalip Tahil. The supporting role by Tom Wu is good. Shahana Goswami doesnt have much to do hence looks so much more out of place whilst shaking her booty due to her weight. Cant afford to do that if you are sharing the screen and the syncing the step with Bebo!
The direction of the film is good. Anubhav Sinha has his heart in the right place and it shows. If the rumours of good friend Karan Johar having directed the emotional scenes in the film, then it has to be the Karva Chauth scene. Brilliance.
Armaan Mehras debutant Prateek is brilliant. He is lovable as the disinterested brat, cute as the supporting son to the mother and charming as Lucifer. Wonderful job done by the casting team too in getting this boy right.
Arjun Rampal, though a late entry into the film, lives the character of the villain. But there should have been more opportunity for him to be onscreen.
Kareena Kapoor looks like a trillion bucks! Be it the smart westerns or the Chammak Challo item
saree, Manish Malhotra has done a helluva job in her outfits. But more than that, it is Kareenas smile which is charming and contagious. She shares an excellent chemistry with Shahrukh and that is scene throughout the film. Be it in the Jackie Chans Armour of God inspired fight sequence at Mumbai airport, the dinner table conversation over noodles and curd or the handling of G.ONE at home. After Bodyguard, another winner for Kareena and a well deserved one at that.
Now for the man, whom you can love, you can hate but you cannot ignore. The Badshah of Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan. Playing various roles here, as producer, actor and chief marketing officer of the film. As a producer, one has to give full marks to him and thank him, for having made such a product in India. The fights, the London chase etc. have him presenting us with things only seen in Hollywood films. He has taken inspiration from all sources, Shankars Robot included and taken in several notches higher. As a marketing person, over and above the tie ups with a food joint, a gaming company, notebook manufacturer, paint company and what not, SRK has managed to use his resources very well. Be it Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt for the opening sequence, Amitabh Bachchans voiceover in the introduction of the game or Superstar Rajnikants cameo as Chitti. He does it with class.
SRKs star power can be seen right in his intro scene as Lucifer. One cant hear anything else besides the crowds whistles and the hooting for their star. Later as his entry as G.ONE again, you see how much the crowds love him and deservingly so. But his true star power is seen, when the crowd sees Chitti and for a split second, one is treated to both of them in 1 frame. For the rest, he pays tribute to THE SUPERSTAR Rajni, for whom he has given an entry and how in the film. I was worried the crowd would uproot the chair in the plex to honour their GOD.
All in all, please treat your self to a special Diwali. This is not an epic drama or love story. This is a tender love story of a father and son, explained in the backdrop of something which todays generation identifies and relates too. For SRK, 2011 is going to be another 1993, wherein he gave Baazigar and Darr in a span of a couple of months and stole the hearts of the audiences worldwide. Likewise Diwali with RA.One and Christmas with DON2, after a long break of almost 2 years...SRK IS BACK!
Does it have The Y Factor:YES
Rating:9/10
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