Episode 17
Om Shanti Om: Where Nostalgia Meets Satire in Indian Cinema
Episode 16: Om Shanti Om
Release Date: 2007
This is the second episode of our dual episodic series where we explore films based on Bollywood.
Om Shanti Om is a 2007 Hindi romantic fantasy film written and directed by Farah Khan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone (in her Hindi film debut), Shreyas Talpade, Kirron Kher, and Arjun Rampal - with a slew of high-profile cameos from Bollywood.
The film was a huge hit, becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2007 and the highest-grossing Hindi film ever at its release.
Plot Summary:
The story follows Om Prakash Makhija (Khan), an obscure 1970s actor who dies in a suspicious on-set fire involving his crush, well-known yesteryear's superstar Shanti Priya (Padukone). He is reincarnated in the present day as superstar Om Kapoor, seeking to exact revenge on the perpetrator, Shanti's husband and powerful producer Mukesh Mehra (Rampal).
The film is a tribute to the 2 OG films based on reincarnation and revenge - Madhumati (1958) and Karz. (1980)
Where to watch: Rent on YouTube
Favourite Scenes/Iconic Dialogues:
- Award Speech
- Iconic Dialogue - Picture Abhi Baki Hain Mere Dost.
- Yenna Rascala - Great parody
- Deewangi Deewangi - 37 cameos from Bollywood stars - inspired by the OG Amitabh’s Song John Johnny Janardan from ‘Naseeb’ movie.
- Javed Akhtar on writing Dard-E-Disco
- Ending Credits
Trivia: All the trivia from this film is here.
Soundtrack - One of the best soundtracks of the 00s by Vishal-Shekhar.
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-parade
License code: MIE1N7HAVI6KJOSG
Contact Us:
- Email: thetalkingtalkies@gmail.com
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Transcript
Hello and welcome to Talking Talkies.
Speaker A:We're your host Benny and Meenam and thank you for joining us folks.
Speaker A:Today we are going to talk about a movie that I consider probably my favorite movie of Shahrukh Khan that I've watched.
Speaker A:And I'll expand on that.
Speaker A:There's an asterisk.
Speaker A:I obviously haven't watched a lot of his movies.
Speaker A:I, you know, there's a, I watched a lot of his movies but at the same time I haven't watched.
Speaker A:He has done so much work.
Speaker A:Okay, so I haven't seen everything.
Speaker A:That's why I'm saying it's probably the best one or the favorite one that I watched.
Speaker A:But I want to expand on it later in this episode.
Speaker A:But if you haven't listened to the previous episode that we discussed about the movie Luck by chance, please do listen to it as well.
Speaker A:Well, because this is something new that we are doing.
Speaker A:We are taking two films and doing two episodes, one each, but with the central theme that's very similar to both films.
Speaker A:Specifically in this case, it's about Bollywood, let's say satire, sl tribute, a little bit of everything in it.
Speaker A:So we'll talk about all that and more.
Speaker A:But the movie that we're going to be talking about today is Om Shanti.
Speaker A:Om Papua Master to say Kera dialogue Pago pago.
Speaker A:All right, so Om Shanti Om, which literal translation is peace be with you.
Speaker A: It is a: Speaker A: Shah Rukh, who is an obscure: Speaker A:Well known yesteryear superstar Shanti Priya, played by Padukone and is reincarnated in the present day as superstar Om Kapoor seeking to exact revenge on the perpetrator who is Shanti's husband and powerful producer Mukesh Mehra played by Arjun Rampal.
Speaker A:All right, so that is the shortest way I could summarize the film because how do you, how would you summarize this film?
Speaker A:This is, it's not really about the story, it's not really about the plot points.
Speaker A:It's about the viewing Experience.
Speaker A:It's about.
Speaker A:If you are a Bollywood fan, this is just like a gift to you.
Speaker B:It's like fun.
Speaker B:It's a.
Speaker B:Especially the first half is absolute fun to watch.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:But before, because you translated the title for the viewers, which is a chant in the Hindu culture about may the peace be with you.
Speaker B:But actually, in terms of this movie and where it came up from is Om Shanti.
Speaker B:Om is actually a very famous.
Speaker B:A catch line from a very famous song.
Speaker B:Om Shanti Om.
Speaker B:Title from the movie Kars, which is on reincarnation, Rebirth, revenge, same theme.
Speaker B:Actually, Oso is a tribute to Kars and another movie, Madhumati.
Speaker B:So the movie actually opens with the same song where Rishi Kapoor is performing and Om is watching as extra.
Speaker B:That is how they played it out, which is fantastic.
Speaker B:And it's also the main characters of this film.
Speaker B:It's Om in his first life, then Shanti around the pickup Padukone, who's the actress, and around where his love.
Speaker B:And it's Om again, which is Om, which takes birth rebirth in the.
Speaker B:What is it?
Speaker B: Set in the: Speaker B:So it's a really nice pun and word play that Farah Khan has brought about.
Speaker B:And she does that throughout this movie.
Speaker B:So that's what I want to tell the listeners.
Speaker B:It's just not the literal translation.
Speaker B:But there's so much more.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And no, just along the lines of what you said.
Speaker A:I mean, it's very.
Speaker A:I mean, to the casual watcher, right, you're watching the film and they mention the names Om and then they mention, oh, her name is Shanti.
Speaker A:His name is Om.
Speaker A:Oh, so that's where Om Shanti.
Speaker A:So that's really the film in an.
Speaker A:In a nutshell.
Speaker B:In a nutshell, yes.
Speaker A:Doesn't want you to take this.
Speaker A:Take it seriously.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like you're just meant to come and enjoy.
Speaker A:Don't like, poke holes here and there, which I do have two holes, which I got.
Speaker A:And I was like, I know this.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:And I was like, I don't want to get hung up on this.
Speaker A:But still, there's like some things that I'm like, I just need to just say that this doesn't make sense.
Speaker A:But that is not Farrakhan.
Speaker A:Subjective.
Speaker A:That is not what this movie is about.
Speaker A:This movie is a tribute to Bollywood.
Speaker A:And even for someone like me who hasn't watched a lot of the films that it references or not very familiar with a lot of the actors it references, it was still a fun, enjoyable ride, which I remember watching when it came out and I really enjoyed it back then and then on rewatch and I was like, it still holds up.
Speaker A:It's still great, it's still fun.
Speaker A:I love a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker B:That's what she tries to do.
Speaker B:That's how Farah's style of direction.
Speaker B:I don't think she takes herself too seriously as a director either.
Speaker B:So I have, I mean I have my complaints about the second half and we'll come to it because we lack difference of views.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:But yeah, if you half of the Bollywood films, I think you have to understand they're there to entertain.
Speaker B:And does this film entertain you as an audience?
Speaker B:I think it 100% entertains us as an audience.
Speaker B:Are there any loopholes?
Speaker B:Are there any shortcomings?
Speaker B:Could it have done better?
Speaker B:Yes, it could have done better.
Speaker B:But ultimate goal, I think what Farah and Shah Rukh were aiming for was because Shahrukh's the producer as well, right.
Speaker B:His company, Red Chili's Entertainment were to go there, out and out and entertain the audience and they nailed it.
Speaker B:It was the highest crossing film of the year is what you've said.
Speaker B:So that you've written and found out.
Speaker B:So there.
Speaker A:Well, so let's just get into that part.
Speaker A:So as a follow up to the episode that we did on Luck by Chance, which was a more grounded, well, up to a certain extent, a more grounded take on getting into Bollywood or getting into the Hindi film industry, the struggles that one goes through.
Speaker A:This is not quite the same.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I mean you do have the character artists who are like trying to like make a big name, trying to become stars, all of that.
Speaker A:But it's a lot more, it's a more humorous take on it.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Within genuine laugh out loud moments which I didn't get in Luck with Chance.
Speaker A:But I, I wanted to ask you, how did that work?
Speaker A: ture of today or at least the: Speaker A:How did, do you think this film achieved its objective of satirizing Bollywood at the same time while at the same time paying tribute to it?
Speaker B:I think it nails it in the first half, the whole look and feel.
Speaker B:Okay, right.
Speaker B:From the styling of the clothes and the hairstyles and the set design and the characters and the character artists, etc, the Shah Rukh's attire, the whole bell bottom pants and flower shirts and printed shirts.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:The hairstyle, all the actors who were famous at that time, who they portray on screen, all the actresses.
Speaker B:On point.
Speaker B:On point.
Speaker B:Farah got it right that.
Speaker B:See, Farah also comes from a film family, right?
Speaker B:She's grown up with films.
Speaker B:She loves films.
Speaker B:It's so evident and it just shows it.
Speaker B:I think it's her love for films that shows in the first half.
Speaker B: And if you've watched: Speaker B:There was a.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:Have you.
Speaker B:Do you know about this actor, Manoj Kumar?
Speaker A:Not very familiar with him.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So he made a lot of patriotic films.
Speaker B:Manoj Kumar, in my view, very boring as an actor, but very patriotic films, very popular.
Speaker B:And he had this very common action is where he used to have his hand covered, covering his face so he could hardly make out a face.
Speaker B:And there's a cameo.
Speaker B:You know, when there is a premiere happening of Shanti Priya's film Dreamy Girl, they go on Manoj Kumar's tickets.
Speaker B:Shah Rukh and his friend Shahrukh plays Oman.
Speaker B:His friend Shreyas Tarpade, who I would like to talk about because he comes from Marathi industry and I've seen him in other films and they both steal, somehow managed to get Manoj tickets in the name of Manoj Kumar, who's quite a revered actor at that point.
Speaker B:And then Manoj Kumar is trying to enter the.
Speaker B:The saying I am Manoj Kumar.
Speaker B:And they're like, prove it.
Speaker B:Because his face, the ID card is also covered with his palm.
Speaker B:He's also covered with palm.
Speaker B:I cracked up so much, Benny, because I've seen the actors films and I've seen how he used to talk and stuff.
Speaker B:And I think they nailed all the cameos.
Speaker B:So they got a lot of duplicates to do.
Speaker B:Devanand and the superstars, right?
Speaker B:Even Ohms.
Speaker B:In his rebirth, his father Rajesh Kapoor, who's supposed to be the star, big superstar was kind of modeled on Rajesh Khanna who was a superstar in 70s before.
Speaker B:Not 70s, maybe 60s before Amitabh became the superstar in 70s.
Speaker B:So I felt like it was a kind of blended character of how the superstardom is.
Speaker B:And they nailed the mannerisms, they nailed their gait, the way they walk, the way they dance.
Speaker B:I loved it.
Speaker B:I gave you a trivia homework to do, right?
Speaker B:Where Deepika Padukone is dancing with all the film stars of yesterday.
Speaker B:Like there's Jitendra, there's Sunil Dutt, there's Rajesh Khanna and These are all famous clips, famous song clips.
Speaker B:So they've taken the actual songs and morphed Deepika in place of the actress.
Speaker B:And I thought they did a swell job with that, with her costumes and with her mannerisms and just for the audience.
Speaker B:That song is actually composed by Lakshmika Pyarelal of Lakshmikant Pyarilal, who were super duper music directors of that era.
Speaker B:Okay, so this is what Farah has done.
Speaker B:These small, small things which if you're sitting back and you've seen the films of 70s, 80s, you're just loving and enjoying so much nostalgia that she's brought in.
Speaker B:And she doesn't insult.
Speaker B:I don't.
Speaker B: again, I think going back to: Speaker B:Unlike today, there was no social media to outrage Humah.
Speaker B:So far, all these humorous takes and all these cameos and all these, how do I say, funny takes on that era.
Speaker B:I think the audience lapped it up at that time.
Speaker B:Otherwise the film wouldn't have been such a hit.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And I don't think any of the actors who were mimicked in that film took any kind of offense to it either.
Speaker B:So I think they did a swell job.
Speaker B:I really enjoyed it, if you ask me.
Speaker A:I mean, I will note the one thing that I found in my research was I think Manoj Kumar, the real Manoj Kumar, was offended by it and I think he was planning to sue them.
Speaker A:And I don't know, but I think yes, overall, but.
Speaker B:Manush Kumar is really serious.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean, like, he wanted to be offended.
Speaker B:I think it was a solid tribute.
Speaker A:No, that was one of the best moments of the film.
Speaker A:Again, I'm coming from.
Speaker A:I'm coming from a place where like, I don't know this actor, I don't know some of these references, but I think full credit to Farrakh Khan that even for people who are not too familiar with every single film or actor that's referenced, the humor still works.
Speaker A:Like for me, I understood, okay, it's an actor, it's a real act based on a real actor.
Speaker A:And he obviously has this mannerism.
Speaker A:And so when it cuts to like, you know, they check in the ID and the photo has that like, I laughed because it was like, it was insane.
Speaker A:So I think for me it worked because if it can work for the casual fan like me or the casual watcher like me, a casual watcher of Hindi film status, I think she's done her job because it's not just restricted to people who are only familiar with or fully familiar with Hindi films.
Speaker A:But it works for people even with a casual interest or a casual knowledge of Hindi films history.
Speaker A:So it definitely worked.
Speaker A:And a lot of the satire parts, it really worked because the actors went along with it.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Because yes, a big part of this film is the star presence, the star presence of so many actors.
Speaker A:And especially in that Filmfare award scene.
Speaker A:It's excellent.
Speaker B:We should talk about that later when.
Speaker A:We get to this topic.
Speaker A:Yes, we'll go into detail.
Speaker A:But you know, it had to have, it had, they had to get the buy in of actors like Abhishek Bachchan and Akshay Kumar.
Speaker A:Just made that so memorable.
Speaker A:And laugh out loud.
Speaker A:So I, I, I definitely love this movie and I thought it did a good job of balancing like humor, emotion, but also poking fun at some of the most ridiculous parts of.
Speaker B:Yeah, I have to talk about this little moment.
Speaker B:Okay, so Farah Khan is so good in these or I guess she also wrote the film.
Speaker B:Is there is this.
Speaker B:They're talking to Shanti.
Speaker B:So Om and his friend Shreya Stalpade's character is called Papu.
Speaker B:They have met Shanti and they've done something for her.
Speaker B:And she says thank you.
Speaker B:And she says, he says this dialogue, Dosti me.
Speaker B:No, sorry, no thank you.
Speaker B: rkiya which was a cult hit in: Speaker B:And what Farah's done is when this conversation happening, a young Suraj Bharjatya is behind where this conversation is happening behind the doors and listening and taking down notes.
Speaker B:And his dad comes like, what are you doing?
Speaker B:And he's saying, I'm trying to think and may not.
Speaker B:And he's actually writing these dialogues which, so she's implying that he got inspired by this scene which is again brilliant, right?
Speaker B:You can't, you wouldn't come up with this if you, One, you don't have a great sense of humor.
Speaker B:Two, if you don't have a great sense of Bollywood knowledge, right?
Speaker B:So like she's fantastic.
Speaker B:So I really enjoyed these scenes.
Speaker A:Sense of humor that, that is so critical to this film because I mean that's the whole thing about writing funny films, right?
Speaker A:You have if to get a funny film, right, you have to think of it from the perspective of someone who's watching it, right?
Speaker A:Like you have to be like, okay, if I'm watching this, what about this scene will make me laugh?
Speaker A:And a lot of the times Many, many of these so called comedy films fail because they act like they're smarter than the casual watcher and they either overdo it or they underplay it and it's not funny.
Speaker A:It's funny to them, the ones who are making the film, but not to anybody else.
Speaker A:But in this a sense of humor is good because they poke fun where it needs to be.
Speaker A:But then they also elevated.
Speaker A:There was this one scene, I'll talk about it in my favorite scenes which I, I, I couldn't pay attention to the film because I was just like holding my, holding my head and I was like, this is so ridiculous, but it's so funny.
Speaker A:But yeah, so, so we'll talk about some of the scenes which are great examples of, you know, the satire and, you know, the humor in this film.
Speaker A:But I also wanted to talk about the theme, the central theme of the story.
Speaker B:Yeah, let's do that.
Speaker A:Not necessarily the film, but the story which goes back to, in my research I found out that as far as reincarnation is concerned, Shah Rukh has only done two films on the theme reincarnation of reincarnation.
Speaker A:And the previous one that he did is also a favorite, one of my favorites, Karunarjan.
Speaker A:And so I'm like, oh, maybe I like this theme or maybe I like Shah Rukh Khan in this theme.
Speaker A:I don't know.
Speaker B:Then you have to watch cars.
Speaker B:I wouldn't, so I wouldn't tell Madhumati because you may find it a bit slow to be very honest.
Speaker B:But Madhumati is a great, again, a very good film.
Speaker B:But also Dilip Kumar amongst all the actors, I know he was a superstar but he kind of hams a bit, which I'll come to this point because Shah Rukh tries to ape Dilip Kumar a lot in terms of the acting and the hamming.
Speaker B:But the songs were fantastic.
Speaker B:And Vaijanti Mala looks great and it's, it's nice, it's a bit slow paced.
Speaker B:But Karz is, I think I have enjoyed Karz so many times.
Speaker B:I've watched it, I don't know, as a kid, any number of times.
Speaker B:Sometimes I wonder how I was allowed to watch this film.
Speaker B:You know, like there's a murder happening and there's a rebirth and revenge and all.
Speaker B:I'm like, how were my parents allowing me to watch these films?
Speaker B:But Karz is great.
Speaker B:So Subhash Guy, who directed Karz also has given a lot of hit films.
Speaker B:And again, very entertaining.
Speaker B:You don't get bored.
Speaker B:Great songs, great soundtrack, fantastic.
Speaker B:So if you Liked reincarnation theme.
Speaker B:You have to watch Kars and Oso, like I said, is a tribute to both these films, so definitely watch it.
Speaker A:Well, more than anything within films, the theme of reincarnation, when it's explored in the context of the wronged person getting a chance.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:In another life, to right the wrong and take revenge.
Speaker A:I know there's something about it that, you know, that it belongs in films, because how do we know even if reincarnation is real?
Speaker A:We'll never know if.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know, so I love that it's depicted in film in a way that is crowd pleasing.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because you want to see the.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:The bad people punished.
Speaker A:And so when they show that in film and when they show it, well done, it's like you can't help but root for the person.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:And it's so satisfying.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Because in that life, gross injustice was done to that person and they didn't get to live the life that they should have, or it was cut short for no fault of theirs.
Speaker B:Blah, blah, blah.
Speaker B:So when it's just so satisfying, like these endings are so satisfying for me personally, that's why, like I said, I enjoyed Karza's ending, I enjoyed Madhumati's ending, enjoyed Oso's ending, simply because, yes, the bad people have been put in their place and justice has been served.
Speaker B:And rarely in real life you get to see that.
Speaker B:So I get my satisfaction from these films.
Speaker A:You know, I wouldn't mind.
Speaker A:I cannot recall too many recent films that have extraordinary incarnation.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:I can't think of anyone else.
Speaker A:I know that even at South Indian films, there was a time which probably coincided with, like, the 80s and 90s.
Speaker A:Back then, there were quite a few movies that explored it.
Speaker A:And again, it's like it has mass appeal.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know, and I think now everything has shifted to either violent action films or gritty thrillers that you don't really see that.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Fantasy element anymore.
Speaker A:But no, in this film, it works great.
Speaker A:And again, it is.
Speaker A:First of all, it's a serious thing.
Speaker A:Some.
Speaker A:A murder of two people.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Including a pregnant woman.
Speaker A:But then you twist it to make this essentially funny, you know, revenge film.
Speaker A:Funny revenge film.
Speaker A:Again, it's crazy to say that, but it's this balance of tonalities that a lot of filmmakers really struggle with.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know, when they try to mix genres, when they try to mix, you know, the tonalities in a film, a lot of people, a lot of film viewers, they walk away feeling dissatisfied because they feel like, oh, this was kind of like a weird film or half of it worked, half didn't.
Speaker A:So getting the balance is so critical.
Speaker A:And again, Farrakhan does a great job in this which makes me wonder why she hasn't had the career that someone who's made one of the highest grossing Hindi films in history.
Speaker A:Like why hasn't she really made it?
Speaker A:I mean she hasn't made him.
Speaker A:She hasn't directed a film in I think almost 10 years.
Speaker B:Yeah, last one was T.
Speaker B:Smart Khan, I think with Katrina and Akshay and before that was.
Speaker B:Which one was it?
Speaker B:Happy New Year.
Speaker A:I forget there was another.
Speaker B:I think the last two films were quite disastrous, to be very honest.
Speaker B:I don't rate, I'll be honest, I don't rate Farah Khan as a great director or anything.
Speaker B:She's not made any path breaking films.
Speaker B:It's more of rehashing the old Bollywood films.
Speaker B:Like even Mehuna was a rehash of a very prevalent 70s theme of brothers getting separated and then coming together after years and realizing and all of that.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So she's done a lot of, I think she does good tribute or rehashing old ideas into new and presenting it for just pure entertainment.
Speaker B:So she's a very, I would rate her like, I don't know.
Speaker B:Have you ever watched Govinda films with David Dhawan?
Speaker B:So Govinda and David Dhawan had a very select brand of films.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:There's, there was no social messaging, it was just entertainment.
Speaker B:I think Farah was that.
Speaker B:So you don't rate when you talk about top directors or top films that you want to go watch.
Speaker B:Farah and David Dhawan are not going to get named in those directors that watch.
Speaker B:They just make entertaining films.
Speaker B:That's it.
Speaker B:So I like Farah more as a choreographer than a director.
Speaker A:So yeah, she had seen that her.
Speaker A: ed was Happy New year back in: Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And talking about Mehuna, that is also one of my favorite Shahrukh Khan films.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's like, it's, it's like I said, it's.
Speaker B:It works very well because it's a great tribute film again that you know those episodes there, I mean those scenes there or the callback or you know, Sushmita and chiffon sari as the teacher.
Speaker B:And it's like Sushmita is like the characters attribute to Yash Chopra's female heroines.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Coming in chiffon sarees and looking so pretty.
Speaker B:Zayat Khan and Shah Rukh being separated as brothers.
Speaker B:Not knowing Zayed, not knowing about his brother, all of that.
Speaker B:And then this kidnapping and hijacking at the school.
Speaker B:It's all very 70s Bollywood central themes.
Speaker B:So, yeah, it's very entertaining.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:But I, I just, I mean, seeing her sensibilities in this film.
Speaker A: And Again, this is: Speaker A:People evolve over time and things change, interests change.
Speaker A:But almost feel like it's a missed opportunity to almost, you know, she could make a good comedy devoid of Bollywood star, devoid of like always putting in big names in the film or having to do some iconic dance items in there.
Speaker A:Just make a simple comedy film, you know, I, I don't know, I just feel like she had the ingredients just based on this film.
Speaker A:But, yeah, subsequent films she never really got back or matched, you know, the success of.
Speaker B:But I, I really like Farah's sense of humor.
Speaker B:And have you heard her and Jackie Shroff together in one of the interviews I saw on YouTube, some channel or whatever.
Speaker B:Okay, I'll send you the link, Benny.
Speaker B:I'll put it up also for the, our listeners to listen to.
Speaker B:They both together are just hilarious.
Speaker B:Like they would rip Bollywood apart collectively.
Speaker B:They both are so good.
Speaker B:And all that I'm hoping for is somebody sees the potential and brings me a talk show with these two where they are just taking pigs at Bollywood.
Speaker B:And I would love that.
Speaker B:I would love it.
Speaker A:Maybe they won't last too long though.
Speaker B:But they're very loved people in Bollywood, right?
Speaker B:Like, at least Jack Kishoff is very loved in Bollywood.
Speaker B:So you know what?
Speaker B:These are the people who can get away with that kind of humor.
Speaker B:I would pay to watch that show if that ever happens.
Speaker B:They're hilarious, both of them.
Speaker A:Well, talking about the humor in this film, the satire in this film, and a lot of credit goes to Farrakhan for her writing and directing.
Speaker A:Let's talk about some of those scenes.
Speaker A:I'm not gonna go in order.
Speaker A:I'm just going just purely based off some of the things that stood out for me on Rewatch.
Speaker A:Well, actually, before we get to the favorite scenes, actually, let me talk about very quickly about Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.
Speaker A:Like the pairing, obviously this is the first time they were paired together because this is Hindi film.
Speaker A:But they have acted in so many films together since then.
Speaker A:Even as recently as Jawan.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Did they act together again?
Speaker B:Jawan share a very small role, right?
Speaker B:More like a cameo playing his wife and then his mother.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker A:But yeah, but they've acted together in so, so many films.
Speaker A:Some good, some not so good.
Speaker A:But this is where it all began.
Speaker A:And I was curious to hear your take on the pairing because when, obviously when two actors come together so often the implicit understanding is that they work together, they have chemistry and people want to see them together.
Speaker A:For me, SRK and Kajo will never be beaten.
Speaker A:They're always number one in my heart.
Speaker A:I, I thought they were okay, you know, in this film as a pair and in subsequent films throughout the last 15, 16 years, I thought they were okay.
Speaker A:Not better than SRK and Kajol.
Speaker A:But I was curious to hear your thoughts on their pairing.
Speaker B:I'm at the other extreme.
Speaker B:I, I get creeped out by their pairing.
Speaker B:There is a 21 year age gap between the two and she was 20 when she filmed this film.
Speaker B:He was 41.
Speaker B:And I get it, adults and everything and fine.
Speaker B:But I've always had this problem with Bollywood and all the, all the superstars have done it, right.
Speaker B:So Rishi Kapoor, yeah.
Speaker B:When he was 45, acted with the 18 year old and like Amitabh's done it like, and Rajesh Khan has done it and it is, it creeps me out.
Speaker B:Like act, I think Shahrukh, even Kajun, Ishah Rukh.
Speaker B:But that's okay.
Speaker B:It's a nine year.
Speaker B:So you kind of.
Speaker B:Okay, fine.
Speaker B:They are kind of in the similar generation kind of thing.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:My favorite pairing of Shahrukh is actually Shah Rukh Khan Juhi and Shahrukh and Shah Rukh and Madhuri.
Speaker B:They're all in the same age group.
Speaker B:They're all 65, 66, 67, bonds.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:I feel when you're within that four, five years, similar age group, it shines better.
Speaker B:The chemistry is better.
Speaker B:It comes out really nice on screen.
Speaker B:Really good to look at all the time.
Speaker B:When I have watched any of Shah Rukh and Dupika or Shahrukh and Anushka together or Katrina and Shah Rukh together.
Speaker B:I'm like, dude, you guys are like two decades apart.
Speaker B:Like she's as close probably to your daughter's age.
Speaker B:Like, what's going on?
Speaker B:So no, I don't, I don't like the pairing if you ask me.
Speaker B:And I don't.
Speaker A:It is, it is interesting though that, and this is not like you said, it's not restricted to just Bollywood.
Speaker A:I mean, I see this a lot in South Indian films as well.
Speaker B:Oh yeah, of course.
Speaker A:But the fact that this is accepted almost people are fine with it because these films succeed and nobody, people there are, you know, here and there you'll hear you'll get these comments either on social media or some other marking on it.
Speaker A:But it still continues to this day.
Speaker A:Yeah, the actors are fine, I think.
Speaker A:Kamalhasan, in an interview a few years ago, I remember him saying something to the effect of, well, when you're watching the film and you see these two actors, the question is, are they believable?
Speaker A:That they are, you know, a pair, that they're interested in each other and they, they're adults.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Does that convince you if you are strongly distracted that one person is a lot older?
Speaker A:That's where the problem is.
Speaker A:But if done right, it shouldn't, it, you shouldn't be distracted by that fact.
Speaker B:Correct.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And that's the whole thing about telling stories.
Speaker A:Like you tell the story the way you tell it and how convincingly you tell the story about these two characters.
Speaker A:The actress shouldn't be a distraction for you.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:But that's the problem.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So I think Amitabh transformed himself from this.
Speaker B:He realized he's not going to work as a hero and he was delivering a lot of flop films.
Speaker B:So he transformed into character roles more suitable to his age.
Speaker B:Like he was 55, I think when he played dad to Shah Rukh and Kabikushi.
Speaker B:Kabi gum.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:But Shah rukh's close to 60, Salman's coming close to 60 and they're still playing heroes and like prancing around with females who are 30 years younger to them like Nayantara and Rashmika Mandana now from the south coming year.
Speaker B:That creeps me out.
Speaker B:Like you're not convincing me.
Speaker B:I, I can see how old you all look on screen.
Speaker B:I can see it.
Speaker B:So that really creeps me out.
Speaker B:But if you convince me that there's an age gap or like Shah Rukh and Kajol and ddlj, you cannot make out.
Speaker B:There's a nine year difference between the two.
Speaker B:Coming to your point, what Kamal Hassan said, you cannot make out because it's so Shahrukh looks really young and Kajol looks little mature than her age.
Speaker B:And it kind of fits beautifully both of them.
Speaker B:So I get that.
Speaker B:But I have really struggled with Salman Shah Ruk Amir after crossing 45, 50, still trying to be prancing around.
Speaker B:Like I'm supposed to believe that they are college goers and all that.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Or they're in their 25 or early 30s.
Speaker B:Doesn't cut it anymore.
Speaker B:So no, it doesn't work for me.
Speaker A:I also think that there are only few actors like male actors for whom they almost get a Free pass on this.
Speaker B:Of course.
Speaker B:Shahrukh gets it.
Speaker A:Sharu gets it.
Speaker A:Because he is like you said, he.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:Close to 60.
Speaker A:But he doesn't look close to 60.
Speaker A:Except when you see like without makeup and all that.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:He looks, I mean film.
Speaker A:He doesn't look that old.
Speaker B:Whatever.
Speaker B:What are they doing?
Speaker B:What is it called?
Speaker B:I forget this.
Speaker B:De Aging.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Have you seen Dunki?
Speaker B:Have you seen him in Dunki with Tapasi?
Speaker A:I haven't seen the film but I've seen clips.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So it's so obvious.
Speaker B:And you're like, no, just act your age and don't do this.
Speaker B:Your face looks just weird and creeped out.
Speaker B:You're creeping people out.
Speaker B:Stop this.
Speaker B:Salman Khan looks awful now in his latest films.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:So I'm like Aamir also I'm like, stop it.
Speaker B:Just age gracefully.
Speaker B:Two roles gracefully.
Speaker B:I'm sure.
Speaker B:So for so Amitabh and Tabu, did Chini come?
Speaker B:Amitabh played 64 years age and Tabu was 34.
Speaker B:So that again, the story actually had like a love story between two people who have such a huge age gap.
Speaker B:But they took characters who were that age close to those ages in their real lives.
Speaker B:And that's why is one of my favorite films.
Speaker B:Absolutely loved it.
Speaker B:It's just how lovely the romance was portrayed.
Speaker A:Is also a great example for what you're talking about.
Speaker A:Because I remember till.
Speaker A: Well, I think it was early: Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker B:Late into 90s.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Where he was romancing all.
Speaker A:And I remember this particular film, I think it was called Bademia Chotemya.
Speaker A:But he acted with Govinda.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:I think if I'm remembering correctly, I remember when it came out and they were doing.
Speaker A:You know, they were showing these songs where he was dancing with Govinda.
Speaker A:But then they were also dancing with this young.
Speaker A:It looked so odd.
Speaker A:Like he was dancing with his daughter.
Speaker A:And almost soon after that though he transitioned into playing like dad roles, character roles and almost like revitalized his career in many ways.
Speaker B:100%.
Speaker B:If you.
Speaker B:If you look at the films he's done Sarkar, which I absolutely loved.
Speaker B:Then you look at Pa then you look at Chini Kam and you're like, wow.
Speaker B:I pink for that matter.
Speaker B:So I really liked Amitabh.
Speaker B:And Amitabh is a great actor.
Speaker B:And we'll come to it when we talk about the second half.
Speaker B:Like why I have reservations.
Speaker B:Amitabh is a fantastic.
Speaker B:He's a superstar.
Speaker B:But he's a fantastic actor.
Speaker B:Like he's great.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I, you know, there are some actors I feel like can never transition to that.
Speaker A:Like in the south itself, if I.
Speaker A:If so, Rajnikanth is a great example.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:72 or 73 now, and he still plays roles where he's romancing actor actresses who are like, in their 20s and 30s.
Speaker A:Similar with Kamal Hassan.
Speaker A:Same thing.
Speaker A:And it's almost like the rationale given is that, oh, people don't want to see fans, don't want to see them playing like a grandfather role because they've been used for the last 20, 30 years, watching them in this specific kind of roles, that if they transition to playing, like, the wise grandfather or like some other kind of character role, people won't want to watch that film.
Speaker A:That is the rational given for those two actors, which I'm curious if I don't know how it is up north.
Speaker A:Like, the culture is slightly different where I don't know if Shah Rukh Khan will ever be like, all right, I think I'm done doing this.
Speaker A:I will transition to playing something like what Amitabh has been doing for the last 20 years.
Speaker B:I think Shah Rukh has not explored his full potential as an actor or what he could be.
Speaker B:And I would love to see Shah Rukh doing character roles being a director's actor.
Speaker B:And I don't know if we have now that talent to showcase or exploit Shah Rukh's potential.
Speaker A:This is a great.
Speaker B:That's a different thing.
Speaker A:This is a great entry point for me to say, or to expand on what I was saying earlier, that this is probably the, you know, in terms of all of the Shahrukh Khan films that I've enjoyed, this is probably right up there, like.
Speaker A:Probably like the number one with an asterisk.
Speaker A:Because I've been trying and trying for years and years, and I'm running out of excuses now.
Speaker A:But I still haven't watched Swadesh.
Speaker B:Whoa.
Speaker B:Before Swadesh, have you watched Kabiha Kabinah?
Speaker A:It doesn't sound familiar to me.
Speaker B:You have to watch Kabiha Kabinah.
Speaker B:It's one of my favorite Shah Rukh films.
Speaker B:Fantastic.
Speaker B:And you know I'm not a Shah Rukh fan, right?
Speaker B:Like, I stopped.
Speaker B:I can't deal with Shahrukh in a lot of movies.
Speaker B:Kabiha Kabina is fantastic.
Speaker B:His director is Kundan Shah and Kundanshah directed him in his series TV series Circus, which was also lovely.
Speaker B:And you should see Shah Rukh in those.
Speaker B:And that's what I'm saying.
Speaker B:He's a director's actor.
Speaker B:What Ashutosh Govarekar did with him in Swadesh.
Speaker B:Mohan Bhargava is one of my favorite characters.
Speaker B:I love Swadesh.
Speaker B:It's a long movie, it's slow paced.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:Shah Rukh has nailed every scene and that's why I say he's a smart businessman.
Speaker B:He's understood what the audience wants.
Speaker B:He realized he's got a huge female following who love him in these romantic roles.
Speaker B:I never found him charming.
Speaker B:I don't like Shah Rukh's brand of romance.
Speaker B:I like Shah Rukh and Chakde.
Speaker B:I like Shahrukh Khain Swadees.
Speaker B:I like Shahrukh and Kabiha Kabinah.
Speaker B:If I want Shahrukh and I want to see Shah Rukh's romantic role which I've enjoyed is actually 4G TV series.
Speaker B:His first TV series first a second.
Speaker B:He was charming as hell as Abhimanyu died.
Speaker A:I will definitely check out Kabiha Kabina but also I think it's on Netflix over here.
Speaker A:So literally it's like a fingertip away from me watching the film.
Speaker A:But I think I saw it was like three hours long and I was.
Speaker B:Like, it's very long.
Speaker A:I, I, I, I Most of the time when I sit down to watch like it's the end of the day.
Speaker A:I just want something that I don't have to like, you know, spend too much time like thinking and being invested and I just need something really light.
Speaker A:So I just have to watch it.
Speaker B:I watched it in the theaters when it released.
Speaker B:We, we just went for every film.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:It didn't matter who was there but we always went for film.
Speaker B:First day, first show.
Speaker B:We were in Dubai Friday, Friday was kept for tv for movie releases.
Speaker B:I like Swadesh a lot.
Speaker B:Like if ever you get to it, Benny will do a podcast.
Speaker B:I would love to re watch it again.
Speaker B:I haven't rewatched it in many years.
Speaker A:And I would do it so, so keeping that aside and we'll revisit.
Speaker A:I mean I'll revisit my favorite SRK film after I watch those two.
Speaker A:But the reason why I consider this film to be like, it's very typical SRK entertainer for me and why it works for me is that you're not gonna watch this film and be like, oh my God, what an actor.
Speaker A:Shahrukh Khan is amazing.
Speaker A:He's, he's a thespian.
Speaker A:Nobody is going to say that based on this film.
Speaker A:Okay, that's understood.
Speaker A:But did I have a smile on my face for most of this film.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:And that's because srk.
Speaker A:I mean, this is.
Speaker A:It's actually used as a criticism point for him.
Speaker A:He does ham a lot, right?
Speaker B:He does ham a lot.
Speaker B:My second half was insufferable.
Speaker B:But we shall talk about it.
Speaker A:So, yes, there are points where you're like, okay, but this is the kind of film that's written for him, for his happiness, where he can have.
Speaker A:Because especially in parts where he has to over like overly exaggerate.
Speaker A:Like some of the traits, both pre and let's say both the first and second half, like, it's like in his zone.
Speaker A:He's like, you want me to.
Speaker A:Do you want me to have this up?
Speaker A:Perfect.
Speaker A:That's what I do.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:I'm gonna go all out.
Speaker A:So when he goes all in, I just love it.
Speaker A:And yes, there are some parts that don't work, but for most part, I just like, loved it.
Speaker A:And especially I have to talk about one of my favorite, favorite scenes from the film which I said earlier.
Speaker A:I was just like holding my hand and just like, oh, my God, this is stupid.
Speaker A:But I love it.
Speaker A:It's like so in the first half where he still is, you know, Om Prakash and he, for a brief while, he's pretending to Shanti that he is actually from the south.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:I love it too.
Speaker A:There's this scene where they're pretending to shoot this film when she's around.
Speaker A:And I was just dying because I was like, should I be offended?
Speaker A:But I'm enjoying this.
Speaker A:It's like, really?
Speaker B:This is my point.
Speaker B:You can't be offended.
Speaker B:It is so much fun.
Speaker B:How can anyone be offended by this?
Speaker B:Oh, you bad cat.
Speaker A:Oh, you fat cat rascal.
Speaker A:Again.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Naughty, naughty, naughty.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Who's your daddy now?
Speaker A:You want to say sorry?
Speaker B:No, sorry.
Speaker A:Pussycat, pussycat.
Speaker A:Where have you been?
Speaker B:Have you been to London to see the queen?
Speaker B:Go see the queen.
Speaker A:You know that whole sequence where he's saying like stuff like naughty.
Speaker A:And he's like, I was just, yeah, minded, like over and over.
Speaker A:I was like laughing because I just.
Speaker A:I'm like, this is stupid.
Speaker A:This is like.
Speaker B:You know what is the worst part?
Speaker B:They put one planted one actor there on one of them fighting when they are flying.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Which is on those trolleys.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And the guy's like, fly.
Speaker B:He's flying so well.
Speaker B:I was like, this is.
Speaker B:They nailed it.
Speaker B:Like, they nailed the OTT element.
Speaker B:See?
Speaker B:So either it can get cringe and you can be irritated with it where I was irritated in the second Half of it.
Speaker B:But here I was just holding my stomach and laughing because I was like, this is perfect.
Speaker A:And for me it was hitting close to home.
Speaker A:Because yes, there are films in the south that are like this.
Speaker A: s, early: Speaker A:But they would do it in this very serious way that you had to take it seriously.
Speaker A:And you're just like, this is dumb.
Speaker A:So when he does it in this scene and this is where SRK comes into his own because, you know, he just hams it up and he's just so overly exaggerated, overly dramatic and it just works.
Speaker A:And I was just dying and I was like, this is why I love this film because when they tap into making fun of the tropes, making fun of like the same kind of stories, the same kind of hero elevation and you look at it from almost like from the outside and you're like, it is kind of ridiculous how we enjoy this and encourage these kind of films.
Speaker A:And so that was ridiculous.
Speaker A:And to me, I think if I had to take like one scene from this film as to why I love SRK in these kind of performance is like that particular scene that.
Speaker A:That's just laugh out loud hilarious.
Speaker A:And I was just like, I can't stop smiling because this is dumb.
Speaker A:But there are so many other scenes like that which we'll talk about.
Speaker A:No.
Speaker B:Even Kiran Kher.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Kiran Kher is having on point.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And she.
Speaker B:That scene, you know the second half where she.
Speaker B:They're getting him to the set, Arjun Rampal to the set, Mukesh Mehra.
Speaker B:And they have to forewarn him that and scare him.
Speaker B:And she comes with those thick eyebrows and she's like, you know, Andar Madjana.
Speaker B:Andar Madjana.
Speaker B:The way she screams like, don't go inside.
Speaker B:So they used to always have this character, one character, one mad woman coming out in films who won the villain or whatever or the hero.
Speaker B:Hero and whatever.
Speaker B:My God, I was laughing.
Speaker B:I'm like, Kiran Kher is just nailing this.
Speaker B:And she's again, she said, I really like her, she's a great actress.
Speaker B:But she nailed the hamming in this, in this film.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And that's a role.
Speaker A:That's the kind of role written for women her age.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like the moms, the mothers who are overly protective of their sons and overly dramatic.
Speaker A:And again it's a wink and a, an Odd because Farrakhan is very clear.
Speaker A:Like, hey, this is what we do every time in Hindi films and honestly every other film industry in India too.
Speaker A:And look at how insane it is and look at how silly.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:And I think that's why it works.
Speaker A:But I want to talk about some of the scenes that I really other.
Speaker A:Other parts of the film that I really enjoyed.
Speaker A:So when people ask me or like let's say in a year or two, long after this episode is done, if someone comes up to me and asks, hey, have you seen like Om Shanti Ohm.
Speaker A:Like the first image that will be triggered in my head is the Diwangi song.
Speaker B:Oh, okay.
Speaker A:Now I haven't watched like any other.
Speaker A:I think there's one other, I think you mentioned it.
Speaker A:That's one other older Hindi film.
Speaker A:We're kind of similar.
Speaker A:They had like a song where a lot of the.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So it's Naseeb.
Speaker B:It's called John Johnny Janardhan.
Speaker B:And I'll share the link in our episode notes.
Speaker B:It's Amitabh Bachchan is plays a waiter and Amitabh Bachchan was the biggest superstar of that era and then he has all the superstars of those that times and actress.
Speaker B:Actresses come in.
Speaker B:So Deewangi is an out and out tribute.
Speaker B:It's not copycat.
Speaker B:It's not like copying it.
Speaker B:Farah said it, she wanted to do it as a tribute to Amitabh's song and that's how it comes out.
Speaker B:And I love Deewangi.
Speaker B:It's a fun song.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:Enjoy.
Speaker A:Is.
Speaker A:It's seven minutes long.
Speaker A:Almost over seven minutes long.
Speaker A:30.
Speaker A:31.
Speaker B:31.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I mean I was counting that song.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:I remember when I watched it for the first time, that was the first time I've seen something like that.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And like it's like literally every big Bollywood star that they could get and they got quite a few.
Speaker A:And even back then it was like, wait, Salman Khan is in this, like in this, in this song.
Speaker A:Sharing base with srk.
Speaker A:I mean obviously now with all of the universes and yeah films it's now more like it's not that big of a deal.
Speaker A:But back then, even if it is, for a few seconds it felt like, oh my God, look at.
Speaker A:Look who's here.
Speaker A:And that song captures it perfectly.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like all these actors coming in doing their signature dances, these iconic pairs.
Speaker A:Especially for Shahrukh Khan.
Speaker A:Again, probably the best part of song for me.
Speaker A:But then.
Speaker B:But people don't realize how.
Speaker B:What an awesome dance.
Speaker B:Rani Mukherjee doesn't get enough credit for being such a great dancer.
Speaker B:If you see her moves in all her songs.
Speaker B:She dances so well.
Speaker B:So effortless.
Speaker B:I loved her in this song as well.
Speaker B:She's the right amount of sensuousness on screen.
Speaker B:Rani gets it.
Speaker B:So I know people love Shah Rukh and Kajol's pairing like you do.
Speaker B:But I thought Juhi also in the song is so pretty and cute.
Speaker B:And I'm a big Juhi fan as well.
Speaker B:So yeah, I loved Rekha.
Speaker B:She's such a goddess.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:And all the guys fangirling over her.
Speaker A:Tabu was there.
Speaker A:Karishna Kapoor.
Speaker A:For a brief point in my life, I had a big crush on her.
Speaker B:Legit.
Speaker B:She's very pretty.
Speaker A:Legit.
Speaker A:Yeah, I get it.
Speaker A:Who else?
Speaker A:Who are the big names?
Speaker B:I mean, so I love.
Speaker B:I loved Dharmendra.
Speaker B:So again, Dharmendra in his prime.
Speaker B:And Benny, you should just look up old YouTube.
Speaker B:Dharmendra was really handsome.
Speaker B:Really, really handsome.
Speaker B:Okay, so it's.
Speaker B:And he.
Speaker B:His and Dhima Malini's pairing also like so gorgeous to watch on screen.
Speaker B: black and white films of the: Speaker B:Just look up some clips or I'll send you.
Speaker B:And Dharmendra cannot dance.
Speaker B:Got two left feet.
Speaker B:Horrible dancer.
Speaker B:But he's got a signature step that everybody does.
Speaker B:So many films have imitated that step.
Speaker B:And Dharmidra comes and then Saif jumps in, Salman jumps in.
Speaker B:Shah Rukh, like there, all of them, all of them just jumped in.
Speaker B:And apparently I was reading up is Salman Khan came to know that Dharmendra is going to come on the set.
Speaker B:So he just hung around the set for three hours because all he wanted to do was jump in and dance with Dharmhedra.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:And for us, like, I let them be.
Speaker B:I didn't choreograph it.
Speaker B:So it's all like they are doing their own theatrics.
Speaker B:It's like little kids fan fanboying over their idol kind of.
Speaker B:And I just love that.
Speaker B:It's so sweet in terms of the whole Bollywood love people have, the fact.
Speaker A:That people came and gave their time for, you know, even for a little bit, that's it's a lot of credit to them because, you know, they're like, they could.
Speaker A:They could have been like, well, this is not my film, you know, this is someone else.
Speaker A:And you know they're going to walk away with all of the, you know, accolades and all of that.
Speaker A:But no, they just came in and for a brief point in time there was this Sense of like, hey, we're all in this.
Speaker A:We're all united, you know, whatever.
Speaker A:So I just love that when they did this seven Minutes, which apparently was filmed over seven days as well.
Speaker B:Yeah, but how.
Speaker B:How sweet and naive are you to think that they did it out of love for Shah Rukh and Farah.
Speaker B:You know what?
Speaker B:Shahrukh gifted them.
Speaker A:Well, yes, I did.
Speaker A:I did read up on that.
Speaker A:But I was.
Speaker A:I'm assuming that he gave it after the fact.
Speaker A:Not necessarily like, hey, I'm going to give you this, so please come.
Speaker A:And then I like.
Speaker B:I like that you believe at least in mine.
Speaker A:Yes, I would like to believe that.
Speaker B:Hey, Yeah, I never get big brand names, pronunciations correct.
Speaker B:But it is what, tag?
Speaker B:Or is that how you pronounce it?
Speaker A:Or let's go with tag.
Speaker A:Tag here.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I mean, I never say it out loud, so I don't know.
Speaker B:Anyway, I can't get half the brand names right.
Speaker B:But, yeah, whatever.
Speaker B:And because he was a brand ambassador at that point, and all the ladies got to keep their outfits designed, customized by Manish Malhotra.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:Listen, incentive or not, they came and they.
Speaker A:They gave a few minutes.
Speaker A:I mean, that song for me again, I remember when I watched that song for the first time, I was like, man, I wish they did something like that, like in the Tamil film industry.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:They could get all, like, the big names to come and, like, appear, even just for a few seconds, like, for a song.
Speaker A:And I thought it was really cool.
Speaker A:So I did read up a lot of trivia on it and we'll get to the trivia part of it.
Speaker A:But yeah, to me, again, that goes back to what I was saying earlier, that this film is just supposed to be, you come in, you enjoy, you have a good time, you leave with a smile on your face.
Speaker A:And I think that's what they did achieve.
Speaker A:I mean, yes, the.
Speaker A:We talked about the satire in some of the scenes, but this was essentially a tribute stars, let's be clear.
Speaker A:Bollywood stars.
Speaker A:I think this is where Locked by Chance was different in that it kind of went ground level to show the people, like the crew actors before they get their big break.
Speaker A:Kind of like this is the ground reality.
Speaker A:But again, the thing about Bollywood ultimately is people see Bollywood for its stars.
Speaker B:Yes, I agree.
Speaker A:And the glamour and the glitz.
Speaker A:And I think this was like the crowning achievement of it, which, you know, talking about how Luck by Chance really paid attention to, like, the crew and, you know, the struggling actress part of it, I mean, this film does it too Obviously the struggling actors bit, it was done with a very melodramatic touch in the first half.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:Yes, I love the end credits in this.
Speaker B:Yes, yes, me too.
Speaker B:Me too.
Speaker B:Me too.
Speaker A:I've seen films essentially fast forward their end credits.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Or they'll put up like some.
Speaker A:Something else going on in the film.
Speaker A:Like, like a, let's say, like a.
Speaker B:Post, some clip or something.
Speaker B:Yes, yes.
Speaker A:Everyone's attention is going to be focused on that.
Speaker A:If you scroll the names and then they scroll it so fast you're like, I can't even read the name.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So the fact that you took time to show the people, give them their red carpet moment because they're never going to do that again.
Speaker A:They're never going to get to do that again in any film.
Speaker A:But getting to do that where they showed who that person is, what their role in the film was essentially giving them this red carpet where everyone is cheering them on.
Speaker A:I thought that was such a nice touch.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Farah for that.
Speaker B:And this is where I love Farah.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:She.
Speaker B:When she does, see, if you're taking digs at other people, you should be able to take a dig and laugh at yourself.
Speaker B:And Farah does that really well.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:I love that part.
Speaker B:She comes on the red carpet in an auto rickshaw.
Speaker B:There's nobody to receive her and she gets blocked from her own premiere.
Speaker B:So she's running up to the autorickshaw to take her back.
Speaker B:Love it.
Speaker B:Farah, you gave all the attention to everybody else.
Speaker B:And for you, you took a laugh at yourself at the end of the film.
Speaker B:I think it's perfect, in my opinion.
Speaker A:Yes, I absolutely love it.
Speaker B:But why we were.
Speaker B:Because you said if somebody asks you about Oso and your memory is Diwan Ki, I have to talk about the soundtrack.
Speaker B: whichever films we've covered: Speaker B:I love Vishal Shekhar.
Speaker B:I love almost a lot of flop movies.
Speaker B:I keep saying, but all the songs are bangers.
Speaker B:But this Om Shanti Om has banger of a soundtrack.
Speaker B:Like there isn't a single song which is not a super hit.
Speaker A:Yeah, okay.
Speaker B:Every, every single song.
Speaker B:I love Dande Disco Darde Disco's Imagine Jave doctor Writing lyrics like new.
Speaker B:What is it?
Speaker B:All the Cities.
Speaker B:New York, L.A.
Speaker B:san Francisco.
Speaker B:It's like, you know, when I completed There are five cities.
Speaker B:London, New London, Paris, New York, L.A.
Speaker B:san Francisco.
Speaker B:When I visited New York, I had ticked off all the five cities that I visited and I put a story with this course saying bucket list done.
Speaker B:Because to come up with lyrics like this.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Because you know how great Javed Akhtar's whole filmography is in terms of writing and songs and everything.
Speaker B:And he does this and it's brilliant.
Speaker B:Sukhnder has sung it so well.
Speaker B:It's such a peppy number.
Speaker B:Then you have KK who sings Akome Ajabasi, the premiere song where Shahrukh falls, which is your favorite.
Speaker B:I think pose also many a times you share that gif.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:The song is so, so romantic and it doesn't.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:When people talk about top romantic songs in Bollywood, Ajapsi should definitely be featured in that.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Great song, Diwangi.
Speaker B:Like you said, great song.
Speaker B:You know when Shah Rukh has the heartbreak in love with married to Rajan Ramka.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:It's a great song.
Speaker B:Again, like every moment has been captured in the soundtrack.
Speaker B:And like I say, I keep going back to Oso soundtrack.
Speaker B:I love each and every song in it.
Speaker B:And when you have a.
Speaker B:It's a great recipe.
Speaker B:You have an entertaining film with the banger soundtrack.
Speaker B:I think Farah got everything right for this film.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Even if people don't like the film, if they watch it and they don't like it, I.
Speaker B:I can assure you nobody will have anything to say about the sound.
Speaker B:Like no criticism about this.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Agree.
Speaker A:Well, there, there is.
Speaker A:There are so many pieces of trivia from this film.
Speaker A:So before we get to that and give some time for that.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Are there any other stray.
Speaker B:But we didn't talk about Deepika.
Speaker B:It was a debut film.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:What.
Speaker A:What was your.
Speaker A:What is your thought on Deepika's performance in this film?
Speaker B:Look, I don't rate Deepika as an actress.
Speaker B:The only decent acting that came out of her was in Piku.
Speaker B:I don't rate her at all.
Speaker B:I don't watch her films for acting.
Speaker B:I think she looked gorgeous as hell and I think she was very confident for a debutante acting wise.
Speaker B:No comments.
Speaker B:But she looked pretty.
Speaker B:I think that was her job and.
Speaker A:She did it well.
Speaker A:I think it's worth noting.
Speaker A:I'll take one or actually two pieces of trivia because it's related to the pickup of the bone.
Speaker A:So Farrakh Khan was advised by Malaika.
Speaker A:Malaika.
Speaker A:Malaika Arora to.
Speaker A:To cast Padukone as a female lead and was cast without a screen test because Farrakhan was like, okay, she's too gorgeous not to be in this film.
Speaker A:But then she was also very unhappy with her dialogue delivery.
Speaker B:I can't, I don't believe Farah.
Speaker A:And apparently in preparation for a role, Deepika watched several films of actresses Helen and Hema Malini to study their body language.
Speaker A:And her character was modeled after Hema Malini and nicknamed Dreamy Girl after Hema Malini's nickname as Dream Girl.
Speaker B:No, it is the film which earned her the nickname.
Speaker B:It was her biggest hit ever.
Speaker B:That put her like on the map.
Speaker B:And so Dream Girl Dharmendra stars in it and Hema Malini and that's how she got that nickname in the industry because it was a film that became such a massive hit and everybody knows her by that and she was the dream girl.
Speaker B:You should see Hima Malini in 70s movies.
Speaker B:Benn.
Speaker B:So gorgeous.
Speaker B:Actually most actors look very gorgeous.
Speaker A:The one movie that I've seen of hers is Sholay which is my all time favorite.
Speaker A:It's a great Hindi film.
Speaker A:So she was, she's great.
Speaker A:Deepika Palkone.
Speaker A:I have to say that for someone who acted in her first Hindi film she did a passable job.
Speaker A:I don't think she detracted from it.
Speaker A:Let's just be, let's just put it that way and be generous because the fact that she was, you know, she did her research and trying to like portray someone like a star like that of that era.
Speaker A:So some credit goes to her for at least putting in that work.
Speaker A:And the fact is this film didn't need like a quote unquote actor for this role.
Speaker A:This is, this is really Om Prakash or Om Kapoor's story and he is kind of like the motivational factor for him in this film.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:So I agree.
Speaker A:It's a love story only to a certain extent.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:So I think she did okay.
Speaker A:Nothing to rave about.
Speaker A:I did love the, the way they kind of put a twist on her role in the second half when she's almost a complete contrast to you know, the first half.
Speaker A:You know Shanti in that and when she's back as Sandy.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:I thought, you know, the few minutes of screen time that she got for that, for that particular character, I thought that was.
Speaker A:She, she, she did that well.
Speaker A:So yeah.
Speaker A:But again she was fine.
Speaker A:This was SRK's film.
Speaker B:Honestly it was on and on SRK.
Speaker A:The fact that there were so many cameos and Deepika in there, Arjun Rampal we, we haven't talked about but yeah.
Speaker B:He can't act either.
Speaker B:So it's fine.
Speaker B:It's fine.
Speaker B:Arjun Rampa is not worth talking about.
Speaker B:Great Looks can't act.
Speaker B:But I have to talk about Shreyas Talpade.
Speaker B:So Shreyas Talpade has.
Speaker B:Is a Marathi actor.
Speaker B:He's from the Marathi industry.
Speaker B:So I've seen him in serials and I've seen him in films way before he made his debut in, I think was it Iqbal, which was his debut film?
Speaker B:I don't quite remember, but it was his lead role.
Speaker B:So he played the lead role of Iqbal, which is one of my favorite favorite films.
Speaker B:It's on cricket.
Speaker B:He plays a deaf and dumb guy who goes on to make it big.
Speaker B:Nasir is amazing in the film.
Speaker B:Just, it's a great film.
Speaker B:And to see him hold his own with Shah Rukh was great to watch because Papu plays a great friend to him in the first half and in the second half.
Speaker B:And Shah Rukh was doing all the hamming and the acting and the comedy.
Speaker B:It was all Shah Rukh.
Speaker B:But Shreyas had his moments with him and he plays them just right.
Speaker B:He knows he's with Shah Rukh, he's with a big star.
Speaker B:Nobody's going to notice him.
Speaker B:But people did notice him and people really liked his performance in this film.
Speaker B:The fact that Shreyas has not got the kind of breaks.
Speaker B:It's really difficult for Marathi actors to make it big.
Speaker B:In Bollywood especially, you've been part of Marathi industry.
Speaker B:It's really difficult and for television actors to make it big.
Speaker B:So I think he got lost amongst not getting those opportunities.
Speaker B:But he's a very nice, very good actor.
Speaker B:I like him and I enjoyed his role in the film.
Speaker A:Yeah, his was a very solid, you know, character role in this.
Speaker A:You know, he's.
Speaker A:He's like the conscience for Om.
Speaker A:And so he, he portrayed it to perfection.
Speaker A:And this again, it wasn't like a standout, like the role that people will be talking for years to come.
Speaker A:Not that kind.
Speaker A:I mean, it's a.
Speaker A:At the end of the day, it's a stereotypical friend of the hero role.
Speaker B:Correct.
Speaker A:But you can either overdo it, you know, trying to like match the, the hero or just be some.
Speaker A:Someone very unmemorable.
Speaker A:And you cannot say that about him in this.
Speaker A:No, in this role.
Speaker A:So before we get to the trivia part, and I think when we get to the trivia, we can kind of expand on even some of the scenes that stood out for us.
Speaker A:But I did want to talk about two things.
Speaker A:That's talking about plot holes or talking about things that like.
Speaker A:Wait, what?
Speaker A:You know, there probably were so many.
Speaker B:The biggest plot I Just picked.
Speaker A:I cherry picked two because I was like, we can't do an entire episode on things that don't make sense.
Speaker A:So I just picked two.
Speaker A:Well, one, the fire scene, right, with towards the end of the first half, I guess, where Shanti is killed and then eventually Ohm gets caught in that whole thing and then dies later as well.
Speaker A:The fact that in a big house like that, like, Deepika couldn't escape at all, like, was that the only entry point?
Speaker B:Like, yes, because it's a set, it's not a house.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:It's a set.
Speaker B:So generally for set, you'll probably have one.
Speaker B:I don't know how it was in those area era of fire exits and stuff and health and safety, but there'll be makeup rooms and the set was designed.
Speaker B:So I'm guessing, I'm just guessing.
Speaker B:And we have to assume that he had all the other exits sealed and he only kept this one open if he was planning to murder her, destroy the set, and claim insurance money out of it.
Speaker B:I'm guessing he just closed all the exit points.
Speaker A:Because, I mean, I can buy that.
Speaker A:I can buy that.
Speaker A:I'm just like, if I was in that house and that set and, you know, there's a fire and I'm like, okay, I've got so many different places I can like, try to break through.
Speaker A:I mean, it's a set, I'm gonna break through it.
Speaker A:It's not like, yeah, you know, anyway, that's what.
Speaker A:That's one thing that, like, during that scene, I was like, maybe try harder.
Speaker A:Also, the security guards just leave home after beating him up and they just walk away.
Speaker A:And I'm like, this guy's a witness.
Speaker A:Are you just gonna, like, leave him there?
Speaker A:Like, either kill him or like take him away somewhere else.
Speaker A:But that was my part about that.
Speaker A:That whole big scene.
Speaker A:And then the last one just for now, you know, like in after the Reincarnation, he becomes Om Kapoor and he goes, becomes.
Speaker A:He's this huge star.
Speaker A:He has the Om burn mark on his hand.
Speaker A:Was there an explanation why he has that?
Speaker B:There was no explanation.
Speaker B:But if you watch 70s Bollywood, you would have guessed it right away.
Speaker B:Because Om died in the fire and Om has been reincarnated.
Speaker B:So the birthmark is from his past life.
Speaker B:Betty, you have to watch more Bollywood 70s movies.
Speaker A:Wait, wait.
Speaker A:From what I've seen, typically there's like one point of connection.
Speaker A:Either they'll be like in the same room or there's like a touch.
Speaker A:Like their hands touch and suddenly there's, you know, this like a transfer.
Speaker A:None of that.
Speaker A:They were like in completely different.
Speaker A:They were same hospital.
Speaker A:Yes, but different rooms.
Speaker A:There's like no way for his.
Speaker B:He has been reincarnated.
Speaker B:So that is what he has come up with.
Speaker B:It's a birthmark.
Speaker B:It's a birthmark.
Speaker B:That's how it is.
Speaker A:So my, my looks like a burn.
Speaker A:I'm like, where, how?
Speaker A:When did this child get burned?
Speaker B:He was born with it.
Speaker B:Benny, you have to understand, you have to see how else, how else would you connect?
Speaker B:My biggest plot hole was she's already pregnant.
Speaker B:So the kid is alive.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:The kid is already from a fetus.
Speaker B:It has become a proper full grown baby because she's gone in for delivery.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:Rajesh Kapoor's wife.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So it's a full fledged baby.
Speaker B:It's a person already.
Speaker B:So how is Shah Rukh.
Speaker B:Shah Rukh dying?
Speaker B:So technically, if it's reincarnated, he has to die and then the fetus, then she should have become pregnant.
Speaker B:But no, the baby's formed and it's just the soul transfer that happens.
Speaker A:We're talking about technicalities of reincarnation.
Speaker A:Lots of room for interpretation.
Speaker A:I think Farah can be like, hey, in my book, this is how it works.
Speaker B:This is how it is.
Speaker B:But anyway, you don't look for logic in these movies.
Speaker B:You just enjoy.
Speaker A:Plot holes stuck out for you.
Speaker B:No, I think this was the biggest one.
Speaker B:But that is so.
Speaker B:I mean, it's so random.
Speaker B:Like a doppelganger, like a dope, she looks like her, turns up.
Speaker B:It's like so random.
Speaker B:Like, okay, fine.
Speaker A:There are so many.
Speaker A:Honestly, I just, I was like, all right, I'm going into this to enjoy experience.
Speaker A:I'm not here to like poke holes at it because then the whole thing falls apart.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And I get it.
Speaker A:And it's fine in movies like this.
Speaker A:Totally acceptable.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And the whole, I even bought the whole supernatural element that the ghost comes to take the revenge, because that is how many horror films are right?
Speaker B:The soul and the ghost is, what do you say?
Speaker B:Dissatisfied soul is wandering on the earth and they need to get closure and then move on to the next life.
Speaker B:So yeah, he got his closure, I think, because Shanti died, so he didn't have anything to live for.
Speaker B:Om Makhija.
Speaker B:So yeah, but his, his soul needed to avenge her murder, so he got reincarnate.
Speaker B:But what about Shanti?
Speaker B:Because Shanti was still stuck in the set.
Speaker B:And that is why she, she didn't get reincarnated, but she came as the Ghost to save.
Speaker A:I did like that touch funny on rewatch.
Speaker A:I completely forgot about that.
Speaker B:I enjoyed it.
Speaker B:I enjoyed it.
Speaker A:I thought it was.
Speaker B:Yeah, Madhumati was the same and I enjoyed it.
Speaker B:I'm like, oh, great.
Speaker B:You know, that's the twist.
Speaker B:That's a plot twist.
Speaker B:And I enjoyed it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I thought Sandeep stepped up and was delivering a brilliant performance.
Speaker A:So when it was that reveal, it was actually like the curse.
Speaker A:I was, oh, that's actually better.
Speaker A:This is even better.
Speaker B:And I'm like, it's well done.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:Again, people say it's copied, but it was intentional copy.
Speaker B:She never said it's original.
Speaker B:She always said it's a tribute to Madhumati and K.
Speaker B:So again, Karz's climate climax song Ekhasinati where Rishi.
Speaker B:So Rishi Kapoor in his reincarnated form.
Speaker B:So Rajkiran is the actor who is is killed by Simi Grewal and Karz and he gets reincarnated as Rishi Kapoor.
Speaker B:Rishi Kapoor is a stage performer.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:He's a famous singer and a performer.
Speaker B:That's his first song, Om Shanti Om.
Speaker B:And then the last song is Ekhasinathi in the movie, which is a great song.
Speaker B:I love the song where he narrates the whole story of.
Speaker B:And the final scene, how Simmy killed Rajkiran with those.
Speaker B:There are like images flashing on the screen and all.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:They reenact that part.
Speaker B:Etc, right?
Speaker B:And then Simi is like getting losing it.
Speaker B:It's the same thing.
Speaker B:What they did here is they tell the whole story of Shanti Priya's murder and they act it out in front of Mukesh Mehra to make him uncomfortable.
Speaker B:I thought it's a brilliant tribute.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I loved it.
Speaker B:It's like the lyrics were fantastic.
Speaker B:They narrated the whole plot of the film in that song.
Speaker B:And Farah was like, I loved cars.
Speaker B:I loved Subhash Guy's direction of this.
Speaker B:So here is my homage and tribute to you for what you did.
Speaker B:Great.
Speaker B:Fantastic.
Speaker B:I loved it.
Speaker B:That's how you do a tribute.
Speaker B:That's not copying.
Speaker B:That's not copy.
Speaker B:Good tribute.
Speaker A:Thin line.
Speaker A:Thin line.
Speaker A:But for me, who had no context or anything, I just love that reveal.
Speaker A:And I thought, oh, this is better than what I would have written for this part.
Speaker B:You should watch.
Speaker B:You watch it.
Speaker B:Just watch Ekasina Thi.
Speaker B:Look up that song on YouTube and then go watch Oso's climax song.
Speaker B:Fantastic.
Speaker B:Well done.
Speaker A:Okay, well let's.
Speaker A:Well, let's talk about some interesting piece of trivia and Again, there were so many.
Speaker A:So I just picked the ones that I found interesting.
Speaker A:So one of the things that I remember, the first time I watched and then rewatched, I was like, where is Aamir Khan?
Speaker A:Like, you just cannot have Shahrukh Salman.
Speaker A:And then, no, Amir.
Speaker A:Like, they are the trinity of.
Speaker A:Holy trinity of Bollywood.
Speaker A:And so Amar is just stuck up.
Speaker B:That's fine.
Speaker A:Well, I read that apparently he bluntly informed Farah that if he would give this film four minutes of his time, Tari Zameenpur would suffer by four months.
Speaker A:I thought, first of all, love Tari Zameenpur.
Speaker A:It's one of my favorite Hindi movies of all time.
Speaker B: Same year,: Speaker B:Same year release.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B: e amazing movies that were in: Speaker A:And I was thinking, but seriously, if you give four minutes of your time, this film is going to suffer by four months.
Speaker A:Come on now.
Speaker A:That's just too dramatic and overly exaggerated.
Speaker A:So that was very, very disappointing that he refused to make a cameo appearance.
Speaker A:And then talking about the song Dardi Disco, let's talk about Shahrukh's abs.
Speaker B:Yeah, please.
Speaker B:I'll give you my views on it.
Speaker A:He worked out for three months prior to the song.
Speaker A:You know what?
Speaker A:If I could work out for three months just to get those abs, I'll take it.
Speaker A:I will gladly take those abs.
Speaker A:It's not the most amazing, but hey, for Shahrukh Khan, I think that's pretty impressive.
Speaker B:Contrary.
Speaker B:And again, Benny, we might get a lot of outrage if I say this.
Speaker B:I don't rate Shah Rukh as a dancer at all.
Speaker B:Okay?
Speaker B:He's a very average, very average dancer.
Speaker B:You go do these abs and you're trying to do.
Speaker B:Do what a Hrithik could pull.
Speaker B:I don't think that worked.
Speaker B:Honestly, I don't like that they discourse serious though.
Speaker B:Of course it's not.
Speaker B:It's not.
Speaker B:It was parody.
Speaker B:I get it.
Speaker B:Even as a parody.
Speaker B:Didn't work because I'm like, no, Shahrukh, sorry, you are not the guy.
Speaker A:You have very high standards is what I am getting.
Speaker B:Sorry, have you seen.
Speaker B:Sorry, I do have high standards.
Speaker A:Listen, you cannot comp.
Speaker A:Compare Greek gods to mere mortals.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:That's doesn't matter.
Speaker A:You cannot compare with anyone else.
Speaker B:His women fans think he was hot in dandy disco.
Speaker B:I am sorry.
Speaker B:He wasn't.
Speaker A:Again, if you purely look at srk, different.
Speaker A:Different context, different standards.
Speaker A:I didn't like, go.
Speaker A:I didn't go like, oh, my God, this is amazing.
Speaker A:I was like, oh, that's Interesting and cool and kind of funny because I got it.
Speaker A:I felt like it was a parody.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:Yeah, because it was that person.
Speaker B:Like I said, visually, I don't like the song.
Speaker B:I want to block that image of Shahrukh.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I love the song to listen.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker A:Another one.
Speaker A:In.
Speaker A: In Japan in: Speaker A:I went online just to see if there was like any video of it and I couldn't find it.
Speaker A:It was, you know, like a stage, probably theater, right?
Speaker B:Music.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's a stage production.
Speaker A:So I was like, man, I saw a poster for it.
Speaker A:It looked pretty cool.
Speaker A:But yeah, again, this is, this is fun.
Speaker A:I mean, again, this is pre, you know, like streaming before Stanley made a big.
Speaker A:The fact that a film like this could take off and kind of like grab attention and make like an impact internationally where people are like, oh, this would be cool to adopt into our own culture and make like a fun experience out of it.
Speaker A:So that, that was pretty cool.
Speaker A:So for the FILMFARE awards red carpet scene which you briefly referenced, Farrakh Khan actually stood on the red carpet of an actual FILMFARE awards ceremony with her own camera actors to deliver dialogue that she dictated.
Speaker B:She's so capable.
Speaker A:And again, this goes to people like, you would have to like for our kind as a person to be like, okay, sure.
Speaker A:I don't know how many people would have been able to get that done.
Speaker A:The fact that I can see her standing there with the camera and be like, hey, hey, how are you?
Speaker A:Good.
Speaker A:All good.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Hey, can you like, yeah, just say this.
Speaker A:I'm gonna just take a video of it for my fellow.
Speaker A:That's a very.
Speaker A:Almost like a film project, like in film school, like a project that you would do.
Speaker A:Like, that's the level that I think again, the fact that people said yes to it because what.
Speaker A:Amitabh Bachchan spoke on it and I think that was the only appearance he made in this film.
Speaker B:He couldn't come for the song because Aishwarya and Abhishek were getting married and he was busy with that.
Speaker A:That's what I.
Speaker A:Yeah, so, yeah, that was.
Speaker A:Again, this film has a lot of interesting pieces of trivia like that.
Speaker A:And again, I don't know how many films can boast of so much input from so many people within the industry and still like make it like actually work out and succeed.
Speaker A:So was there any, any, anything else from your end that you saw that you Were like.
Speaker A:Or found out.
Speaker A:That was pretty cool.
Speaker B:Not pretty cool, but I have to talk about Akshay Kumar's cameo in the oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Awards.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:My God.
Speaker B:Because Akshay Kumar has this whole brand of Khiladi films, right?
Speaker B:Like katro ke khiladi.
Speaker B:He started with khiladi and like he's got 10, like insane amount of Khiladi films.
Speaker B:And yes, the action scene that they show when they're showing him nominated as the best actor, I can't describe it, Benny.
Speaker B:It's a bit non vegetarian to describe.
Speaker A:I was surprised.
Speaker A:I'm like, this must have been scandalous.
Speaker A:But I don't remember anything about this.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:It was hilarious.
Speaker B:And then when the award gets announced, okay, Shahrukh gets it.
Speaker B:And there was a standing joke in the industry at that time that Shahrukh is buying his awards because he was getting it for the same roles.
Speaker B:And if you see the whole clips that they keep showing is Shah Rukh.
Speaker B:Three films are nominated as Om Kapoor and it's Diya Mirza, Amisha Patel.
Speaker B:And I forget the third one, they all come in the same chiffon sarees with the same scene.
Speaker B:And, and there's Abhishek Bachchan, who's a nominated.
Speaker B:And there's Akshay Kumar.
Speaker B:And then Akshay Kumar is confident that he's going to get it or Abhishek is.
Speaker B:And then Shahrukh gets it for the same role.
Speaker B:And Akshay Kumar is outburst and outraged when he doesn't get the award.
Speaker B:It's just Akshay like, you know, when we spoke for Ahera Pheri, Akshay Kumar's comic timing, like his comic acting is so good.
Speaker A:He's definitely one of the better comic actors.
Speaker B:I feel like I love a lot of his movies in his comic timing.
Speaker B:And in this one he just nailed it.
Speaker B:Also the irony, not the irony, but probably what people should know is like he's never won a filmfare award for best actor.
Speaker B:He's won as a comedy actor.
Speaker B:He's won his best villain, but he's never won in the main category of best actor.
Speaker B:So it was a take until then.
Speaker B:Also he had, he hasn't.
Speaker B:It's been what, 18 years now.
Speaker B:He's still not one.
Speaker A:But yeah, even for Abhishek Bachchan, like the Doom 5, I thought that was, it was hilarious.
Speaker A:Especially when they end up saying, yeah, it was not even in the.
Speaker A:It's not in the movie.
Speaker A:And he was like, what?
Speaker B:I, I again, I feel like Abhishek's again.
Speaker B:Have you seen Bluff Master Benny?
Speaker A:Oh, yeah.
Speaker A:I love that movie.
Speaker B:I love the movie.
Speaker B:Like, Abhishek was in his element and I'm like, why did he not get films like this?
Speaker B:Like, I really like Abhishek as an actor and I, I like I said in the last episode also, I feel like he got overshadowed by his father's whole image and aura and which impacted his career.
Speaker B:That's my thing.
Speaker B:But if you are not, if you are closing it and if you don't mention the most famous dialogue of this film.
Speaker A:Acceptance stage.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:You'll be doing great injustice to this film.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Thank you very much.
Speaker A:I feel like the king of the world Happy Endings.
Speaker B:Picture of Baki.
Speaker B:So Shahrukh goes to get.
Speaker B:Get the award.
Speaker B:And at that time he's just, you know, he's quite flamboyant and arrogant.
Speaker B:And they've shown he's so arrogant as a film star because he's born to a big film star.
Speaker B:He's now a superstar.
Speaker B:Great.
Speaker B:I think that that part they've shown really well.
Speaker B:And he comes to the stage and Omni Makhija, in his past birth was always aspiring to become an actor.
Speaker B:And when he would, he would rehearse this scene with his friend Papu a lot of times holding a trophy and what he would say.
Speaker B:And all those words come to Om Kapoor when he stands there.
Speaker B:And that's the scene which tells you that he gets all the memories of his past life back because the life flashes before him.
Speaker B:And, well, they can go and see it.
Speaker B:I can't see it as well as Shah Rukh did in the film, but the one which has become like a cult reference for everyone is so if you desire something, the whole world will come together to make sure you get it.
Speaker B:That's the rude, crude translation in this.
Speaker B:And there's another line which says happy's endings and picture.
Speaker B:So, yeah, there's.
Speaker B:It's essentially like picture.
Speaker A:The picture.
Speaker A:Is that from this movie?
Speaker A:Did it originate in this one?
Speaker B:Yes, yes.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:It's when he is rehearsing with Shreyas, with Papu, when he's rehearsing the speech, he says, happy endings, picture.
Speaker B:And that's also become like a very.
Speaker B:This.
Speaker A:I've heard it so many times over the years that I always thought it was.
Speaker A:I thought it was like from some old 60s, 70s.
Speaker A:So when I started this movie, I was like, I don't know.
Speaker A:I was not sure if it was referencing like a different movie that he.
Speaker B:Was talking about that.
Speaker B:I don't even, I don't remember.
Speaker B:Maybe I forgot to look up the trivia.
Speaker B:But it's Shah Rukh made this like that gif is so famous now.
Speaker B:And the whole dialogue, Shah Rukh saying this is so famous.
Speaker B:These two dialogues became really famous.
Speaker B:And I really liked his acceptance performance in his acceptance speech.
Speaker B:I think if somebody asked me about Oso, that's my favorite scene.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:The film doesn't, doesn't have too many genuine emotional moments.
Speaker A:It has a few, but very few genuine ones.
Speaker A:And this one was right up there because I felt that this is something that a lot of people can actually identify with.
Speaker A:Like the sentiment in the speech, be it actors, be it anybody trying to make it big as you know, either writers or choreographers, anything.
Speaker A:And when you want something so bad and you're desperate for it and you would just have to, you need that drive, you need that ambition to keep you going.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And I thought the way he delivered it, the music like the background score was perfect and I thought that's why it's, it connects and that's why it's so loved.
Speaker A:Which is a good way of, kind of a good segue into the big question.
Speaker A:I mean the big question before we come to the, the rating for this film, our rating for the film at least Luck By Chance and Om Shanti O Side by Side.
Speaker A:How do you see it?
Speaker A:Like does take these two films together, does it give.
Speaker A:How well does it give a sense or a picture of the Hindi film industry?
Speaker B:Very well, Very nicely done.
Speaker B:Luck by Chance is more satire and sarcasm.
Speaker B:Oso is more tribute and paradise and fun way.
Speaker B:Oso is more meant to, like I said, entertain the audience and have a laugh.
Speaker B:Luck by Chance I think is.
Speaker B:Yeah, of course it has a lot of.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:They're not laugh out loud moments.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Like comic comedy element on over the Top.
Speaker B:It's, it's, it's very subtle good humor, it's good intelligent humor.
Speaker B:It's more grounded like By Chance in its depiction more close to reality.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yeah, but you, you can't compare them.
Speaker B:I like them.
Speaker B:Of course.
Speaker B:Luck by Chance is a more favorite film of mine.
Speaker B:I would rewatch it a number of times.
Speaker B:Oso, I wouldn't rewatch because Shah Rukh killed me in the second half with his over the top hammock.
Speaker B:So I literally like watch the first half then skip the rest and then go to the ending.
Speaker B:That's where I go to.
Speaker B:So yeah, purely on those.
Speaker B:They're not the same Films, but they talk about the same theme.
Speaker B:So I don't know if I'm making sense.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:No, I wouldn't, I wouldn't.
Speaker A:Let's say.
Speaker A:I don't want to get into the discussion of which is a better film because I think we all know which is a better film.
Speaker B:No, no, no.
Speaker A:Let's just say both films are good commercially.
Speaker B:If you do it commercially, we know which is the better film if you treat it artistically or from a acting perspective, storytelling.
Speaker A:I mean, here's what I would say.
Speaker A:Well, first of all, I also want to know that both films are made by female directors.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Women who have interesting like their career paths are so different in terms of like success and all of that.
Speaker A:But they made two movies that to this day people will talk about.
Speaker A:When you talk about films, Bollywood films about Bollywood.
Speaker A:I think these two films are right up there on the top of the list.
Speaker A:And it's, it's, it's pretty interesting that it's, you know, the two films that are done by women.
Speaker B:So who are cousins.
Speaker B:I first cousins.
Speaker A:Oh, perfect touch to the nepotism.
Speaker A:Of course they are related.
Speaker A:Who is not related in Hollywood?
Speaker A:The, the one thing that I will say when we talk about these two films is you mentioned that you would re.
Speaker A:Watch Luck by Chance, whereas you wouldn't.
Speaker A:For me, the other way.
Speaker A:I appreciated Luck by Chance as a film like, as a well put film, well directed, well acted, written, well, all of that.
Speaker A:So in its artistic endeavor, easily the better film.
Speaker A:Yeah, better film.
Speaker A:But the film that I enjoyed and for me when it comes to films, I'm looking for films that I want to just, just sit and just like not give too much brain space to it.
Speaker A:Just like be in the moment, laugh, cry, whatever it may be.
Speaker A:And then, but then by the end of the film I feel like this is like getting like a full satisfaction meal.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:That I get with Om Shantio and so many of those scenes.
Speaker A:Like you know that whole scene where he's doing the, the south Indian movie spoof, the.
Speaker A:All this stuff, like that's the kind of stuff that I would want to watch again and again.
Speaker A:Not just in this film, but I want to see more films like that where I just have a good time.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so for me, and I think the fact that both of us have such different answers about this, it's really captures film viewing in a nutshell.
Speaker A:Because that's the thing about movies.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's different kinds of movies work for different people.
Speaker A:The movies that work for me May not necessarily work for you.
Speaker A:And I think that's why we need all sorts of movies.
Speaker A:We need artsy films, we need all these indie films, but we also need these kind of mass masala films too because 100 people want to just like you know, at the end of a long hard day, they don't want to watch a gripping crime drama about child abduction, murder.
Speaker A:Like they want light heart affairs.
Speaker A:So we absolutely films.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:Like I said, I'm all for this.
Speaker B:Like, did I enjoy OSM in the theater when I watched?
Speaker B:Of course, yes.
Speaker B:Do I still enjoy the first half?
Speaker B:Of course I do.
Speaker B:I don't rewatch because it's called Shah Rukh Benny.
Speaker B:My tolerance is very less and I.
Speaker A:Watch it for Shah Rukh.
Speaker A:So again, here we go.
Speaker B:It's just, I'll tell you.
Speaker B:2007, right?
Speaker B:Shah Rukh had Oso and Shah Rukh had Chakde.
Speaker B:Which film do you think of Shah Rukh?
Speaker B:I watched more, rewatched much more.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:I love Chakde.
Speaker B:I love his character in Chakti.
Speaker B:So it's just different, right, what you enjoy.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I think that's why we need diversity of films.
Speaker A:I see this debate on social media a lot where people who watch the more serious grounded films not criticize but they will mock people who watch like the more hero oriented masala films.
Speaker A:And people who watch those will be criticizing the ones talking like, you know, like putting them down as like, oh, these people think they're cooler than us for watching more serious Nepal films.
Speaker A:It's not that you just.
Speaker A:Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker B:There is a.
Speaker B:So Smitha Patil is one of my favorite actresses who did a lot of art and commercial, but more art cinema.
Speaker B:And she's got this film Arth which handles infidelity and adultery.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Personally I'm like, if it's adultery, it's like it's a trigger.
Speaker B:Like I don't like to watch people cheating on each other.
Speaker B:But it's so sensitively, so maturely handled because just the star cast is amazing.
Speaker B:At the same time I completely enjoy Gotinda films which is just mind numbing comedy, nothing else.
Speaker B:And then people, oh, so sexist, you know, so this and so derogatory towards females and stuff like that.
Speaker B:Yeah, but those films are not meant for those kind of messages.
Speaker B:It's just go there, keep your brains aside.
Speaker B:Watch Govinda doing good comedy, Kadarkhand doing writing good funny dialogues and get out.
Speaker B:If I'm, if I am going to a Govinda film to have it perfect in terms of female Representation and equality and.
Speaker B:Sorry, that that's not a film for you, don't watch it if it's a trigger.
Speaker B:If it triggers you, don't watch it.
Speaker B:But I enjoy nonsensical films.
Speaker B:It's fine.
Speaker B:People like what they like.
Speaker B:It's as simple as that.
Speaker A:Listen, I can appreciate High bro, like, very artsy films, and I watch quite a few of those.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:But I watch it like if I went to a fine dining restaurant and I'm not gonna do it all the time.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:I'm not gonna necessarily enjoy it if I have it all the time.
Speaker A:But films like Om Shanti Om, where so much of it is so dumb.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like, while you're watching it.
Speaker A:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker A:We are watching it and you're laughing and you're thinking, oh, my God, this is so stupid, but I'm loving it.
Speaker A:Like, that is what a lot of people go for these days.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:In fact, families, for instance, can only go for movies like these rather than some of the more serious ones.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker A:All of that to say, as long as the filmmaker is true to their conviction of how they want to do, how they want to create the film.
Speaker B:Correct.
Speaker A:You can go for it or not.
Speaker A:Like, you know, there will be people who will enjoy that kind of film.
Speaker A:Maybe some won't, but then there's just the kind of movie for everybody.
Speaker A:So don't take it too seriously.
Speaker A:Just go enjoy the kind of films that you want to watch.
Speaker B:Exactly, exactly.
Speaker B:It's like, I will judge people who watch certain fun films, and that's fine.
Speaker B:Like, they like it, they watch it.
Speaker B:But why are you affected?
Speaker B:If I'm judging, it doesn't matter.
Speaker B:Who am I?
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Why should my opinion matter now?
Speaker A:The way I see it is, like, if you weren't on social media, if you didn't talk to anyone else, would that influence your choice of movies?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You will watch what you want to watch, and you watch what you enjoy.
Speaker A:And what gives you a good feeling at the end of it.
Speaker A:That's the way we need to see it, as there's no genre or anything that's better or greater.
Speaker A:Well, not necessarily better, but definitely not greater than any other genre.
Speaker B:Yeah, it doesn't.
Speaker B:It doesn't make you more intellectual.
Speaker B:Because I'm just watching artsy films and I wouldn't watch masala entertainers.
Speaker B:I think it's got nothing to do with that.
Speaker B:It's got nothing to do with your intelligence.
Speaker B:I'm sorry.
Speaker B:Just.
Speaker B:Cool.
Speaker B:And art is subjective.
Speaker B:You watch what you enjoy and it's as simple as that.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So on that note, how much would you rate?
Speaker A:What's your rating for Amshanti Home out of ten.
Speaker B:Seven out of ten.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:I'm cutting three points for Shah Rukh's hamming in the second half and it dragged.
Speaker B:It could have been mana shorter or I could have had the first half longer.
Speaker A:That's why I'm very Cleo I For about 50 to 60% of this film I was like out of 10.
Speaker A:I was like sat on 10, especially the first half.
Speaker A:A lot of the comedy worked so well for me and the background score, everything about like the references, I enjoyed all of them.
Speaker A:Towards the end it kind of started dragging.
Speaker A:It was too long.
Speaker A:It didn't need to be this long.
Speaker B:Exactly, exactly.
Speaker A:Films like these, there are certain films like you need a lot of time to set the ground, to give context, to build relationships.
Speaker A:This is not that kind of film.
Speaker A:It doesn't need to be close to three hours long.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So when you start to feel that this has been going on for a while, that means you've lost the thread a little bit as a filmmaker.
Speaker A:Yeah, you should have tightened that up.
Speaker A:And so towards the end I was like, like, all right, we need to wrap some.
Speaker A:So but having said all of that, it's still only the final score that I give.
Speaker A:It is nine.
Speaker A:And again, this is purely both Farrakhan and Shahrukh Khan.
Speaker A:I thought they did a great job with their briefs.
Speaker A:Like for Farrakhan, make an all out entertainer that families can come and watch.
Speaker A:People who love Bollywood films, who understand Bollywood history, they get the references.
Speaker A:You poke fun at it, but also paid tribute to it.
Speaker A:She did that.
Speaker A:She brought in some big names which is a tremendous credit to her.
Speaker A:Whether you have connections or not, you still need to get these people in the room and give them something where, you know, for people to talk about and people.
Speaker A:We still talk about it, you know, after all these years.
Speaker A:So all credit to her.
Speaker A:And again.
Speaker B:And it's enjoyable after all these years, like I.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker B:So I must have rewatched it at that time.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:Theater and then it came on television.
Speaker B:So you re watch it when you had ample time and no streaming.
Speaker B:But I rewatched it after a lot of years and I really enjoyed the first half.
Speaker B:The comedy, like I said, was on point, so.
Speaker B:And I don't know anyone in my friend circle who doesn't like oh, so everybody's enjoyed it.
Speaker B:I liked it.
Speaker B:Not like we are giving you 10 on 10 or anything, but it's Entertaining, right?
Speaker A:No, it's fun.
Speaker A:What I, you know, what I movies for.
Speaker A:Exactly.
Speaker A:Like I said earlier, what is the filmmaker's intention?
Speaker A:If Farrakhan tried to make this like a serious satire, then this, this film would not have achieved its objective.
Speaker A:It would have fallen flat.
Speaker A:People would have been very confused by the film.
Speaker A:But she came in with a clear objective.
Speaker A:People need to just like laugh, enjoy, you know, and be like, go like, oh, wow, this actor is here.
Speaker A:You know, like that's the kind of feeling and emotion that she wants to evoke.
Speaker A:And she did that great.
Speaker A:And again, a lot of credit to Shahrukh as well.
Speaker A:Yes, he amps it up a lot.
Speaker A:But in this film, in my opinion, you know, that actually works for me because this is the kind of film where you need to.
Speaker A:It kind of like, you know, where Kieran Kerr also does these over exaggerated, like in the first half especially, it's like it really satirizes how Bollywood for the longest of time and in effect it also, because Bollywood influences other industries in, you know, other industries for the longest time have taken a cue from Bollywood.
Speaker A:And so the way performers, you know, actors perform, you know, the grandiose, you know, expressions and their hand movements, all of that stuff, it's, it pokes fun at that but also it's like, yeah, this is, this is what we've been doing for the longest of time.
Speaker A:People enjoy it and that's why we still do it.
Speaker A:And SRK is like, I think a perfect like example of why people still love those kind of things.
Speaker A:So this combination, perfect Shah Rukh and Farrakhan together creating this memorable film.
Speaker A:And so, yeah, absolutely enjoyed it.
Speaker A:And I just wish, I feel like we say this for every good movie we watch, but I really wish they made more movies like these interspersed with all of these other films today that people love, especially these action films.
Speaker A:So anyway, that's me.
Speaker B: I miss, I miss the: Speaker B:Like it went from small town stories to these kind of typical Bollywood masala entertainers.
Speaker B:Such an amazing range.
Speaker B:So many variety of actors turned up, musicians, singers.
Speaker B:I just miss that and I hope, I hope Bollywood can reclaim or yeah, reclaim its glory again.
Speaker B:I miss good Hindi films, honestly.
Speaker B:Picture.
Speaker A:Well, on that note, we're gonna wrap it up here but we do have plans, you know, similar to what we did with this two part two episode discussion on films about Bollywood.
Speaker A:The next series that we are thinking about.
Speaker A:We haven't, we obviously haven't picked the films yet but the idea is to do an exploration of the south that is South Indian Cinema.
Speaker A:Pick one film from each industry and talk about it and we will let you know as soon as we have some names that we are finalized and then we start doing episodes on on those.
Speaker A:And again, hopefully we you don't have to wait six months for that, but we'll definitely keep you posted.
Speaker A:But yeah, thanks for listening to our to our listeners.
Speaker A:You can check us out on social media, do give us a follow on the podcast platform of your choice.
Speaker A:But till then, we'll see you at the movies.
Speaker B:Bye Bye.
