Hey Readers,
Hope everybody is well! This week had the announcement that the writing of the climax of my novel has begun. At the moment, it is looking as if I won't be able to complete it on the 25th July but I am trying to get it done for then!
This week the OffBeat Fun Topic looks at Bollywood and it's films. But what films work in Bollywood? Is it the ones with great scripts or the ones which have 'great' style? You know style as in great clothes, great locales or great stars. So what works? As far as I am concerned both work. I personally prefer films with a great script to work over a film that relies on style.
Lets look at a few films that have stood out because they had more style than substance.
Let's start with the classic Dhoom 2! What were Yash Raj thinking when they made this? First of all, what was so great about this film that made it into a blockbuster? I cannot think of one thing! The acting was terrible by Hrithik and Aishwarya! We all know that these two can do better...Bipasha looked hot in the bikini and Abhishek was good as the smooth cop! Seeing Hrithik steroid-filled body was not even great, let's remember that Dhoom 2 relied on Hrithik's body. Even the whole of Aishwarya's dialogues of 'Sunehri likes...' please would someone tell her that Sunehri should like have vanished from the film altogether. This film had nothing special, the action was not all that. The script...was there even a script? This was the first time when I though Adi Chopra was losing his magic and from there we have seen the fall of Yash Raj! Again style may have won but it will never be a film that will be remembered.
Welcome...God knows how this film even became one of the biggest blockbusters of last year. There were some nice scenery. There was a scene where Akshay-Katrina were in a hotel which was full of chicks in bikinis and Katrina looked extremely stupid by pulling boring April fool jokes on Akshay. It got to a point when I did convince myself that Akshay has lost the talent to act. He is now trying to hard to be funny and it does not work with me. I prefer natural comedy! Welcome had nothing to offer, the whole climax was too long and boring. I felt that a house balancing on some log or whatever that thing may be, it was just painful for my eyes. I wish I could have had those three hours back, that is how bad it was. I felt at the end of this that the director pulled the biggest April fool joke on me...and that was by making such a film like this for me to watch!
Tashan...another Yash Raj film. Well the film was called Tashan and its meaning is Style. The only style in this film was...the music? The choreography was beyond terrible...someone please tell Vaibhevi Merchant that she cannot choreograph that well anymore. The director...was the director even present during the whole production? I am sure even a monkey could have done something better. Thank God for us men, we had Kareena in a bikini. What did the girls have? Saif was totally ignored in the second half, Akshay in his blonde wig? I rather watch Rajinikanth to be honest! Akshay who is supposedly the 'King of Action' well... watching Akshay dodge hundreds of bullets and jump just like Krissh does...one can only say this guy doesn't know the meaning of action. Tashan tried to ride in style but it crashed with a bang!
Wow...I think three films are enough. I can go on for much longer but I am sure you get the picture. However Bollywood does have great scripts. Even simple scripts like Bheja Fry end up as a spectacular watch. Watching Vinay Pathak twist every situation innocently was amazing!
Om Shanti Om...not only had style as in brilliant film sets, SRKs abs, the whole Deewangee song with 31 stars, it still had a script that worked. Its brilliance with the 'Mind It' scene, the restaurant scene with SRK-Arjun.
Don...it had style. It set a style. The cool sunglasses to the cool clothes. Making evil look good...that is a unique style but that only stood out to its brilliant script which kept the viewers happy with the twists and turns of Don!
Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na...I love this film. Not only is it about stylish college kids, it has a script that works. The script was amazing, it had hidden meanings in there which I noticed, it had nice songs, the story made sense. A great film!
So my conclusion for this topic is that script works more than having great style in a film. Yes, you may find success in them but for people to remember and appreciate such a film...it needs to have a powerful script. having a powerful script along with powerful performances always work in the end. Everyone will remember these films and that is what matters. You cannot get successes like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, Chak De India, Lagaan will always be classics due to the powerful script and performance combination which all had a great sense of style too.
Hope you had a good read! So do you agree with the fact that a great script works more than a film that has 'good' style? Please give me your views!
By the way...Karan Johar has a brilliant blog and I would like all my readers to please take a look at it: www.mynameiskaran.com
Thanks and lots of love,
Rahul N. Singh
