Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Review— An Ordinary Film for an Extraordinary Jodi

December 12, 2008 at 11:05 am · Filed under movienomics ·Tagged first day first show RNBDJ, rab ne bana di jodi movie review, rab ne bana di jodi public review, rab ne bana di jodi review, shahrukh khan rab ne bana di jodi movie review

The curiosity that began like a storm on October 5th, ’08 with the one page -first-look advertisement in all newspapers of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (RNBDJ), finally culminates today with the film’s release. It has been a long wait not only for SRK fans who gave two back-to-back Blockbusters (Chake De and OSO in 2007), but also for the box-office that been without any fizz this 2008 (except for Singh is Kinng‘s openings). The coming together of the DDLJ jodi, Shahrukh Khan and Aditya Chopra, definitely meant that there would be diwali’s fireworks in december’s winter. So the extraordinary question(s) is does SRK deliver his hatrick blockbuster and silence his critics once again and does Aditya Chopra rescue the banner his father built (which he is ruining) and  prove that DDLJ was afterall not a flash in the pan? Unfortunately, RNBDJ does not deliver and the answer to these questions is a simple ‘not really’.

Surinder Sahni (Shahrukh Khan) is too simple a guy who works for Punjab Power in Amritsar. In fact, to show his simplicity he is made to look like a silly goofball who lacks self confidence and self esteem (can’t confident guys be simple?). He sees Taani (Anushka) and falls in love with her while attending wedding. Taani’s father used to be Surinder’s teacher who adores his student and even wanted his daughter to marry him. But Taani has choosen love marriage, but unfortunately the entire baraat dies in an accident (thankfully, we are not shown any of these details). Upon this news, Taani’s father gets on the death bed and while breathing his last asks Surinder-Taani to be become a jodi and get married (all this happens in the first five to ten minutes). Surinder and Taani live in the same house, eat on the same table, but sleep separately as she tells him that she can’t love him.  On seeing his wife enjoy a hero’s antics on screen, he feels that perhaps to re-write his love story he needs to change as well. With the help of his friend Bobby (Vinay Pathak), Surinder gets funky and awkward so that he can take part in the dance competition with Taani.

Surinder becomes Raj only to spend time with Taani, but it doesn’t stop there as he begins to test if Taani loves Surinder–the dud or Raj–the dude. So at this point, you begin to get uncomfortable as the film begins to resemble that dreadful KANK (Kabhi Kalvida Naa Kahna). Lo and behold, Taani begins to fall for Raj and our hero is even ready to have Raj elope with Taani because for Surinder that is true love. Now, Adi Chopra suddenly decides that he has to end this drama so he brings about enlightment for Taani at the Golden Temple that Surinder is her Rab. And she decides not to elope with Raj and in the climax through the dancing jodi instrumental music bit Taani finds out that Raj and Surinder are one and the same. Finally, all ends well.

Just the other day I read a SRK interview which said that Adi wrote this story in 12 days and SRK agreed to do it as Adi wanted only him. Given Aditya Chopra’s past record of approving awful stories to be made on Yash Raj Films (YRF) it is no surprise that he came up with this ridiculous story that tries gives a moral ending to KANK. And he wanted only SRK because without SRK this film would not have completed more than three shows on it’s first day. Truely, SRK has done Yash Raj Films a big favor by doing this joker-of-a-film and it is only because of him that that you feel the film strives to be genuine and honest. The placing of the songs does not impress except for Haule Haule… The tribute song, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke…., is done on the grandest scale with Kajol, Bips, Priety, Lara, and Rani making their mandatory appearences as they do in most SRK films (and reminds you of OSO), but it’s placing is bad. Ditto for Dance Pe Chance. As for Tujh Main Rab Dikhta hai the context is misplaced–it has a KANK feel to it. The climax dance sequence when Surinder enters instead of Raj and the dance that follows as Taani realizes the truth is well done.

Shahrukh Khan as Surinder Sahni is great and different, but as Raj he is made to repeat his past performances. Surinder’s entry received terrific response in the theater. It is high time SRK quit smoking and took to yoga and pranayam to look fresh because he is looking like a rotten vegetable. The new girl is fine. Vinay Pathak is good. The biggest problem with the film is that the foundational love element of the film is weak. It begins with great curiosity, but slowly settles down to be without any ‘dum’. It has its share of laugh, but there is no plot, fun, and a total lack of characters. The sumo wrestling is there only for poster curiosity, it adds or deletes nothing from the story. With a characterization like Surinder Sahni and an element of double role, the film could have been a laugh riot with loads of masala entertainment, but instead it tries toooo hard to the most genuine love story of the century or humankind. Yes, the film has it’s share of light-humor moments, and some funny scenes, but this is not the kind of SRK-YRF film that you will enjoy watcing again and again or buy the DVD as it is a very ordinary film unlike most of SRK’s and YRF’s extraordinary films.

Mr. Inkenti’s Movienomics Verdict: Thumbs Down. Presence of SRK and good songs will save this film from falling flat.  You can watch it once for SRK.

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