Shakthi: The Power

I can't say I truly liked this movie. However, I will start out with some good points, just to let you know I really tried to appreciate it. I was impressed by the use of color. Once the story moved locations into India, the ladies costumes exploded into a full rainbow array of silk beauty. Several times I noticed that the director had selected costume placement, tapestries and backdrop in order to maximize color arrangement, providing a very pleasing and artistic effect. There were some beautiful scenes where a lavish amount of jewelry was used to decorate the women. Particularly the leading actress, who in one particular scene had over 30 pounds of sparkling gold and diamond (cubic zirconium) dangling from every available node of her body. It was enough to satisfy the most particular of fetishes.

The costume designer was apparently only able to dress the female actors. All the men wore plaid or t-shirts. LA gang-bangers would have really put them in there place in any fashion contest. I was not impressed. Even the leading male actor, who would have looked great in some nice authentic Indian colors, wore only a bluish-grey turtle neck in his most dressed up scenes.

This movie was first and foremost a musical. With impromptu dancing springing up in the most exotic of locations. One such set was choreographed with a draped backdrop of beautiful Indian mountains and streams. One must overlook the fact that our curvy leading lady must have brought 10 changes of clothes along with her for the day, but then again don't try to look for anything past the thinnest veil of a plot in this flick. They danced around the Indian castle in the desert in another fine musical scene. Once again very beautiful, but it seemed to have little to do with the plot. The singer in this scene popped out of nowhere (apparently because he had no acting skills. as I noticed afterwards) and sang and danced. I had a distinct feeling that the movie was trying to say I should know who he was. A cameo completely lost on me, but I'm certain that he will be familiar to those in the know. The musical scenes where singly the best part of the movie. I found the music very nice, but I am not a knowledgeable fan of Indian music, so I suggest you check the soundtrack first if this is important to you.

Some scenes were highly overdone. Like the continual close-ups of the leading lady. My companion and I counted well over 20 prolonged close-up on her eyes while some weird hypnotic sounds and chimes played. These jarring segues were unsettling at first, but became humorous as the movie played on. I felt as though the film was trying to mesmerize me with her eyes. Maybe it worked because I found her more and more attractive as the movie proceed (although I suspect it may have been the midriff revealing Indian costumes). Also, there was one particularly poor scene where the leading man was running across the desert to reach a jeep 10 feet away. His running was shot from about 20 different angles and he continued to get further and further away on each cut. I assume this was for some climatic effect, but it really didn't work.

There seemed to be a fixation on blood sweat and tears throughout the movie. Primarily blood, which I believe was being used to eroticize some of the scenes. I found it had the opposite effect on me, but this may be a result of cultural differences. Also, you'll like this movie if you're into seeing men sweat. Particularly, in one of the musicals, there has to be about 40 topless men with glistening muscular bodies dancing around. This scene alone may be enough to interest some viewers.

Even though I refuse to give plot hints away on principle alone, I would advice you to look elsewhere if you're after a deep and intricate story. It paralleled Woody Allen's bananas in depth and Godzilla in logic. Perhaps the thin plot allowed me to laugh a lot more, which was nice. The initial opening scene of a screaming women with blood on her face, put me on the edge of comfort and made me wonder what I was in for. Fortunately, the movie was much more light hearted. But now I'm breaking my promise. I'll give no more away.

I have to confess that I didn't watch the whole movie. I know it's not fair to judge a movie without staying until completion, but it was a marathon. At 2:00 into the movie and during a major scene, the screen shattered and it said 'Break'. The movie continued, but I looked around and wondered out loud "Was that the intermission?" After 2:45 we snuck out, being careful not to disturb the other 4 audience members in the over 400 seating capacity theatre. I just knew it was going to be another hour or so, because there were too many holes to be filled in the plot. Or maybe it was about to end with a bunch of dangling questions. Either way I didn't lose any sleep wondering what might have happened next.

In the end I had a real fun time. I can say that I will never forget this movie. I did laugh a lot. I would only have wonderful things to say about this movie if they'd work on the men's costumes, get a good script, higher a new film editor and get some better actors. Is that too much to ask? My advice is that you should see this movie if you are looking for something very different from the standard fare and this is the only Indian pop movie playing in your neighbourhood. Be warned that it is quite long and may be a bit of a marathon for some (bring a pillow and blanket for comfort.

Well, I'll be honest: It is not exactly a Sholay. But you cant get a Sholay every week. In fact, you could see distinct signatures of "not without my Daughter"(Sally Field, 1991) in this movie. However, as most "inspired" movies go, this one was a well-inspired one, well handled and well done. Nana Patekar, as usual, tends to overdo his hysterics, but all others are commendable. Specially so about Dipti Naval: Saw her after a long time, but she hasn't lost any of her grace. In fact, she has performed much better that when I last saw her. Another one of the Bollywood stars that seem to grow more beautiful as they age?

All in all, a nice watch.

Okay, I know this does'nt project India in a good light. But the overall theme of the movie is not India, it's Shakti. The power of a warlord, and the power of a mother. The relationship between Nandini and her husband and son swallow you up in their warmth. Then things go terribly wrong. The interaction between Nandini and her father in law - the power of their dysfunctional relationship - and the lives changed by it are the strengths of this movie. Shah Rukh Khan's performance seems to be a mere cameo compared to the believable desperation of Karisma Kapoor. It is easy to get caught up in the love, violence and redemption of lives in this film, and find yourself heaving a sigh of relief and sadness at the climax. The musical interludes are strengths, believable and well done.

This is a movie that is worth watching for Nana and Karishma.Both have done a superb job.Karishma is in top form after giving great performances in Raja Hindustani,Dil To Pagal Hai,Biwi No 1 and Fiza.Karishma shows in every emotion and feeling.After Sridevi in Laadla i have never seen an heroine putting on such anger,emotion at the same time.This is her best performance.Nana is also excellent though he and Karishma goes over board at times.His dialog delivery is superb for no doubt with lots of gray shades.He gave a knock out performance in the climax.Though he is completely superb.The kid though is cute is passable.Deepti Naval is fine as the mother.Her confrontation with Nana in her final scenes is note worthy.Sanjay is passable.SRK is pathetic.His dialog delivery is incredibly pathetic and he hams.Though a fan of Shah Rukh myself.I felt that Salman Khan could have suited that Roley more because he is the bad guy of Bollywood.Tiku Taslania and Jaspal Bhatti are wasted

The movie is bloody but different.OK,i know there is a lot of screaming,yelling,vulgarity,over the top acting that you do want to fast forward.Some are sick through.i do feel like vomiting.Direction is great in some scenes but mediocre at the rest.Characterisations are powerful at times yet a little sketchy.Dialogs are passable.editing could be better.Camera work is average.Foreign locales are nice.the first few minutes are boring but once Shekhar hears the news the movie really becomes interesting

Songs are forgettable.The saving grace the catchy Ishq Kameena.

Sridevi has done a decent job.As a fan of Sridevi i request her to stop producing movies because she is average as a producer.Krishna Vamsi has done a decent job with this and so does Boney Kapoor.The movie title means power.It has some power but enough of them power it required.Give it a decent watch

It's all lovey-dovey at the start with some beautiful visuals of Canada and you think you're stumbled unto a pretty decent Hindi show for once. Boy and girl get matched up by two popular comedians and in the space of a single song, they marry and have a child. Then when the husband sees footage of factional violence in his home state of Rajasthan, he gets all panicky, stumbling around like a madman trying to get a phone to work. His wife repeatedly asks him what's wrong and he tells her to be quiet. This is where you, as the viewer realise that the wife doesn't have a clue who her in-laws are or from where her own husband originates. Oh, for crying out loud....