Shaandaar

Only advice I give everyone who have plans to watch this is.. Do not watch.

If you still want to watch this leave your brain at home and go ahead, but even then you might not enjoy it.This movie is a disaster in every way.

Low budget short films are wayy better than this piece of crap!

This movie has no story and tries to make you laugh with endless nonsensical blabber.

Can't believe I wasted two hours on this crap.

Just don't watch!

Bollywood has carved out various films based on the wedding theme and they have done well so far. Monsoon Wedding, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Band Baja Baraat etc are all about wedding clothes, drama, endless dance and song sequences with glorified Indian shaadi rituals. Shaandaar takes one step further by exploring the destination wedding theme but turns out to a forgettable affair.

Shaandaar talks about a business deal between two families at the backdrop of destination wedding theme in the countryside of UK. However, little is known to them that both families are bankrupt.

Expectations are sky-high as the film is directed by Vikas Bahl who previously made the National Award winning film Queen. With big names like Anurag Kashyap and Karan Johar backing the film, it was supposed to be better than Queen. However, after watching the film you will be disappointed big time. The movie begins with impressive animation telling the story in flashback coupled with subsequent introduction of each characters. If the first half is hilarious, fun and has moments to be remembered, second half is thoroughly disappointing. Even though Bahl had wonderful story to tell, but the lethargic pace and superficial drama could not salvage the film from falling into the pit. The good news is that there are few engaging moments like the wonderful chemistry between Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor, the interaction between Shahid Kapoor and Pankaj Kapur, the visual appeal of the film and the stunning CGI makes it somewhat watchable. Music by Amit Trivedi is good but not excellent. Editing is extremely poor. Why the heck of putting in scenes of Karan Johar's interview, Qawwalli song and the sky- diving which causes hindrance to the movement of the film. Cinematography is astounding capturing the exotic locations of UK. Choreography is electrifying especially in the "Gulabo" and "Shaandaar" songs.

Performance is the only silver-lining in this messy drama. Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt carries the film on their shoulder. The unusual pairing will be loved and liked by all. Shahid Kapoor does well in entertaining you and Alia Bhatt looks charming and adorable. She is just getting better in expressions with each film. Pankaj Kapur is brilliant. His scenes with Shahid will definitely bring down the house. Sanah Kapoor does a good job as a first timer.

So , overall , a golden opportunity gone wasted . Rather than concentrating on technical aspects of the film , Vikas Bahl should have made sincere efforts in the direction and screenplay area. If you are looking for a fairy tale candy-floss romance, Shaandaar might be be a good choice otherwise you can skip it. Decent 2 / 5

Generally, like every other member in the cinema audience we all sit through and watch a movie no matter how terrible it is since we paid for it, obviously, but 15 fifteen minutes into this movie, I realized I have wasted my money, but I gave it a fair chance and sat for another hour to get tortured, after which, me and my friends just simply walked out. I didn't want to waste another minute of my time. The movie was basically what its name suggests it is, but not in terms of plot, acting, comedy,romance and character development. The only thing "shandaar", was the set, the clothing and the location. No character was relatable ,specially not the lead characters. It seemed like a stupid, nonsensical amalgamation of superficiality and the love story of the two most unsuited characters I have ever seen on screen. This is the only movie iv'e watched for which I can't really say, *still a better love story than twilight*. No, twilight was certainly better

The comedy, *sighs*, annoying stereotypes which made me want to pull my hair throughout the movie. If someone wants their brain cells to die then please watch this movie and see actors like Alia bhatt who felt that their face and figure is enough to make this movie work, Acting isn't really required. Well, even kathrina kaif needed some kind of plot support for a hit movie :)

Like most of you I had huge expectations from this movie being a Vikas Bahl one, but this one was more of a comedy film. There is no message as such, which is contrary to most of his movies. Nevertheless the movie is comical till the end and certain unexpected twists make it a Shandaar wedding. Clearly portrays what Shandaar truly is when it comes to wedding. Pankaj Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor's combination bring in the comedy, but the film does not have a message or story or learning as such and a bit boring at certain parts. First time Shahid and is dad in one movie and they'll make you ROFL. It's basically, a Sit-Com and on a destination wedding but very different from the usual ones. If you're a comedy lover you will like it because the star cast is perfect for such a movie. No better combination than Shahid Alia and Pankaj. All of them have done outstanding acting especially Sushma Seth

Shaandaar is a romantic comedy film directed by Vikas Bahl. Vikas has given hits like Chillar Party and Queen in the past. Shaandaar deserved a much shaandaar treatment by Vikas after his super successful film Queen. It is also claimed to be first Destination Wedding film of Bollywood. The film does use the motion picture in a few scenes where prelude to the plot is set and narrated by Naseeruddin Shah. Though the film starts on a high note of humour, but in the later parts of the film, the fun part falls flat, it fizzles down. The best part of the film is its cast - effortless Pankaj Kapur, spontaneous Shahid Kapur, bubbly Alia, cute Sanah. They definitely bring good moments on screen. I must say that, one can't just write off this movie. One can enjoy this film in parts for the charm that its actors bring on screen.

The film begins with the motion picture along with Naseeruddin Shah's narration, which sets the prelude to the plot. Bipin (Pankaj Kapur) adopts Alia (Alia Bhatt) and brings her home. Sushma Seth as Bipin's mother, matriarch of the Arora family, rules the house along with Bipin's wife (Niki Aneja). Both Sushma Seth and Bipin's wife are shown to be materialistic in nature. Though Alia is not accepted by both of them, she manages to deal with their hatred.

Alia's sister Eesha (Sanah Kapur, Shahid's real sister) is getting married to Robin Fundwani (Vikas Verma). It is more of a business deal for Sushma Seth and Harry Fundwani (Sanjay Kapoor), a merger of two major business houses of India. For Robin and Eesha also, it is just a compromise for family's sake. Robin is Harry's brother who is flaunting his 8 ½ packs throughout the movie. Harry glitters in gold, is obsessed with gold. He is getting his brother married to Eesha, since Sushma Seth has promised them the gold which equals the weight of Eesha (she is shown as plump girl). Both the families Aroras and Fundwanis travel for destination wedding. A fairy tale castle (probably in Europe) is chosen for this wedding.

Jagjinder Joginder aka JJ (Shahid Kapoor)'s entry happens in a completely filmy manner, his bike colliding with a vintage car driven by Bipin with his wife and daughters. This encounter, where the real father-son duo comes face-to-face on screen is funny. JJ happens to be the wedding organizer for Eesha-Robin's wedding.

Alia is an insomniac. It is great to see her chemistry with her on- screen father Pankaj Kapur whom she calls Beeps. He designs dreams for her and alia keeps all the dreams safe in a box saying that she would watch every dream when she would start sleeping. Coincidently JJ is also an insomniac. As can be predicted, in the background of wedding preparations, another love story blossoms between JJ and Alia in a very cool fashion. It is great to see father becoming possessive of his daughter when he realizes that there is another man in her life.

There are certain low points in the movie. Rather entry of Sanjay Kapur as Harry Fundwani unfortunately is a low point, since it breaks the flow of humour tone set up till then. Drag is felt post- interval. Towards the end, the film just nosedives into silly comedy, a beautiful plot is made into a series of silly sub-plots. A scene just prior to climax where a girl speaks up for her right to live, could have been a show-stopper scene, but the way it is handled on screen has trivialized the message.

Certain characters are just added in the film viz. twin sisters, mirroring everything; a small kid with bow and arrow ready to hit the target etc. Anjana Sukhani is just a filler, does not get a single dialogue in the film. Lot of characters viz. Bipin's brothers except the designer brother gets lost in the crowd.

Harry's way of identifying with every successful individual as Sindhis (even with Michael Jackson) does not generate much humour. Karan Johar does make a special appearance with 'Mehandi with Karan'. I am wondering whether these scenes were required at all? Music is average.

The best part of the film is definitely the moments between Alia- Shahid, Alia-Pankaj, Alia-Eesha. And the way, they have handled and ustified their respective characters, is surely going to bring smiles to your face.

How does the story move further? What happens to the destination wedding of Eesha-Robin? How does Alia-JJ's relationship shape up? What happens when Alia comes to know regarding her biological parents? How does she respond? How does Bipin deal with his daughter Alia's getting comfortable with JJ? What happens to Sushma Seth's business deal approach? Who actually benefit in the end?

Shaandaar definitely deserved a much shaandaar treatment by 'Queen' director Vikas Bahl. Shaandaar has its own moments of humour to entertain you, though the fun element nosedives into silly comical scenes later. Watch it, if you just want some very light-hearted stuff.