Shaandaar

I just don't know why this movie has got such a low rating. Its quite a decent movie with a quirky comedy and bordering on being fantastical.

Its quite refreshing and novel(otherwise I would have rated it just 7). This is one major positive point in support of the movie. Even if you dislike it, I bet you will not find this movie concept a repetition of some movie theme/concept already in the public domain.

One important point to keep in mind is that you can't watch this movie with all the seriousness and take it literally. The movie setting, the ambiance, the starting, begs the audience to take this movie light on logic. Otherwise you will not only NOT enjoy this movie, you will also find it absurd and very illogical. I myself found the fact of a human not sleeping a single time upto his/her adulthood quite absurd, but if you take this within the movie context, the setting, the ambiance, you should not be that much bothered. As I already mentioned earlier, the movie borders on being fantastical.

I have quite a sympathy with Vikas Bahl, and the producers, and myself. For the film makers, its obvious, because they lost a lot of money despite making a decent fresh film. For myself, because I was going to watch it in theatre but didn't and missed, just because it got so poor response/reviews from public!

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!

A Vikas Bahl movie, starring Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, in the banner of Fox, Dharma and Phantom, has been released. It also features Pankaj Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor and Sanah Kapoor. A destination wedding movie, which also describes a fairy-tale love-story, the relation between father and daughter, the importance of self esteem and teaches to live free without any pressure or burden. I loved every frame of the film which is offering something refreshing and new. And this also happens because of the superb cinematography by Anil Mehta. Costumes and sets are perfectly suitable to the royal family of the movie. Shahid Kapoor is so cool. We all know that after Haider, he can't do better in this type of film. Alia looks so pretty, beautiful and simply amazing. I fell in love with her as same as Shahid fell in the film! Pankaj Kapoor is as usual good. Chemistry between Alia and him, and even Shahid and him, are too good. Sanah is a good character of the film. Very few people know that she is Shahid's sister in real. Sanjay Kapoor can able to make me laugh at some point. The Grandma is a fun, and also that little boy who always wants to kill her. Two girls, the modern girls, talking in short words, are fun, too. Karan Johar's cameo is good. Others are enjoyable. Music by Amit Trivedi is good. Though I don't find any suitable song in the mood of the movie. But, Gulabo can somehow manage to stay with the flow. Even Senti Wali Mental and Raita Fail Gaya, too. Shaam Shaandaar is cool but isn't suitable with the flow. Background songs like Eena Meena Deeka, Nind Na Mujhko Aaye and Nazdikiyaan are acceptable. The picturization of the song Nazdikiyaan has some wow moments. After Queen, everyone is expecting something better from Vikas. And just because of that, they are finding this boring. Just take my advice and go to the hall without any expectations, simply enjoy the movie, and I'm damn sure that you will come out from the theater with a smiley face. Girls will surely enjoy the conversations of Shahid-Alia, because I've heard some voices like Awww! I can't say about the boys, but they may enjoy this because of Pankaj Kapoor. I loved all, so may be I'm not a boy, I'm a fan-boy! Kudos to the team, this is what I like, an unusual flick!

This film proves that Bollywood has run out of ideas.

Jagjinder Joginder (Shahid Kapoor) is a handsome wedding planner with a pack of wet sawdust for brain, hired by an over-smart, unknown queen for her granddaughter's union with a shirtless jackass. The sweet-toothed bride's sister is Alia (Alia "Aila" Bhatt), an insomniac, out of the world princess whose mysterious absence of lineage is the only source of pride in her as she goes swimming at 4 in the morning and collects her father's animated dreams to stay alive. That Alia has finally found her prince in Jagjinder and would like him to make love to her while she tries to dream a dream munching on a banana is what forms a small part of the rest of the story. The remaining, bigger part is taken by Pankaj Kapur's idiocy, Sanjay Kapoor's ugly tomfoolery, and the writers's butterfly-infested vomit.

The film is basically a fairytale romance with ounces of unnecessary animation all over the place. Glittery butterflies coming out of Alia's dress and making Jagjinder throw away his cigarette, impulsive doses of songs because as it turns out both the central characters of the film cannot sleep at night, and blatant melodrama that is worse than Star Plus soaps - the film is filled with fillers like these.

Then there is a cameo by Karan Johar, and I was done for the day. I don't understand why talented actors like Shahid Kapoor and veterans like his father would sign a project which introduces the characters using ugly cartoons. Ridiculous jokes, mindless slapstick, and a shade of black-and-white fairytale is what all the film is about. Not one character is a real deal, and if we had with us Holden from J D Salinger's classic book "The Catcher in the Rye," he would only have one word collectively to describe the film and its tons of characters: PHONEY.

BOTTOM LINE: Do yourself a favor and skip Vikas Bahl's epic fail, Shaandaar, because in here, the characters stay awake so that we can catch some shuteye. The trailer is misleading; don't fall for it.

GRADE: F

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES (But, do you really want to?)

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.