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!

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

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!

There is nothing in the name of story. Idea to make love story of insomniacs, with some quirky characters sounds bright but outcome is very dull. Screenplay is in bits and pieces. Dialogues by Anwita Dutt is only good thing of this film. It make you laugh. Characterization is very bad. One person can't speak 'Insomniac' word properly but speaks fluent English after few scenes in Police Station. Person is afraid of dark and night but decides to go out in night for bike ride because makers have thought an interesting scene ahead. Yes of course, this love scene near water fall is good one. Very convenient plots like marriage for the sake of business. Adopted girl, over the top grand mother, who rules the family but do not mind to flirt with a wedding organizer of her grand son age. Literally, makers have preferred budget over brain. They go for bikini scene, which even they show repeatedly in end credit. How can I believe that director of Queen can think that a bikini scene can sail his movie!? Ridiculous. Unnecessary expensive animations. Caterpillar crawling on collar, butterfly flying on dress and lots of. Even for voice over they don't mind animations but what about creativity!? They have conceived cheesy scenes like 'Menhdi with Karan' because they could have afforded him. I was so irritated when they show the burning wheel chair cum sofa in end. What the F... was that? First half is slow, second half is very slow with a weird uninteresting climax. Performance wise Shahid Kapoor is balanced and acts good. Alia Bhatt is very good. She is too good in portraying care free girl. Pankaj Kapoor is good. Jalal Hunni as groom is OK. Choreography of all songs is grand. Songs look larger than life. Music by Amit Trivedi is fresh and foot tapping.

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?)