Om Shanti Om (2007) User Reviews

Entertainment at its best

[eh5963-297-967354 · 8/10 · 14 June 2012]

Bring out the popcorn, grab a cola and get ready for 2 and a half hours of laughs, songs, color, emotions, and spoofs. If you're a fan of the Indian film industry and have kept up with the news, Om Shanti Om is for you. If you love entertainment to the max, OSO is definitely for you! Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om spares nobody, not even its makers when it comes to poking fun. OSO is a film about films, it's a film in a film and above all, it's made to celebrate the biggest film producing industry - The Indian Film Industry.

Om Prakash is a junior artist who thrives to become a lead hero one day. He is a horrible actor and has a mother who hams more than him. Om has another dream: To win over a star, Shanti-Priya. One circumstance leads to another which leads to Om being a witness to the death of Shanti by producer Mukesh Mehra. Om also gets killed in the incident. That same night, Om is reborn as Om Kapoor. Will Om realize his past-life? Will he avenge Shanti's death? As the tagline suggests: For some dreams, one life-time is not enough.

OSO has a done-to-death story. But that's not the point. The film is a parody of films and the ones working in it. Notice the spoofs on the yesteryear stars such as Manoj Kumar. A controversial scene but one can't deny it's hilarious. Not to forget spoofs on Govinda, Keshtu Mukherjee, and Suraj Bharjateeyaa. Of course the most memorable comic scene has to be SRK pretending to be a south Indian actor. "Mind It" OSO's first half is gripping and keeps the viewer alert. The drama folds the right way. The second half loses steam at times. It's not bad, but unlike Farah's first film where the second half competed well with the first, it stars to slow down a bit. It picks back up, fortunately.

The spoofs aren't less hilarious in the second half. The film pokes fun of a lot of celebs and Indian film industry issues. To start, SRK being late is a spoof on himself being late to sets in real life. Not to forget the whole dard-e-disco song is a spoof on item numbers. The high point of the second half has to be the award ceremony. The spoof on Abhishek Bachchan is subtle yet funny. SRK doing the same roles and being nominated is remarkably funny. Not to forget Akshay KUmar's outburst at the awards is aplaudworthy and rib-tickling. Subash Ghai-Rishi Kapoor spoof is funny too.

Flaws? As mentioned, the second half falters in some parts. Also, SRK remembering his past so quickly seems rushed and unconvincing.

The climax, however, is a pleasant surprise.

Special Mention - The Deewangee song is a treat to the eyes. 31 stars in one song is no joke and they all look nothing short of spectacular. Special mention to the ones that caught my eye with their appearance. Dharmendra, Jatendra, Kajol, Salman, Saif, Sanju, Rekha etc all do well alongside Shah Rukh Khan.

Farah Khan and her team of writers have put some genius into parts of the movie. The writing is witty, smart, and quite innovative. Dilague is first rate.

Vishal-Shekar's music is amazing. With a variety of songs in one film, they do a wonderful job.

Farah's direction is first rate. She handles all the moments with ease. It's not a better film than Main Hoon Na, but still a good job.

In 2007, 3 months before OSO released; SRK unleashed the actor in him and kept the star away in a movie called Chak De India. In OSO, it's the opposite. OSO is a film where SRK can chill and not worry about the criticism. His performance is explosive and energetic. In this, it's SRK the superstar unleashed. And kudos to him for also poking fun at himself despite being the producer of this one.

Deepika makes a grand debut and I'm sure she couldn't have asked for anything else. She looks gorgeous and makes a good debut. Arjun Rampal is spectacular as the villain here. Brilliant.

The supporting cast does well too which includes the lovable Shreyas Talpade, the scene-stealing Kirron Kher and Javed Sheikh.

Overall, A grand film which has one objective - Entertainment!

So much fun

[oldgirl · 8/10 · 17 June 2016]

I'm an American, and have not seen very many Bollywood films -- Three Idiots, Saariwaya, and one or two others in passing -- but I know a spoof when I see it. This movie was a romp -- overdone theatrics, over-the-top musical numbers, and lots of wink-wink-nudge-nudge allusions. Actually, I probably missed most of those -- but I got enough of them to keep smiling all the way through. Nicely plotted, plenty of really good catch-lines, and warm-hearted at the core. I especially like the end credits, where crew members and the usually faceless support people did a kind of 'red carpet' appearance, to the applause and cheers of the mob. Great bit at the very end, where the director/writer got out of the tuk-tuk for her moment, and everybody was .... well, no spoilers here. Just watch the film. Well worth your time.

The grandest masala show. The result: LOL!

[Peter_Young · 8/10 · 3 February 2010]

Reincanation, Hindi cinema, love, betrayal are some of the themes Farah Khan's delightful and crazy comedy Om Shanti Om deals with. But frankly, it never really matters. This film is simply one of the most entertaining films made in recent times. A spoof of Hindi cinema of past and recent times, the film both pokes fun at it and celebrates its unique, inimitable style. As the story progresses the movie becomes even more alluring. It is at times a drama, at times a thriller, but generally it is just a musical comedy which is not to be taken seriously.

Technically the film is very impressive. Farah Khan's direction is very good. The film is extremely colourful, with great costumes and fantastic, glossy sets. The 1970s settings are particularly authentic and visibly well-invested. One more aspect which helps to recreate the magic and the atmosphere of the 1970s is the wonderful soundtrack. "Dhoom Taana" for instance seems to have been rightly taken from a film of those times.

The film contains numerous sequences which will have you floored. The Filmfare Award ceremony is one of the funniest sequences in the film. The red carpet scene with celebrities predicting the winners was very funny. The next scene which includes the ceremony and the Best Actor nominations clip was absolutely hilarious. I could not stop laughing as every nominee was unfolded, and Abhishek Bachchan and Akshay Kumar's reactions when they lost were awesome.

The following sequence was the after-party which was another memorable scene. The famous "Deewangee Deewangee" song which has some of the best-known actors in India dancing to its tunes, from Dharmendra, Mithun Chakraborty, Rekha and Shabana Azmi to Salman, Saif, Juhi, Urmila, Tabu, Kajol, Rani and Preity, was very exciting and a pleasure to watch. It was truly a moment of unity and celebration for Hindi cinema.

As far as acting goes, Om Shanti Om is a winner. Every actor understands the film's mood and acts accordingly. Shahrukh Khan is great as the Oms. He's simple as the first Om, cool as the second Om, and overall is as witty and funny as always. Deepika Padukone makes a confident debut. She is very beautiful and likable. Kirron Kher shines in another comic role as the loud mom. Shreyas Talpade delivers a noteworthy performance as Om's best friend and holds his own despite a smaller role. Arjun Rampal plays the typical villain with style.

Well, to sum it up, Om Shanti Om is an extremely enjoyable flick which should provide a great watch for the entire family. Like Farah Khan's previous offering with Shahrukh Khan, Main Hoon Na, this film has a genuine sense of fun. It is the quintessence of Bollywood's uniqueness which makes us realise why and how much we love this film industry. Remember not to expect anything serious or life-turning, and you will not be disappointed.

Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost

[nahush92 · 7/10 · 9 November 2007]

probably one of the most hilarious movies and I guess the best spoof ever made in Bollywood....Farah is not scared of showing Manoj Kumar, Dev Anand and Sooraj Bharjatya in bad light....this is what the new age bollywood movies should be...bollywood is slowly adapting Hollywood style of spoofing characters and movies (check scary movie series or epic movie)...but this movie is far better than the western counterpart....

coming to performances SRK has delivered another master performance... though not in the likes of Swades, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Chak de, it still would rank amongst his better performances...Deepika is camera friendly and looks sexy...she has also acted well considering that this is her first Hindi film..she is pretty confident in front of the camera..Kiron kher is excellent as over the top filmy mother...Shreyas is a revelation and is improving a lot...Arjun too has come up with a good performance...the movie could have been better in terms of direction/editing (second half) but the performances and spoofs make up for it...

Just Fantastic!!!

[The_Jihadi · 7/10 · 25 December 2007]

If you sit to watch a typical Bollywood Commercial masala movie, Leave your brains behind. Om Shanti Om is one such film that entertains you in every aspect.

Om Shanti Om is the story of the Indian Film World. It is the story of a Junior Artist (Extra) Om Prakash Makhija (Shah Rukh Khan) who dreams to become a superstar one day. He is madly in love with Shanti Priya (Deepika Podukone) who is a super star and she is in love with a film producer Mukesh Ahuja (Arjun Rampal). Mukesh after learning this fact that Shanti is pregnant with his child and his most ambitious project will come to hold if he marries her, He kills her. This whole event is witnessed by Shanti's good friend and her secret lover Om. Even Om dies in that tragic accident while trying to save Shanti. Mukesh runs to Hollywood and get's married there a multi-millionaire's daughter.

But destiny has a total different story to tell… Om is reborn again after 30 years as a Super Star Om Kapoor (Shah Rukh Khan) and the destiny makes om meets Sandy (Deepika Podukone) who is a look alike of Shanti Priya. Om and Sandy make a plan to trap Mukesh who comes back to India after 30 years to make a film with Om. The evil get's punished and the truth wins forms the rest of the film.

Technically the film is just brilliant. It shows on the screen the amount of money that has been spent into the making. The sets are glossy and breath taking. The camera work is just superb. The editing is fantastic and crispy. Musically a very decent and a good effort. Especially the song where all the 31 stars perform is a treat to watch for. The story and direction by Farah Khan is very good.

Performance wise the film belongs to King Khan Shah Rukh Khan all the way. New girl Deepika Podukone is the next superstar. It did not seem at all that she is a new actress and this is her First Film. Arjun Rampal was awesome in the negative role. Kirron Kher was really good once again. Shreyas Talpade was again very good. He gets an equal footage with Shah Rukh to perform.

For those who go for Artistic Cinema, This film is strictly not for them. But those who need Full Time Pass, Om Shanti Om is the real good choice. Here the Film Maker is trying to fool you, But in return they are offering you a Glossy Dream of 2 hours. So if you are looking for a Roller Coaster ride of Entertainment, Go for Om Shanti Om!

A delight for those familiar with Bollywood...otherwise, probably not your best film to watch.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 29 May 2015]

"Om Shanti Om" is an excellent film. However, it's also one that your enjoyment of it may depend on how familiar you are with Bollywood movies. If you haven't seen any or perhaps only one or two, it might be far less interesting for the intermediate and advanced fans of Indian cinema. As for me, I am definitely an intermediate and would actually loved to have had a big-time Indian movie fan watch it with me, as I only recognized some of the huge Indian movie stars that appeared in the film in the star-studded middle.

The film begins in the 1970s. Om (Shah Rukh Khan) is a struggling actor--a bit player. He's smitten with a leading lady but she seems way out of his reach. Later, however, there is a fire on set and he saves her life--and definitely gets her attention. But, fires seem to come in twos in this film and a bit later, her evil secret husband murders her--and Om is killed as well!

At this point, something VERY Indian occurs. Just as Om dies in the hospital, in an adjoining room, a baby is born--and the baby turns out to be the reincarnation of Om. The baby's name...Om!! This Om grows up to become a HUGE Indian mega-star and his life is good.

Following a portion of the film at an Indian movie award ceremony (by far the best part of the film--and hilarious as well), Om starts to have memories of his previous incarnation. He slowly comes to realize what happened to Om #1 and decides to concoct a complicated plan to trap the murderer by re-staging the murder that happened 30 years ago! However, the plan ends up going askew...just how, you'll have to see for yourself.

The film is a delight but a strange one. It's like there are three different movies all spliced together. The first and third portions are very serious and the musical numbers are wonderful. As for the second, it is completely different in tone. Om #2 is a mega-star-- and a hilariously self-absorbed one. And, to make it much funnier, lots of very famous Indian mega-stars appear as themselves...sort of. You just have to see this to know what I am talking about but it is something Indian film fans will love--as if they have a back stage pass to REALLY meet the stars as they supposedly really are! Wonderful--and by far the best part of the film.

Overall, despite having a few clichés (ones you EXPECT in Bollywood films---such as an ever-present fan to make the stars' hair blow in the wind), the film is one of the most enjoyable and fun Indian pictures you can find. Well worth seeing for fans of the genre.

By the way, after the picture ends, do NOT turn off the movie. In a really neat twist, not only the stars walk past the camera but just about EVERYONE involved with the film gets their moment on the runway--even the grips and choreographers!

Get Some Popcorn & Prepare for Some Spicy Entertainment

[Chrysanthepop · 28 December 2007]

'Might wanna include some fresh drinks with that. That's what 'Om Shanti Om' provides in a huge dose. No not the fresh drinks, but the entertainment. I had seen Farah Khan's last flick 'Main Hoon Na' and didn't like it but 'Om Shanti Om' for me was very enjoyable. I liked it's colourfulness and its not taking itself seriously. In short, it's a spoof of Bollywood.

The main plot itself is cleverly inspired by 'Madhumati' and 'Karz' and further you'll see situations that mock Hindi films of the 70s and Hindi films of today. There are numerous famous actors who make fun of themselves. The Filmfare sequence with Shahrukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, The Bachchans, Shabana Azmi were all lol hilarious. There are several such moments which make you feel as if you're under the influence of Novocain (I mean that in a good way).

The songs are of the hummable and foot-tapping kind, most of them spectacularly picturized. I liked how the 'Deewangee' song was filmed as it included most of my favorite actresses like Shabana Azmi, Juhi Chawla, Urmila Matondkar, Tabu, Kajol, Shilpa Shetty, Rani Mukherji etc. Tabu certainly looked the best of the lot. She was drop-dead hot. Of course there was also the funny sequence where Shahrukh danced with Mithun Chokroborty. However, the song may have been a little too long and perhaps Farah could have cropped it out a little by not including some bad actors. Oh well, she probably didn't want to be rude.

Shahrukh Khan is very good as the Oms. One might argue that he overacted in the second half but, in my opinion, he was merely spoofing himself and other Bollywood actors. Kirron Kher too is a treat to watch and she provides some of the LOL moments e.g. when she's spoofing the 70s Bollywood mom or as the 'crazy witch' who saw a ghost. Shreyas Talpade, though cast in a supporting role, holds his own and does nothing short of a great job. Arjun Rampal impresses as the evil villain. I was wondering what happened to this actor after delivering an amazing performance in 'Moksha' and now it's good to see that he's back in form. 'Hope he doesn't get typecast as he plays the bad guy very well. Deepika Padukone is a decent débutante. I liked her as Shantipriya (she looks great in the traditional Indian outfits than the Western stuff) but as Sandy she didn't impress me much (she didn't have much to do anyway).

Farah Khan and Shahrukh Khan probably had a lot of fun in the making and they've certainly made something for all of us to enjoy. This is one of the better 'masala' films to emerge from Hindi Cinema in recent times. As long as you're not expecting any serious film that will alter your life and go see it with the intention to have fun, you won't be disappointed.

All because of SRK

[sg_o14 · 7/10 · 9 November 2007]

If this movie does become a hit it can only be because of 2 prime reasons..1 because of SRK..or because of the immense hype n rivalry over the Diwali release...i went for d 1st day 1st show..n den saw Saawariya after tat..n i seriously could not decide which was worse.. Nevertheless, SRK is still the king khan..he can step into any shoes.he can do justice to any character..both the versions of OM in this movie..well in short..amazing acting by SRK..He still rules..Arjun Rampal..a good job..well portrayed role..a bad boy producer...succumbing to money..Shreyas Talpade is growing after every of his movie... n last but not the least Deepika Padukone is looking as pretty as possible..her dresses her hairstyle...though she mite be lacking a bit on the acting side...well lets c what happens to her.. The Story line was predictable of Sorts..i have seen an English movie..based on a similar line..but i cant really recollect at the moment. the 70's was extremely well portrayed..a thumbs up to Karan Johar n Manish Malhotra...Farah Khan..a decent enough debut..good job..lovely sets...decent movie altogether..but everyone was expecting more..

Love in dreams

[coiffuremixte · 10/10 · 23 December 2012]

'Om Shanti Om' is, simply, one of the best films ever made.

'Singing in the Rain' is the closest reference cinematically and thematically, both films are about the inside of the movie business Hollywood and Bollywood respectively. Baz Lurhman was going for the same kind of thing with 'Moulin Rouge' and - despite hyper-active trickery and bombast - managed to express romance, art and music pretty well, though not as well as is done here.

'Om Shanti Om' manages to combine drama, high emotion, nostalgia, fantasy, romance and self-referential humor to perfection.

Simply told, this is a film about fans. What it is to love an idol on the big screen and the unbreakable fantasy of stepping up onto the big screen. This is also a metaphor for love and the film is also, suitably, wildly romantic.

Anyone who truly loves cinema intelligently will adore this film. Shah Rukh Khan is on his own today, with perhaps Denzel Washington, as a leading man with infinite appeal and effortless charm, intelligence, humor and presence; a movie star at home with the all-time greats.

Deepika Padukone is both a stunning beauty and a complete actress, incredibly, managing to match her brilliant co-star in comedic and dramatic range.

Farah Khan is a director of extraordinary technical and artistic skill and the vision she exerts in Om Shanti Om is breath-taking.

Leave your preconceptions about Bollywood aside and embrace a true classic.

Could of been much better

[billyb007 · 7/10 · 10 November 2007]

I think the film is OK, as said had the potential to be 10 stars.

There is good acting from most of the cast, but the story did drag on a little...the first half of the film was excellent, good performances, every second of the first half was good, no scene was wasted it was full of emotion, lots of laughter, and overall seeming to be a very enjoyable movie! I recommend people to watch this film, mainly because its a shahrukh film, the only downside is the second half, the story is not good, i feel u'll understand watching the film. The story could of had a better ending, however i feel the entertainment value is very high, drawn to the fact that there is almost every star in bollywood in the film. good film 7/10

Hats off to the audience for making it such a huge hit

[pyasa-sajal · 1/10 · 19 July 2008]

I would have never wasted my time writing over this piece of crap,popularly known as Om Shanti Om...but I really wish to salute the audience who made it a huge blockbuster.Its said that anything and everything is possible...the movie proves it.For someone like me,who in all his humility believes that mankind exists in its present wonderful form because of its sensibilities,its actually a miracle that people appreciated this THING!! What I do write as a review...the movie is a remake of Karz,which itself was the remake of Madhumati.Madhumati had exceptional music and so is worth watching...in fact 25 percent of the movie being songs,one can surely enjoy it.But how the hell is OSO entertaining??..The spoof on south Indian movies is good,but everything else is too bad to be tolerated.I watched because almost everyone around me saw it..talked about it..

The movie isn't a big nonsense,that would be like being too strict...my point is that there actually is nothing(NOTHING) in the movie which is original and worth appreciation.So obviously this movie is like a rock bottom for me.

SRK is still king!

[ikky_k · 10/10 · 9 November 2007]

Shah Rukh has a great track recording of releasing movies around Diwali and in the past they have all been hits, and judging by his latest home production, this one is going to do big business as well.

A couple of points to come out of this movie. First is the transformation in Shah Rukh's body. The guy seems to have worked real hard and the results are awesome. Second is the new heroine Deepika Padukone. She holds her ground well and delivers a top performance.

Arjun Rampal also puts in a good showing as a bad guy.

And the songs are awesome too. Watch for the number where everyone (except the Bachchan's) make an appearance.

You will love this one.

A fun movie. Deepika Padukone is enthralling.

[ssvikas · 7/10 · 19 December 2007]

This review is coming more than a month from the release of this movie. But, how does it matter when Deepika Padukone is still fresh in memory with her Ajab si adaayen. Honestly, I went to the movie to watch her. Long ago, I had predicted that this babe would make a big entry into films. Well, a debut with SRK! How bigger can it get?

This Deepawali had two major releases, King Khan and Farah Khan’s OSO and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya. Most newspapers drew comparisons between these movies, some on story, on the débutante lead actresses, track record of directors, songs, so on and so forth coupled with aggressive marketing campaigns.

OSO starts with the story of a junior artiste Om Makhija in the 70s deeply in love with screen sensation Shantipriya. Both become friends after Om saves Shanti from a fire accident on the sets. Both die in exceptional circumstances and Om is reborn again, this time as superstar Om Kapoor 30 years later. Om realizes his past and sets out for villain Mukesh Mehra in his quest to uncover the secret of his past lover’s demise.

Till the interval, Farah Khan did a great job on recreating 70s cinema. Two comic sequences, one on Manoj Kumar and the other on a mock Tamil film shoot are hilarious. While being a parody on the movie industry of those days, in many ways, OSO pays tribute to many cinematic moments, such as those of rebirth with the Om sign, group dance sequences, bell bottom pants, etc. The best stuff stops here.

The second segment dwells too much on SRK’s stardom and the story somehow loses focus. Deepika’s role is too limited. But here, villain Arjun Rampal as steals the show. The best of the comic sequences is the Award ceremony with many star cameos. The clips of nominees that is shown there is worth the watch. The end too is very filmy. End credits follow Farash’s style in her first films to show her entire crew. That was sweet.

Non-SRK fans may not really like any praise that I say here. But, one must admit that this great guy has amazing star power, all acquired on his own! There is no dull moment in OSO. Ah, and what do I say of Deepika, she’s just awesome! Arjun Rampal, Shreyas Talpade and Kirron Kher have done great. The music too is captivating. If you haven’t seen this movie, I would say it is worth it for its entertainment value.

save your money and watch on pirated DVD

[joshi_amit · 1/10 · 18 November 2007]

This film encapsulates all that is wrong with the modern India: A tendency to get satisfied with fluff and superficiality. Farah Khan started with a grand vision of recreating a spoof on Bollywood itself. While the idea is laudable, the intellectual machinery behind the film was not enough to pull it off. Even if you try to shut your brain off and enjoy the movie, the rudimentary consciousness of the brain stem screams at the banalities. Shahrukh was at his overacting best, Deepika had no clue and Arjun Rampal was deader than a dead pan. Shreyas and Kiron Kher are impressive. The only saving grace of the movie is Vishal-Shekhar's melodious score. Save your money watch the 2 bucks DVD from neighborhood Indian grocer.

Pure masti, at it's maximum level! *Minor Spoilers*

[Dingataca · 15 December 2007]

When I first heard of Farah Khan and Shah Rukh teaming up to make their project called Om Shanti Om, based on reincarnation, I was surprised and raised my eyebrows at their choice of storyline. I decided not to even think about seeing the movie until I had read many reviews and heard about the fate of the film. Now, after seeing it, I cannot believe I doubted Shah Rukh Khan's talent and Farah's masala for even a second!

Om Shanti Om is pure brilliance. Just after about 10 minutes into the film and I was hooked. Everything is perfected, there isn't much to criticize at all.

The performances - Shah Rukh Khan once again delivers entertainment at it's absolute max. Looking hotter than ever, now with incredibly sexy six-pack abs, SRK shows off his skill in style. The intensity and emotion of Om is portrayed very well. Arjun Rampal is fantastic, I have never seen him do a role like this before. I had never imagined he could PULL OFF something like this. Yet, there are times when he even overshadows Shah Rukh, he was great as the villain Mukesh. Deepika Padukone shines and actually does a decent performance, and has some acting ability underneath her beautiful supermodel looks. Despite the slight criticism saying she cannot pull off the 70s outfits, I thought she looked wonderful and did her role with dignity. Shreyas Talpade does another cute but powerful performance after Iqbal, and Kirron Kher tugs at your heart with her famous motherly role. She adds a small zing to Om Shanti Om that only she could have done. Bindu and Javed Sheikh makes small appearances.

Om Shanti Om provides outrageous and hilarious comedy, complete and over-the-top melodrama, romance, action, and everything in between. It is a true masala film. Farah Khan lived up to the standard she left with Main Hoon Na.

The music is also something I judged before seeing the film. I reckoned the music was mediocre, but now I understand that the music has kept the film going! Dard-e-Disco is the chart topping item and dance number, with Deewangi Deewangi as the crowd teaser, Ajab Si and Agar Main Kahoon are the romantic songs, and Jag Soona Soona as a ghazal-ish track. I liked Dhoom Taana a lot also, but my favourite will always be Dard-e-Disco...SRK and his gorgeous abs... :)

Farah Khan has once again provided pure entertainment. One thing I really love about her movies is that they mock EVERYTHING. And she mocks it all with such style, that you cannot help loving it. She made fun of it all. And I mean it ALL. The Filmfare awards were one of the funniest things I have ever seen, and ditto for Shah Rukh's attempt to show off to Deepika in the first half ("Naughty pussy, naughty pussy"!!). I also loved the way Farah Khan thanks all the people working in her film, cast and crew. She made the credits enjoyable and thanked everyone, giving them a small contribution in the film. She did the same in Main Hoon Na.

Deewangi Deewangi with all 31 stars was amazing. It is rather amusing to see all the celebrities dance on screen, with SRK. It was well choreographed and planned, and very enjoyable. OSO really changes it's colours after the interval. It goes from a cheerful happy-go-lucky fun movie into a slightly serious act. Nevertheless, it stills maintains a lot of humour and keeps you glued to your seat.

Entertainment, entertainment, entertainment. Simply unmissable.

Enjoyable popcorn flick!

[mnalgirkar · 7/10 · 9 November 2007]

Growing up in the 70's and having thoroughly enjoyed Hindi (not yet Bollywood) movies from that decade, I was intrigued when I read reviews about the 70's references in this movie. I wasn't disappointed. The first half of the movie uses some interesting special effects, characterization of stars from that era, and also some very subtle references to stars and film-makers to depict that decade. The cameos of prominent stars throughout the movie adds to the fun factor of the movie.

The movie offers light-hearted entertainment, several enjoyable songs, and some good performances; especially from Shahrukh Khan and the débutante Deepika. Although the movie plot and several key segments are something you have seen before in other movies, OSO's format is irreverent, goofy and enjoyable. Watch this movie for nostalgia, and an overall good time!

A lot entertainer and senseless movie

[manoj-ransing · 6/10 · 8 January 2008]

No doubt, that this movie is going to break the box office record. I has made for doing that only. Farah Khan in her second movie kept her promise of giving lot of entertainment, at the same time giving the most senseless and stupid movie. Good or bad I don't know. I will give it to individual to decide.

That is the reason why the movie is having extreme comments. On one side, its is the best for SRK fans (SRK is there in almost every frame of the movie, so much that finally someone may want to throw out). It is also the best for the mass who like to watch comedy, drama, romance, music in one shot. This movie has it all. "Maa Ka Pyar", "Main Maa Bananewali Hoon", "Mera Beta Wapas Aayega", "Muze Zinda Gaad Diya" all and many more emotions are packed in this 3 hr movie. But even after that you feel movie is still lengthy specially in second half.

As a really good entertainer the movie gives very good music, dance, dialogs. Acting wise all are good except Deepika, specially in second half. No doubt, why she has so less dialogs.

At the other side the movie is totally unrealistic. Unrealistic characters, unrealistic events, too stupid dialogs. All these points suddenly become clear when you watch 'chak de India' and this movie having less interval in between. I always believe that a movie should be entertaining first, should be able to bind the people to the chair. This movie does that. But then at the times, you also think why the hell have I wasted so much precious time of my life watching this movie.

You can easily see from what I have written that how much confused I am. I am still not able to decide whether the movie is good or bad. Hence I gave an intermediate rating. Let each individual decide it. Meanwhile I will try to forget that I wasted three hours of life, while watching Dard-e-disco on youtube again and again.

Time pass- in the best sense of the phrase

[cxw1065 · 10/10 · 10 November 2007]

Saw this movie at an advance screening, and boy, was it amazing.......... it's a total time-pass movie and I mean that in the best sense of the word. Having just seen the heart rending Khuda Ke Liye, OSO was a reminder that life can be fun, filled with colour, love and laughter- and that even if you don't believe in punar janam, Bollywood movies thrive on the topic.

SRK shows why he is the Shahenshah of bollywood, and ALL his friends show up-- there were more cameos in this movie than I could have expected.

One must give credit to the stars who laughed at themselves with such good humour......even those who are supposedly currently at outs with SRK.

Live, Love, Laugh!! at this movie, and remember when not every movie had to have a message.

Masala entertainment with a couple of inspired comic sequences.

[movie_freak_dubai · 6/10 · 9 November 2007]

To say I was disappointed with Om Shanti Om is putting it very mildly indeed.

The plot was wafer thin, with a few and I mean A FEW good scenes/sequences here and there such as SRK's take off on Quick Gun Murugan, the title song was fun as the cinema audience enjoyed the appearance of their favourite stars and even Manoj Kumar at the premiere. The best sequence in the movie was probably the Filmfare awards sequence where they showed the nominations for the best actor.........with some interesting cameos especially from the person who I think stands out in all of his recent movies ---- Akshay Kumar..do not miss his nomination video!!!!!

Deepika Padukone is beautiful but I felt that the 70's outfits did not really suit her modern model's figure although she was not bad at all. She was gorgeous in the 2nd half as a modern girl. SRK was 'OK' but I felt he was far better in Chak De plus I always hate him when he tries to be cool and act all hip. Shreyas Talpade was wasted but performed well....Kirron Kher was good and seemed to be the only person who performed in the right spirit for the movie i.e. with her tongue firmly in cheek. Arjun Rampal was also good although I still feel that Bollywood make up people still have a long way to go to make people age properly on celluloid.

Farah Khan's direction was good and innovative and even inspired in places but you have to place the blame on her for the script.... plus her choreography has gone down the drain. Dard E Disco could have been a classic but it was choreographed so poorly but the visualisation was taken to the next level simply because of the SRK 4 pack or was it 5-pack????

At least now we will see evidence of the full box office clout of the King Khan as I feel that this movie is going to make money especially since Sawariya seems to have received poor reviews.

Final Verdict - Masala film with some inspired comic sequences

An outright entertainer

[hizham · 10/10 · 9 November 2007]

OM SHANTI OM tells the story of Om (Shah Rukh Khan) and Shanti (Deepika Padukone). Om is a junior artist in the 70s. Shanti is the reigning superstar. He is her biggest fan. He is in love with her. Om dreams of being a superstar, but an incident changes his life forever. Om dies in a mishap, but is reborn into the present day. He attempts to discover the mystery of his demise…

What I liked about the film? Well, almost everything (Yes, I admit, I've sold my soul to SRK)! Which is 98.35 per cent of the film! The film is more a take off on the re-birth formula, than a tribute; but it does brilliantly. Farah Khan has made everyone act superbly (yes, including Arjun Rampal!). There are so many things to watch out for so I will just list a few highlights:

The cameos by almost the entire industry. The fantastic one-liners from '70s Bollywood; The comedy scenes throughout the movie! the digital effects ala Forrest Gump. Deepika Padukone. SRK playing a brash star brat. SRK's abs (of course!). The witty vision of the filmmaker.

And finally Farah Khan and SRK's and the entire film industry's bold move to do a take off on the take off, because, when you look at it, the film is not just a take off on '70s Bollywood but also on today's filmy frenzy! With each and every film one thing is sure Shah Rukh Khan will be outstanding and in this film to he is outstanding as well. In this film Shah Rukh Khan shows His comic abilities and he is bang on target. It just goes to show his range and versatility as an actor that on one hand he is doing Chak De! India (Offbeat) and on other hand Om Shanti Om where he is playing to the gallery which came easily only to Shah Rukh Khan.

Deepika has all it takes to be a top star — the personality, the looks and yes, she's supremely talented too. Standing in the same frame as Shah Rukh Khan and getting it right is no small achievement. She comes as a whiff of fresh air! Arjun Rampal impresses in a negative role which suites his image. Shreyas Talpade compliments Shah Rukh Khan wonderfully. Kirron Kher in one word wonderful.

The masses will love it; the classes will love it too! The youth will like it too, even though they may not get certain references to the Bollywood of yesteryear's. A must watch.

Plenty of fun from one of Bollywood's hippest directors.....

[johnshay · 7/10 · 9 November 2007]

Rushed out to see this when I heard it would be showing in Pittsburgh on opening day (a rarity in our city for Hindi films these days, unfortunately)....and I can't say I was disappointed.

The film draws its storyline from both "Kaho Naa....Pyaar Hai" and "Madumati" and features exquisite art direction and cinematography, with Shah Rukh Khan playing both himself and a Hrithik Roshan-style character and Deepika Padukone reviving (pardon the pun) Vyjayanthimala's role in the Roy/Ghatak classic. All of the actors do a fine job, and SRK has some very funny moments in the film (particularly in the first half). The mise-en-scene of the studio-within-the-movie scenes was reminiscent of Guru Dutt's "Kagaaz Ke Phool," and the visual design by director Farah Khan and cinematographer V. Manikandan is exquisite and richly detailed. The pacing isn't quite as tight as in FK's directorial debut "Main Hoon Na," but seems to fit the narrative.

OSO is also loaded with all sorts of "inside" references to Hindi (and American) films, past and present, which made this a most enjoyable viewing experience. The "Filmfare award" scene and song "Deewangi Deewangi," coming right after the interval, were a blast -- I'll need to see the movie again to catch all of the Hindi stars crammed into those fifteen minutes (the scene also gains a few additional laughs by lampooning the recent stage musical "Bombay Dreams"). As was done for the cover design of the Beatles'"Sgt. Pepper" album, someone ought to run a contest to see who can identify everyone in these two scenes! Vishal and Shekhar's soundtrack is very fresh; they do an excellent job hinting at various Indo-pop musical styles from the 60s and 70s. I only wish that the opening title version of "Om Shanti Om" would have been included on the CD as well....will just have to wait for the DVD release, I guess.

Now time to head out and see SLB's "Saawariya," which also seems to be playing in Pittsburgh on opening night. The world is definitely changing!

Why was this movie made ???

[manish1713 · 1/10 · 16 November 2007]

I don't seem to understand the logic behind this movie. Ain't we better off watching spoof on MTV and Star TV that we had to spend 300 bucks for the movie and all because of doctored ratings by the eminent critics of India. Sab Chalta hai if we can package it well and get two words of appreciation from the critics. Why so much of talk about Deepika Padukone ? She is no great actress as she has been made to appear .

If anyone has common sense then we should realize that we have already declared her to be the next best thing even before seeing her on screen ? Ain't we guilty of doing that. Long before movie release,we declared her to be the SuperStar ? (i wonder what kind of superstar were we referring to even before seeing her performance...) This movie is not worth an oounce. Stay away if u have sense and go watch if u are sans sense.

All disco and no dard

[springsunnywinter · 10/10 · 10 November 2007]

I intended to watch Om Shanti Om as much as Saawariya but Om Shanti Om first because I'm a huge Shah Rukh Khan fan just like everyone else. I've not seen Saawariya yet but I am going to.

Om Shanti Om was soooo entertaining, fun, stylish, colourful, emotional and had a very interesting story (which I loved to bits) told in a good format. Also there is not a Bollywood film made about films.

The first half gave a very good insight of the 70s because this was a rocking decade for Bollywood and I was almost going to cry at the ending of the first half. The second half was even better and reminded me of "Karan Arjun". Oh yes! There is a twist in the end that will totally shock you. It was like a delicious desert after a tasty dinner.

Music is excellent composed by one of my most favourite music directors Vishal & Shekhar. The best songs are Ajab Si, Dard-e-disco, Deewangi Deewangi and Main Agar Kahoon. Dard-e-disco is the best music video I have ever seen of the decade....no wait! the best of the century.

The film was about 3 hours but all that time was worth it and there wasn't a single boring or useless scene. The best scenes are: Dard-e-disco song of course, Filmfare awards, Deewangi Deewangi song because there where 30 stars and the ending. In Sajid Khan's "Heyy Babyy" there where 14 actresses in cameos and he is Farah Khan's brother.

I've not seen Chak De India because I never got the chance but whether you liked Chak De India or not, you will love Om Shanti Om and if you didn't you can beat me up with a hockey stick. Overall I loved the film it was better than I expected and has a lot of fire. (If you know what I mean)

excellent in all fields - comedy, thrill, romance...

[farrakh · 7/10 · 9 November 2007]

I was one of the lucky ones to watch the premier show here in Bahrain today (8-Nov-07). Dipika was excellent. So was most of the bollywood that was casted in this movie! Although most came just for a few seconds but it was done in a nice way and fun! All in all it was a fun movie to watch and gave us laughs, thrilling moments and moments of emotion as well.

I really recommend seeing this movie on the silver screen vs. waiting for a DVD or an inferior print. This movie is full of vibrant colors and sounds and the cinematic experience really adds value to everything.

Do go out and see it. Its one of the films that come out once in every 3-5 years in bollywood so don't miss it!

Really need Shanti after watching this

[prateekarora · 2/10 · 23 November 2007]

So finally it is Diwali time, and other than anxiously waiting to celebrate one of my favorite festival and do pooja, I was eagerly waiting for this movie. I had high expectations, and I would not create any suspense for you guys. But this movie was not at all what I expected. What a rip-off from Rishi Kapoor starer Karz. I don't know why people are calling this movie a laughter riot, it was so boring. I actually slept during few scenes. It was such a drag. The only reason I am even giving this movie a 2 on 10 is because of the awesome cameo by Akshay Kumar and to see Mithun Da, Dharmendr, and ever hot Rekha do some jiggy and their patent dance movements. Oh man, nothing can beat the oldies.

It is no way closer to the cult comedy movies like Jaane Bhi Do Yaron, Andaz Apna Apna, and Hera Pheri. Its a one time visit, see it and forget it movie. You do not take anything from it when you leave the theater. Not even a single quote or dialog to remember from the movie. Other than the fact that they made fun of all time superstar, hall of fame, Mr. Rajesh Khanna and couple of other oldies, they broke all the records of being a illogical roller coaster movie. At least old Karz was believable but this one is just a headache. And the ending was even more mythical than existence of Godzilla.

Well, I would suggest you to still go watch it, but I regret spending my $12 on this movie. Could have had cheap Taco Bell 10 times rather than spending that money on movie like this. Its not worth spending that much money on this movie. Damn, should have waited for it to come on DVD.