It’s not often that we get to say ‘Thank God It’s Friday’. (No, not the restaurant, the day.) How can we when most films that release on that much-awaited day are not worth the cost of the popcorn?
So when the few that do live up to the hype, that make us cheer instead of hoot and are, simply put, total paisa vasoolcome our way we have to doff our hats to them.
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
Shah Rukh Khan in a geeky hairstyle and moustache. Aditya Chopra’s great return after Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. So we were willing to overlook the fact that King Khan’s heroines are getting younger with every passing year. Moreover, earnest performances and the humour that permeates the film make up for a story that lacks conviction.
Ghajini
If Shah Rukh Khan sported a six pack in Om Shanti Om, Aamir Khan was determined to go two up. A year’s hard work got him a body Arnold Schwarzenegger would envy-with the requisite eight packs firmly in place. But we don’t like the movie just because we’d like to slice up Aamir and have him for dessert-we like it for the gripping story, the fantastic action and the amazing acting.
Rock On!!
It was almost like That Thing You Do, but it wasn’t, too. What it was was crazy fun and foot tapping music. We hand it to Farhan Akhtar-the man can work it behind the camera and in front of it, too.
Welcome to Sajjanpur
Shreyas Talpade went rustic. Amrita Rao exchanged her tank tops for cholis. And together they created ‘simple’ magic. We were left asking why directors can’t KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) anymore.
Jodhaa Akbar
It was conceived on a large scale-both on screen as well as on the clock. But we loved the imagination and the courage that it took to go the historical way when everyone said nay. The chemistry between Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai was just the cherry on top.
Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na
After mamu Aamir’s Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, it took nephew Imran Khan to make us long for the halcyon days of college. The formulaic climax of an airport scene aside, everything else found an echo in us-right from Pappu to the funeral for a cat.
Khuda Ke Liye
It takes a lot to criticise your country. And when your country is Pakistan, it takes much more than normal. But Shoaib Mansoor did just that and the result took both India and Pakistan by storm.
Bhoothnath
Now, who wouldn’t want to see Big B as a ghost. Instead of talking to a mirror, he can now walk through them! But this take on Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost grabbed us because of the chemistry between Amitabh Bachchan and the tiny tot Aman Siddiqui.
Bachna Ae Haseeno
In a film named as a tribute to father Rishi Kapoor, Ranbir was the show stealer. Despite his three sexy co-stars-Miniisha Lamba, Bipasha Basu and Deepika Padukone. Not only did it script an interesting and refreshing story, it also had some great performances.
10Aamir
Our reviewer said, “Finally, a film that one can blindly recommend after a cascade of disasters.” And we agree. Rajeev Khandelwal surprised us with his mastery over acting and the suspenseful story did the rest.
Summer 2007
It’s about a group of friends, medicine and farmer suicides. A strange combo? But then strange bedfellows make for interesting storytelling.
Mumbai Meri Jaan
A film meant to tug on the heartstrings, it lived up to expectations. Based on the Mumbai train blasts, it unravels the story through the lives of six different people. Though a little like an Indianised version of Crash, it still managed to make us cry.
