Brief Thoughts on Dostana
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This is one whacky film especially in the first half. I saw it in a completely full screening and the audience was completely in splits. The energy in this part of the film is just perfect. In the second half the film loses steam a bit though I guess they had to pretend there was something more substantial to the plot! Abhishek easily walks away with this one and really keeps the energy level going in the film (he also gets the real wardrobe here). Priyanka is fine as well. Boman Irani does superbly in a cameo. It is certainly true that the three principal stars have a certain chemistry going in the film but John Abraham otherwise exposes his limitations as an actor. Plus he’s been extraordinarily ‘exposed’ in the film, often to bad taste. He’s really been ‘exploited’ like an actress here. Still he and Abhishek do make a good pair. The songs all work with the film and surprisingly Miami too seems far more vital compared to previous Johar cities.
Given that this is not my kind of film or genre I nonetheless enjoyed the film without really getting bored anywhere. At times the humor is really risque, the film is certainly not free of crass Johar-style either. But it did enough to keep me engaged.
Oh and I forgot Bobby Deol. The film could have done with better casting here but Bobby looks a bit of a mutt and oddly fits in. The one thing I’ll give the director here is that it’s a really crazy film and every character more or less reflects this. Johar though opted to go the Hollywood way of the really over the top genre comedy when he perhaps could have done more with the material. But as I said I’ve never seen an audience enjoy a movie more than here in the first half (incidentally I saw it with a crowd that was really the film’s target audience).
Looks to be an easy success. How big remains to be seen. Can’t imagine too many family types bringing their kids to this one!
Finally while Abhishek does marvelously to show his range I can’t say this will ever be one of my favorite films of his.
will watch it tommorrow" - 
69 Comments
By the way they screened both the Ghajini and RNBD previews. That bit of the Rahman score on Ghajini is really wonderful. I think Rahman seems to value Yuvvraaj more based on one of his interview and I certainly loved this soundtrack but I think that Ghajini might be better.
Thanks for your thoughts Satyam. Abhishek alone is reason enough to check out this film. It’s really a very innocuous entertainer – which is enjoyable while it lasts. Even though the premise didn’t seem totally convincing to me (of them faking to be gay to get a pad), once you take that leap of faith, the rest pretty much falls in place until the interval. The first half is hilarious and the film really peaks with Boman Irani and Kirron Kher coming into the picture. Ma Da Ladla has been shot superbly and I found myself laughing all through that song.
Bobby Doel – I maintain is the weak link here . His placid face somehow takes away the effervescence that is so vital to this film because it’s hanging on such a noodle thin script in any case. It doesn’t help that his role hasn’t been well-written. Not once does he come across as the editor of a high-flying fashion magazine.
The long-winding portion about misunderstanding created with a five year old in the centre is slight.
Nevertheless, as you say, this is a life-saver for Abhishek and it always helps to have an easy hit in a film where your performance has been liked too.
Thx satyam. I have heard positive stuff from everyone who has seen this movie. Will check it out next week. Full marks to karan and abhi on this. Btw – what I can’t figure out is how john gets these plum roles. He is as bad – if not worse – an actor as dino morea.
Seems like a sure shot winner, Abhi may end up finishing the year on a good note. On a side note, i’m glad he’s rejected a cameo in Yashraj’s film! DILLI 6, RAVANA, Kishore Kumar’s remake(if true) and Rajiv Menons Abhimaan take all seem plum projects. There’s also RGV’s mysterious RANN!
A.Shah
Booked for tonight, thanks for the review…
What a great irony!
14th was the day for Dostana release and RNBDJ promo … the under-hyped Dostana is walking away gracefully with all the applause … (Abhishek is again the lone man standing in consecutive KJO productions) … while SRK fans are defending an aw(e)ful RNBDJ promo by constant attacks on other movies and stars.
Wheels of fortune!
Dostana was under-hyped for some? I predicted it would do 60 cr business. ROFL! Abhishek better be the lone man standing among the likes of Bobby Deol and John Abraham.
My prediction pre-release!
http://www.naachgaana.com/2008.....ent-151703
DOSTANA was always going to be a breezy Multiplex hit! The risk factor came in because both Abhishek, John and Priyanka are coming off huge flops!
As for tne RNBDJ promo, i expected more from the theatrical promo, however I feel there is more than a few surprises in store.
A.Shah
For people hell bent on dismissing Dostana’s assured success based on kind of movie it is, it would also be logical to dismiss all of SRK’s successes in the predictable Yashraj -Dharma affairs.
I will say this. Had the second half maintained the energy of the first one this could have been a very big one. Not sure how much it will gross at this point. The second half is more like a Johar film in terms of pacing. The first half is much more energetic though, of the kind one hasn’t seen in a Johar film.
On the RNBDJ preview I think some things come into clearer focus. There are clearly enough large scale commercial elements here. Some big song visuals and so forth. I think Aditya chopra starts out with the small town deal but then does an OSO with comedy, songs, SRK struggling with the sumo wrestler and so forth. Again probably more crass here than is Aditya’s style.
The point I’m trying to make is that it’s not a small film as the initial preview might have suggested. I’d be surprised if they didn’t have a huge release here.
But Ghajini has a rather refined look about it whereas RNBDJ again gives the impression of a small film turning big and crassy. Still it probably gives them the hit they want.
Beld: I think John’s role is a little demeaning. Sure people will like him here and he gets a Johar film and so forth. But really he’s been literally stripped here. There’s a scene where he’s literally in his briefs and let’s say pulling them down a bit! You don’t really get serious roles when you do this sort of thing. Admittedly he wasn’t getting much anyway but this was a bit much.
“There’s a scene where he’s literally in his briefs and let’s say pulling them down a bit!”
LOL. Guess this is the “Ram Tera Ganga Maila” moment in reverse.
I have some reservations with the view that this sort of thing is demeaning satyam (with the caveat that I haven’t seen the film yet): i.e. it seems to me you are hearkening to an older paradigm, under which “the male” was not a category that could be “ornamental.” This is no longer the case, as is evident by the way even the likes of Aamir and SRK are falling over themselves trying to re-invent themselves with six-pack abs and whatnot. In fact, whatever my critique of the contemporary trends, one positive aspect of present-day B’wood is that by making “the male” also available for “ornamentalism” and “objectification”, “the female” is paradoxically liberated (i.e. “ornamentalism” can no longer be seen as the sole preserve of “the female”). Doubtless audiences who subscribe to the older paradigm will find this sort of thing “demeaning”, but I do not think the target audience of Dostana will.
[Aside: not to mention that this sort of thing also likely represents the increased purchasing power of female moviegoers, who have just as much right to enjoy a skin show as their male counterparts!]
Thanks satyam– on the BO front if I am reading you correctly you don’t think this will be a huge grosser because it doesn’t seem to be very “family friendly”…
“In fact, whatever my critique of the contemporary trends, one positive aspect of present-day B’wood is that by making “the male” also available for “ornamentalism” and “objectification”, “the female” is paradoxically liberated (i.e. “ornamentalism” can no longer be seen as the sole preserve of “the female”)”
Great point Q! Only, it reminds me of the phrase “Hum To Doobenge Sanam, Tum Ko Bhi Saath Le Ke Doobenge”
agree with family audience part more precisely it will be a movie that will work in big cities i can’t see it grossing big in smaller centre some of the sequences in the 2nd half and especially that kiss were avoidable
performancewise : abhi roccked and have to say he carry this movie single handedly supported well by kiron kher and boman irani ( again making him gay was not required to)
priyanka and john are there for glamour quotient
“The point I’m trying to make is that it’s not a small film as the initial preview might have suggested. I’d be surprised if they didn’t have a huge release here.
But Ghajini has a rather refined look about it whereas RNBDJ again gives the impression of a small film turning big and crassy. Still it probably gives them the hit they want.”
Agree … I echo this.
Also the good opening of Dostana speaks quite a bit about the security of Abhi’s stardom as even a disaster like Drona hardly affects Dostana’s opening.
By the way I think Shilpa Shetty was the wrong choice for that item number. Looked over the hill.
“Abhishek is again the lone man standing in consecutive KJO productions”
Hadn’t thought about it this way but it is indeed true. He was the best thing about KANK (barring his father) and here also he’s frankly got more from the media ‘critics’ than I expected.
STRONG POINTS:
funny first half and some good moments in second half before climax
priyanka looked great
abhishek bachchan ( one has to say he is the lifeline here and saves this movie )
great cinematograpy and visual delight
weak points:
SPOLIER ALERT:
are indian audiences mature enough to see 2 male co-stars kissing on screen ( though it was fake but how many will digest it )
k-jo gone overboard with john stripping cmmon first he is an actor they used him as glam doll by giving him even few dialogues
bobby deol’s character first of all it was not required and bobby with his act looked totally out of context
climax it seemed like k-jo was making some statement of sort
Rockstar.. agreed on most counts.. On the last bit I think this is Karan Johar’s ‘coming out’ film if ever there was one!
On the audience it will be restricted to the multiplexes and that too the younger audiences. It’s too risque for family audiences.
“I think this is Karan Johar’s ‘coming out’ film if ever there was one!”
will agree and some of the sequences in the 2nd totally looked out of context and it seems it is more of a k-jo’s answer to male bonding but again the final sequence of abhi and john after that in a way contradict that to which again is a case of a confused lot
http://www.naachgaana.com/2008.....e/#respond
(As far as Dostana is concerned, the buzz in the trade circles is that given the movie’s subject, it would fare better only in cities and might do good business in the overseas markets.)
thanks for posting that its in line with my earlier comments seems more like multiplex sucess of last year (like cdi and tzp )
though this one has an advantage along with yuvraaj of having a free run till 12th i guess
I havent seen the movie yet, so I make this comment based on the info gleaned from reviews. I think the taste of family audiences has evovlved quitwe a bit. Families have become a little bit immune to this risque jokes and seem to take them in stride, Not just overseas but in India too. I nthat sense the movie if good enough should still find patronage from ‘family’ audiences. Not to mention the fact that the composition of families has changed too greatly these days.
I notice again the pejortaive “crass” used only in the context of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi – while we discuss Aamir’s skin show and extremely loud and tacky clothing as perhaps necessary for character development (no such pass given to the character in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi), and even the skin show in Dostana and more is clinically discussed as equal opportunity for women, or Karan’s coming out! Even after a few months on this forum, NG still manages to amuse me with the shenanigans some people are up to. Since Aamir’s film will be massy (note it will never be crassy), it is really important to remove any semblance of quality from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. The fact is that Rab Ne trailers and stills give a strong indication of quality, while Ghajini is merely massy – I will not call it crassy and upset those males here who want to see a diminutive bulked up male throw a punch that takes down several people at the same time.
ILG, you’re probably right..
in a strange way though the success of films like Dostana depresses me a little..it’s not that I have a problem with certain kinds of films doing well.. it’s that this makes it that much harder to make successes out of serious films.. because the audience is addicted to gags.. more than at any other point in Bollywood history.. in Hollywood the same thing happens but again the critical apparatus is in place so no one compares Stiller or Sandler with Scorsese.. in India it’s all the same.. audiences are of course changing and many quality films have done well too.. but ultimately the bar is rather low for comedies.. I am not arguing against Dostana here.. there can be good comedies as well.. Munnabhai is the best example.. but there is also much that is ‘crassy’ that becomes a part of the mix in such filmmaking..
Neelu: That Aamir has overdone his physique to put it mildly is a point some of us made. But the Ghajini look is about that! Now when he’s doing the loverboy thing some of us have commented on his look being a bit odd. Jay commented on the stills yesterday as I did. On Dostana it is simply false to make those claims. You’ve not been reading what I’ve been saying or what some others have.
But isn’t it a little hypocritical on your part to pick on the one time Aamir does this sort of thing or the one time there’s a Dostana for Abhishek or what have you? SRK does this sort of ‘crass’ stuff repeatedly which is why he’s called for it. No other major star barring Akshay does as much of such questionable stuff. C’mon, does that sumo wrestler routine in RNBDJ strike you as quality stuff. Or does SRK’s hairstyles and the usual badness on display in some of those scenes in the preview look enticing to you? A lot of OSO was passable but quality cinema it wasn’t. If you’re going to make these comparisons with Aamir let’s also do it on all the other quality stuff Aamir does as well.
And there is a difference between ‘massy’ and ‘crassy’. Absolutely! I’ve used the latter word in the context of Dostana 2-3 times just on this thread. I haven’t used the former. That is in fact the preferred option of SRK fans when they’re embarrassed about the quality of SRK films. As if ‘badness’ equals ‘massy’. LRM was a ‘massy’ film and it wasn’t ‘crassy’. Aamir’s RH or some of those Indra Kumar films had ‘crassy’ moments aplenty but he’s not done that in recent years. And Ghajini is a ‘massy’ film. Even if some of those clothes don’t suit him, even if his chest looks let’s say a bit much in one of the looks that by itself doesn’t make the entire film ‘crassy’. Meanwhile SRK made a hype machine out of his ’sixpack’ in OSO. What other actor has done this? There is no equivalence here. And you know this.
Don’t pick on people just for the heck of it. Abhishek fans have been very fair about Dostana. Most of us weren’t even looking forward to it that much. It still isn’t going to be my favorite film by any stretch. Similarly not many Aamir fans defended Fanaa (barring myself and I’ve argued for the film based on certain reasons, I’ve never called it a great quality product). So on and so forth. No one’s more unfair than SRK fans and your protestations here are a perfect example of this.
Qalandar: Your point is well taken in every sense but I think Johar really pushes the boundaries in some ways with John. It just seems tasteless. And I don’t think most male stars would agree to do this kind of exposure. To the extent that you argue for the liberating element here in terms of gender politics I don’t disagree of course. But I will say that women probably appreciated John’s striptease quite a bit! It was a bit humorous to see Priyanka not get half the exposure John did. You know Karan’s in charge!
Satyam,
I agree with your point about successess of films like Dostana.
I personally dont mind movies like DOstana, but I hear what you are saying. And, am always fascinated by the intellecutal honesty of your kind of fans, who dont feel compelled to extoll and defend evrything their fav stars do. Unlike fans of some other stars.
When Akshay does the comedies they’re only ‘crassy’. When SRK does similar things (even if his films are obviously very different there are elements in them… ‘cock’ for ‘coke’ or ‘hole’ for ‘hall’ isn’t comedy that even Akshay could surpass!) it’s suddenly people picking on him. Meanwhile if Aamir just does a little bit there’s the sense that he’s at the same level. Whether one likes KKHH or DDLJ or DTPH or not there was nothing in these films that approached some of the stuff in KHNH or the kind of really low brow comedy in OSO or MHN (a professor constantly spitting? Akshay can’t beat this either!). And now looks like RNBDJ might have some of this stuff.
Take Dostana. I know what the subject is. Many scenes and moments are risque but these go with the subject. But some lines are obscene (not many thankfully but they’re there). So I think it’s not hard to spot the ‘crassy’.
thanks ILG…
Why do the people who seem so smart on the face of it, try to act as though the rest of the world is dumb? What precisely is the issue in these numerous posts? That SRK has not done quality cinema and in fact has only done crass cinema when compared to Aamir or Abhishek? To those who say that, I say give us some proof. And please start from the 1990s; Indian cinema did not come into existence post-Lagaan, much as some would like to believe that. So let us have a list of crass vs. class for these three actors – since ironically Satyam, who was earlier a champion of Akshay, has labeled him more crass, I think we can ignore him. To keep the Hritik fans happy, we can throw him into the mix too. Let us start with risk taking in early careers, and keep going with the quality of films and let us ignore the BO for now as we have been told by the talking heads here that this is about quality and not BO success. If the BO is brought in then let us make sure it goes back to the 1990s.
If Aamir’s Ghajini look is part of the role and his “physical” attributes are also part of the role, and that is why we can excuse him and not call is CRASS, then what is the evidence that the look SRK supports for part of the Rab ne promos is not for the role and material to the story? In the case of Ghajini the story is transparent but do we know what is in store in Rab ne? Plus crass is crass whether for the role or not. We have already given Aamir a pass for agreeing to act in a remake of a ripoff. And we are posting admiring pieces from the original perpetrators of the ripping off. At least with SRK it goes the other way – his films like Main Hoon Naa and Yes Boss are remade in Tamil – he is not the one copying contemporary here. And still we keep talking of Aamir’s fine script sense. Then that is a pass that should be given to all actors who act in ripoffs and remakes. Otherwise we are saying that I have accumulated enough points for good behavior and now I can go rob and steal and it is fine as it could be a one-off deal. And the crassness from Akshay (note that this is NOT my characterization – rather it is Satyam’s) should be equally forgiven. Why is it that we can forgive the two extremes and not what is in the middle?
If SRK made a hype machine out of six-packs in OSO, then did Aamir not make a hype machine out of his hairstyle and mustache in MP? In fact he is trendsetter in hyping looks and making us believe it is some method acting. Even now we can go through NG archives and look at the hype of his bald (?) scarred look in Ghajini, and admiring posts on how it is “inspiring” college students across the country! Then we should be willing to admire SRK for inspiring people to go for six-packs! There are some “trying to be cool looks” in Rab Ne that seem so offensive to some, when it seems amply clear that is merely a small town “wannabe-cool” look. I see no such attempt in Aamir’s looks, which are merely “cool” and trying to copy Hritik and even SRK looks in Break-Free. That brings me to Sumo wrestler scene. In fact such scenes are embedded in old Japanese woodcuts. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi.....o_1851.jpg
Let us not think of the Japanese as respectful Kabuki or Noh-watching people. I have seen Sumo (or Smo as the Japanese would call it) in Tokyo, and it is a rowdy popular enterprise. In any event, do we know the context of that scene?
Which brings me the film that will not go away – that cinematic masterpiece called Kal Ho Naa Ho.
“really low brow comedy in OSO or MHN (a professor constantly spitting? Akshay can’t beat this either!).”
The clash of Gujarat vs Punjab culture that was shown in the film does pick on stereotypes, but it is not like we do have popular jokes on the very stereotypes. Is a spitting professor as bad a peeing leading man? One who pees in almost every film? Or talks of condoms and not changing underwear? If these seem the same level or crass to some, then there is a deep divide in what I see as crass and what some see as crass. Normally I would not bring us any of Akshay’s films – his choice and he has fans who laugh at this stuff – many on NG defend this stuff too. But now that crass is at issue let us not shy away from it.
If SRK is responsible for every component of a film he acts in, and the crassness or copying or homage to grab legacy or whatever, then let us put the same burden on other actors for agreeing to do a Dostana or a Heyy Babyy or a Fanaa or a Ghajini.
whats this massy and crassy stuff
akshay does this sumo act a decade back with khiladi series
aamir looks certainly reminds of abhishek in dostana( with those scarf ) and to hrithik’s look in john player ad but break free lol i never understood how anyway it was a plain imitation itself of certain micheal jackson
Hritik has been imitating Michael Jackson for years, goes so far back that we have now forgotten the original. Akshay did a sumo act – but it was classy and not crassy. Only acts done by SRK are crassy.
really but then why accuse hrithik of being mechanical and robotic in dancing
why accuse akshay of being govinda
Am I accusing Hritik of being mechanical and robotic? In fact I cannot recall even saying that. And am I accusing Akshay of being Govinda? They did similar comedy films but they are poles apart. Fail to see any connection to the argument at hand of Aamir copying looks and looking crass and tacky.
HERE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT PAST COMMENTS AND ARCHIVHES AND BLAME OTHERS BUT THE SAME PEOPLE THEMSELVES HAVE TO LOOK AT ARCHIVE AND PAST COMMENTS WHATS THEIR TAKE ON OTHER STARS
btw bringing hrithik , archives ……break free etc etc is how related to topic in hand is very amusing
btw on topic here i guess no one talked rbnbdj promo as crassy so whats the outcome of discussion here when people are talking about dostana
i guess its related to topic in hand
“In fact, whatever my critique of the contemporary trends, one positive aspect of present-day B’wood is that by making “the male” also available for “ornamentalism” and “objectification”, “the female” is paradoxically liberated”
LOL , I would have missed this in deluge.
Rockstar- you are free to bring out of the archives comments I may have made about Hritik being mechanical.
Saw Dostana…first half was wayyyy better than the second. Two scenes really were knock-out…the scene recalling Venice (the “act” put on by Abhishek and John here was hilarious) and then the “Beedi” song from Omkara scene…
I think Bobby was ok, but he didn’t really “fit” all the surroundings. He was “uncool” whereas everyone was cool.
Humour – well it works in parts and is pretty low and graphic at times. Being caught in awkward positions is very typical…but the Venice scene was more better.
The second half – well its just plain disappointing and slow. How many times do we see a really interesting first half transcend into typical cliches and mushy triangles or quadruples.
I don’t think Priyanka has looked better…everytime Abhishek and John eyeball her you can see why! John was ok IMO, but those opening scenes, the detail was all too much for my eyes. Abhishek was clearly the best here, he got the lions share of the dialogues too but as a goof-ball type he is very funny.
If your a fan of YR/K-Jo, watch it for the second half…come fall in love, because they will make you dance and they will make you cry.
Came back from Dostana night show. My brief thoughts.
KJO is adventurous here and has boldly experimented with the gay theme. Even if technically the film is not about gays, the innuendos and constant inference to gays and their lifestyle has been given a very bold exression for the first time in BW films. Well for the expermiment itself KJO gets a huge applause from me. How the experiment will fare at the BO remains to be seen. The first half is a laugh riot. The second half is extremely ordinary to the point of being monotonous and listless. Abhishek shines with a compelling performance with very good comic timing. John gives good support in performance but is more of a showpiece like Priyanka in terms of good looks and hot bod. Priyanka looks awesome, but must say that she needs to breathe more life into her performances than what she has been delivering of late. I do not see the spark and the zest that she displayed in movies like Aitraaz (her best performace to date) and Mujhse Shaad Karogi. Bobby is the biggest sore point in the film. Wish they had cast someone with more life than Bobby who incidentally comes in a fairly extended cameo. I found the first half equally interesting for some really peppy performances by Boman Irani and Kiron Kher. The latter is a bit OTT but still makes you laugh.
Net net, the film starts on a very bright note but fizzles out post interval for me. Not the best of KJO movies for sure, but the brand KJO is so big overseas that this movie should post pretty good numbers abroad. The best KJO movie to date is KKHH.
I do beleive that the team here gets to share the credit, even tho Abhishek stands out in overall performances, but it is certainly a well deserved hit for Abhi, John and Priyanka.
On a sidenote there was a lot of buzz on RNBDJ trailor during interval and post the ending of Dostana. You could tell from the reactions, people are certainly looking forward to this one. My husband who is not a huge fan of SRK had a first time look at the trailor and commented, “this movie will be a big big hit”. Well that should cheer all SRK fans hopefully. For me the year’s standout BW will still remain Jodhaa Akbar. Very few movies in a long long time have touched me or made such a profound impact on my sensibilities as did this movie. Literally Hritik rose to a different magnitude and scale of height for me with this act. The other films which I have enjoyed this year are mostly HW films, and TDK and QOS feature tops on my list for the year.
That’s all from me for the night.
Blogical Conclusion – Review: Dostana / Dasvidaniya
Bollywood comes out of the closet in a bright comedy that quickly congeals into tedious drama. Plus, “Anand” for the multiplex set.
Neelu: You’ve lost the plot completely.. scarcely know where to begin responding to your long laundry list! Now you’ve added a new one.. Hrithik imitates Michael Jackson..! And sumo wrestling is about Japanese woodcuts! I found this hilarious! And I’m sure you were thinking of these when Akshay was doing this stuff. There’s a limit to supporting a star! What next? SRK’s two looks in RNBDJ are some masterful reinterpretation of a Shakespearean trope?! But my apologies. we have to figure out the ‘context’ of that scene in RNBDJ! I hope I will have had enough education to understand the complexities!
Great piece as always by Rangan…
Jay: I would probably agree with your choice of those two segments as being the very best in the film..
“Neelu: You’ve lost the plot completely.. ” This is the comment of the day for me – Satyam – sometime I wonder, does Neelu have any other work/profession at all? She seems to have too much time on her hands…
Idea: Your first sentence is fine – I mean it’s your prerogative to find something odd in someone’s style of commentary.
But I think the second part is totally personal and you should really avoid it. What neelu or anyone do with their time is completly upto them.
“the innuendos and constant inference to gays and their lifestyle has been given a very bold exression for the first time in BW films”
Yup Julie and Rangan gives a few examples too (like the hotdog scene, the kind of t-shirts they were wearing). However I find these props pretty lame. Anyone can do this kind of stuff – even the dressing room fight or Kirron Kher in that song catching Abh–John in awkward positions. For me the humour was better used in the Venice story and the party where Boman is invited and Abhishek’s mum arrives. When they “act” it out – with all the typical hand and arm gestures, dancing around – the whole theatre was in spits.
I found the climax flat btw. In fact most of the second half was just a snoozefest. Bobby was weak because he didn’t fit the Miami surroundings at all! I guess they were looking for a straight up guy character, I would have gone with someone like Shahid who could at least look like he is fitting into Miami surroundings.
Satyam should first read his own posts, then try to read the answers and comprehend them, then try to respond to some of the points raised. Until then he and Ideaunique can be childish buddies on NG who think others have lost the plot or are in some way accountable to them for the time spent here.
Sandy, thanks – I respect and accept your views. I think I should have avoided both the things together. Sorry to Neelu also.
) means that she has all the time in the world at her disposal – I am impressed and jealous 
…….
But (and this Neelu need not reply / may reply if she wishes) – I am genuinely curious as what a wonderful profession she is in or if she does not need to work at all as she is financially very strong – because the way she dissects each and every post (pun intended and also Not intended
Wonder why srk fans are so touchy on RNBDJ?
To be fair to the movie, the overenthusiastic ‘Haule Haule’ dorky jumping was quite a decent promo. But its gone downhill from there! To call the ‘dance pe chance’ video or the theatrical promo crassy or crude is putting it mildly… its horrible! Accompanied by a album full of lame tracks is the icing on the cake.
Unless the next set of promos show any major improvement …the buzz on this movie will be restricted to touchy fans.
A movie be still be a hit … but the promos hardly promises a decent movie here. And whats wrong with SRK? His so-called ‘cool’ avatar is shockingly poor … wonder when he looked so bad last time?
“At times the humor is really risque, the film is certainly not free of crass Johar-style either”
Absolutely Satyam.Some of the humor were risque and might be offensive to few but again paying public in general especially the younger lot I am sure will love this sort of humor which was in fact pretty evident while watching the movie in the theater.
There is this scene where Priyanka comes in a Bikini on a beach and finds her place in between John and Abhishek and the things follow after that were bit too much.This is fine if are willing to show something about the erotic fantacies of a teenager but com’on two grown up adults behaving like that?!
Abhishek is undoubtedly the best,the saving grace in the movie,the whole “Venice” episode as Jay has pointed out was fantastic,the expressions,body language were just too good.
Som: Like everyone else I agree the first half was definitely superior to the second one. The question is whether Johar gains more of the family audience in the second one who might have been less enthused about the first to account for disappointed younger viewers who loved the first one? That’s the spread we’re looking at!
The problem though is that he couldn’t completely Johar-ise things as the film would have seemed schizoid. On the other hand Bobby was wrong for the role so you’re not invested in his pairing with priyanka reaching a happy conclusion. Johar should have had a proper triangle in the second half with the gags continuing. Would have made for a much better deal. Not sure why they didn’t do this. And this would have enabled them to continue with the situational comedy of the first half.
But it’s clear that Johar really wanted the male pair to end up together and he introduces just a bit of ambiguity in that final scene!
The Hindu review here comments on the two incongruous halves:
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/1.....000200.htm
Saw it yesterday. Looks like winner with audience (90-95% occupancy). Liked some of the humor but some was loud for my taste. Abhishek was good, Priyanka was adequate (of course Gorgeous). John was stiff in some of the scenes. I didn’t find Bobby out of place. His role was probably authored that way. Since there was no interval, I didn’t realize movie ended
. Movie pace slackened when both tried to woo Priyanka.
Saw the movie tonight — it had its moments (and agree with all those who have preferred first half to second), but not even abhishek could make me like this film. He was good here, and had superb comic timing, but I found the movie pretty dumb and some of the humor was really crass. It never ceases to amaze me that some of those who turn their noses at Akshay Kumar films don’t seem to have issues with crude jokes of the sort we have seen in Kal Ho Na Ho, and now much more so in Dostana. On the plus side, the film has its subversive moments, and when it gets it right (the Gabbar Singh joke, for instance) it made me laugh for sure.
Q: It looks like you went with some expectation
ps: Is it possible, definition of crude and crass change in, say next 10 years?
Qalandar – you like Akshay film humor more than the humor in Dostana? Just asking for your personal preference.
For instance – what is your take on Borat? South Park? The “crude” moments in Big Lebowski? Is all “crude” humor identical?
South Park humor is at a different level altogether, please give proper respect to one of the best satirical shows of our times.
Qalandar: Good point on the humor.
On Akshay Kumar incidentally my favorite segment from all his comedies is the one in the initial reels of PHP where he keeps pulling out his 1000 rupee note and offers to pay at each step but of course no one has the change forcing the girl to pay!
Neelu: I do not care for either sort of humor, but I do not consider the Akki sort of humor (throwing a shit-filled diaper in Hey Baby!) to be any cruder than the cock/hole/bum/f*** jokes in kal ho na ho/dostana. The latter film even featured shots of the crack of John Abraham’s ass, a logical culmination of the crude skin shows that have become the norm in Hindi films for years (note: I am objecting to the crudity, not the skin-show).
Neelu: on your second question, the answer is no. i.e. there is a distinction between the sharp satire of a Borat or a South park (caveat: I have only seen a few episodes of South park) and what Johar does (e.g.: in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, one instance of idiotic “humor” is the hero and heroine getting into an argument over girls being able to do anything boys can — at which the hero promptly takes his shirt off; examples from other films have already been mentioned) has no satirical intention (e.g. the “auntie auntie you drive me crazy” moments in Dostana is not satire, but simply taking potshots at soft targets, a la the Tun Tun moments in the black & white era)…
More broadly, the difference between a Dostana and a Borat is that there was no attempt in Dostana to explore homophobia, Indian attitudes towards gay sex, etc. In fact, by setting such a film in an utterly foreign, beach-ish setting, Johar makes it more palatable to Indian audiences, because it underscores an air of unreality and that “out there, sab chalta hai”. By contrast, Borat is often used by its creators to satirize American society…
Couldn’t agree more, Q. I recall the moment in KHNH where they make fun of the neighboring Chinese “competition” – I absolutely cringed at the scene. It seemed to extend from a place of genuine ignorance, and was all the more offensive because the humor didn’t land. And really, I don’t mind crude/crass humor at all – as long as it’s funny. There’s nothing more offensive than a joke that’s not funny!
Q – how about comparing Borat vs. American Pie; South Park vs. Simpsons, Big Lebowski vs. say Dumb and Dumber? I never saw that part of JA’s anatomy
Since when is bum a bad word? I believe it is a euphemism for a ruder word. I think it comes down to this – is constant talk of poop, piss at the same level as sexual innuendo? People may have different responses to this.
OK – saw that response from Q just now and will have a detailed reply later today
“On Akshay Kumar incidentally my favorite segment from all his comedies is the one in the initial reels of PHP where he keeps pulling out his 1000 rupee note and offers to pay at each step but of course no one has the change forcing the girl to pay!”
That scene was straight lift from Jackie shroff’s Paisa Yeh Paisa which released in early 80s