Jodi bann gayi!

It an occasion for me if I ever enter the premises where the 70 (and now usually 35) mm reel tries to hold on to our attention for 3 long hours.

Self obsession apart, Am eager to write about something that has come to me as a reason to cheer and feel happy about.

Another reason to write is the flood of negative e reviews and thumbs down I got before watching it. Shahrukh & the DDLJ director (that’s what Aditya is for me) were enough of a reason to head back on my own will to cinema hall after almost 7 years. And this is not an exaggeration.

Getting back to the point, in direct words, Surinder Sahni is simply me, like he is anyone amongst crores of us who LIVE a LIFE in India. He desires like me, like us.

Rab ne bana di Jodi is a tale love in practical terms

He needs love like us. He wants happiness for his love like we would want. He speaks like us.

All through the 3 hours that I sat, I just waited to see when Sahni finally wins Mrs. Sahni.

I expected lots of sub-ploys before they were unfolded but I didn’t believe they would actually come out to be true. I never knew Sahni would himself cleverly judge the entire episode. I never expected him to ‘test’ his wife by making RAJ propose to her. Mrs.Sahni’s initial decision to run away with Raj was not expected by me but then I believed…after all she didn’t love her husband.

This whole criticism about Shahrukh’s obvious similar looking twin appearances can be done by ONLY those who went and saw ONLY Shahrukh Khan in the jodi.

Those who saw Surinder ji, can never identify him with Raj. Taani has never spared an extra thought for her husband, who only faces him at the dinner and even then she is looking at her food mostly. A girl who NEVER got time to be with her husband, never even shared the same room with him and who has just lost her lover can not be expected to know or even dream about Surinder ji and then….Surinder ji as Raj.

The quite, sober, always head down, slowly walking Surinder ca never be a flamboyant, extrovert, munh-phattcan be compared according to me. Raj. So they

(The I has to come because I want to tell)

The climax really hooked me throughout as I couldn’t stop laughing at Surnder ji dancing in his sports shoes and loose fitting trousers and ‘specks’. But that HAD TO BE the real test.

Few scenes, like the bike and gol gappe vaala didn’t have any logic in them but then, why do we go to watch a movie? Because that’s the fantasy we wish to live.

For those who are critical of Shahrukh must watch this one as you will observe how much effort has gone into being ‘Raj’ and also ‘Sahni’. I personally believe that there are better actors than Sharukh but there is only one superstar and that’s Shahrukh. Comedy hasn’t come so easy to him. But in these 3 hours he will make you smile even in tears. And that’s not so like Shahrukh.

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le jayenge has always been my all time favourite and not even Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi can surpass it, but with this film Shahrukh has taken a leap like Chak De…at least for me.

On a technical note, I really liked the cinematography. Ravi has used Jib and Crane shots at a lot of occasions up to their optimum use. The dollies used to slowly take us closer to the actors, effectively made us feel for him.

Anushka, with her simple make up and almost one hair style throughout looks beautiful and real and believable. Though her Phulkari suits were little overdone as not even an Amritsari mutteyar wears them so often.

This extraordinary story of an ordinary jodi has been a prefect blend of the real us decorated with some fantasy robe.

I escaped speaking about few other drawbacks but here my motive is only to make people watch the positive side as well….

At the end, I didn’t have to think much but I was HAPPY, CHEERED AND ELATED AND the goal was achieved.

Love you, Shahrukh!!!