just watch it!
... View MoreFanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.
... View MoreEach character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
... View MoreAn old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
... View MoreThis movie is right up there with "Dosti" as my favorite Suneel Darshan movie (though very different from "Dosti"), perhaps even better. I would give it an 8.5/10. Darshan retains his well-honed emotional sensibilities at key effective moments, as well as his trademark ear for good music and his belief in songs being integral in telling the story of a movie. But he tones down the melodrama a lot, uses a new editing style that is neither too hip nor too dated, and substitutes the cooler sound of Himesh Reshammiya for the slower Nadeem-Shravan of his previous movies. He also gets fairly good performances out of a mostly new, but talented, star cast. The story in the movie is different, not yet another rehashed love story or rehashed action plot or rehashed family melodrama -- inspired by, but not slavish to or merely copying, the movie "Amadeus." The power play in the music industry portrayed here is both gripping and, to me, believable. One can see parallels in the story to real life in the way certain directors or stars become blacklisted in the Hindi film industry and its associated media because of fear of someone's No. 1 status being taken away by superior new talent, or perceived humiliations and slights. I think Darshan himself may relate to that struggle, as he finds himself seemingly cast aside as old guard, and so too from another angle might many of the young actors, who do fine work in this movie, relate as their work is ignored for the latest SRK/Akshay/Salman/Saif retread which has way better publicity (but don't misunderstand me, I like those actors too, and I don't think all of their movies are retreads). This genuineness of the theme, and the likely relevance of the movie to the people making it, are part of what makes the movie work so well.Further, the movie is not typical Bollywood in being gray-shaded. Neither of the two lead male characters is wholly sympathetic or wholly villainous. It's hard to say who I rooted for more and who I rooted for less. They were both wrong. The ending is probably a just one for the characters involved though.Don't get me wrong, this movie is an entertainer, and a star vehicle for Upen Patel and Bobby Deol, with the trademark Suneel Darshan emphasis on songs telling a story -- it's not a social commentary! It doesn't claim to be a "Page 3", and it certainly isn't! But I just think the story is a worthy one.As mentioned before already in this review, the songs propel the story forward. For example, Bobby's character AJ sees Upen's character Reggie for the first time in the picturization for "Dil Lagayenge," and the seeds of both appreciation for Reggie's talent and jealousy/insecurity form there; the same picturization also introduces (tastefully) the fact that Reggie and Celina Jaitley's character Sheena have a sexual relationship. My favorite song and favorite picturization, "Thade Vaste", is perhaps less important in propelling the story, but establishes Reggie's love and respect for both his father (played by Anupam Kher in a short, but effective appearance) and for Ruhi, which we keep in mind despite Reggie's later actions when angry and bitter.Acting: The acting of Bobby Deol in his part-sympathetic, part-villainous role is great -- believable throughout, and mostly subtle but with some good "villain faces", as one follows his transformation from well-meaning to embittered and vengeful. Upen Patel is good for a newcomer, and improves steadily as the movie progresses. He seems kind of one-note-arrogant and a little scummy looking at the beginning, but in the second half displays a wide range from the expressive exuberance of "Thade Vaste" to the subtle heartbreak of "Namumkin", and is especially effective when his character is sick, portraying his illness and passion for music and gratitude to AJ. His best scene is probably when his character apologizes to AJ. Patel is also a great dancer, which was already evident in his previous movie "36 China Town." Kangana Ranaut does fine in her first glamorous, commercial role, particularly when she is concerned for Reggie or standing up to him to try to get him to see sense, and also in the songs. Celina Jaitley makes an impact as a powerful and sexy businesswoman, despite having few scenes. The supporting actors are also good.There are lots of effective scenes in the movie -- from the opening where someone is putting a CD into a player (right away you know it's not the same old Suneel Darshan movie) and the bouncy credits sequence, to the mysterious opening with AJ staring down his guru, to, after a bit of a lull, Upen arriving on scene with "Dil Lagayenge," the first of several effective song picturizations, to the humiliation of AJ in the studio, to the hilarious sequence where Ruhi thinks Reggie is a serial killer stalking her, to Reggie's dad's parting speech to him at the airport about needing to apologize for bitter words (so well acted by Anupam Kher), to Reggie's drunk scenes, to Ruhi's departure, to Reggie's composition while ill, to hospital scenes, to AJ in a dream version of Hell attacked by demons (pretty good special effects!), and yes, even a horrifying disco ball scene.The ending is abrupt but is probably just, and leaves you thinking.I only have a few complaints. A subplot with the music mogul's wife having an affair with AJ is only half-developed. The US setting is not that convincing. Some friend characters are not developed. And, I wish we had seen more of the characters' families than just Reggie's dad -- he brought an immediate reassuring typical Bollywoodish family touch when he showed up briefly in the second half (but I guess it worked to have not much family in that sense).Anyway, overall, awesome movie! A must for Suneel Darshan, Bobby Deol, or Upen Patel fans!
... View MoreAj (Bobby Deol) wants to rule the music industry. He is, however, successful in convincing himself to become a successful musician. Because he has the capability and thought he wants some more. With full confidence , he decided to step out and goes to sing more songs to make himself more popular. Reji (Umen Patel) comes into his way, and started to condemn Aj's music and said he can sing more better than Aj. He even snatch away Aj's sweet heat Rohi Parker. But Aj straight his mind to one thing, music, that was his life. And he would go to any extent to become a popular musician, if he have got to destroy Reji for that. Shakalaka Boom Boom is the convincing part of music & it will always remain so.
... View MoreMost people get the luxury of typing in the title of a film, and finding out about the film before watching it but unfortunately I've just never been one of those kind of people. I wouldn't even read the synopsis for fear of spoilers but there are two sides to that because if you ignore such warnings and even give a film a chance after it has flopped in theatres, you're entering at your own risk and might just end up with a bad taste in your mouth which is exactly how I feel about this stupid movie.Honestly, the only thing good about Shakalaka-Crap-Crap are some of it songs (and seriously excluding the title track). Even the ever promising Kangana Renaut's talent (Metro, Gangster, Woh Lamhe) is seriously wasted here as she plays Ruhi, the woman who has captured the attention of both the leading male characters played by Bobby Deol (who plays A.J. a rootless music producer) and Upen Patel (who plays Reggi, an upcoming artist who crosses A.J.'s path). Celina Jaitley provides the right amount of OOMPH required of a socialite who gets jilted by Reggi (whom she helped get his foot in the record industry's door). This doesn't sound like a mix or movie that should include Anupam Kher right? Well, you're wrong because he's in it as Reggi's father (another wasted talent).The film might not have been so bad had their not over-killed the writing behind Deol's character. The moral message was too preachy (revenge had a deadly dark side) and the ending was way too overblown that it will make you wonder why you sat down to such a foolish movie in the first place. Truly, this is the epitome of crap.
... View MoreThis movie is one of the worst movie i have ever seen in my life! i waste my time on this. I watched this movie completely as i took it a punishment for me. I wonder how Suneel Darshan could make such a movie? it doesn't have any continutity. It feels he just shoot scenes and then joined them in some editing software!!! Music is of course good but the film doesn't need so many unwanted songs. Kangana Ranaut looks fake and I wonder what role does Celina Jaietly has in the movie? Bobby deol is good. at least he can act! Upen Patel needs to take some acting lessons rather than taking off his shirts in almost all the scenes! The end was the most pathetic!I watched Shakalaka Boom Boom after watching "300" (the movie), you guys can really imagine what i felt about this bollywood movie. I really respect bollywood but please directors and producers, get real, not everything is fantasy!
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