Rab Ne Bana De Jodi sweeps the nation

Yash Raj Films reeling under the impact of a series of setbacks in 2007-2008 is all set to make a grand comeback with his latest big-time release Rab Ne Bana De Jodi.

In spite of the terror attacks two weeks ago and the downward curve in Yash Raj's recent image, the film had a massive opening which is expected to get better over the weekend and past it.

Roshan Singh a leading exhibitor of Bihar sums up the unexpected euphoria surrounding the latest Shah Rukh Khan starrer. "It's opened to full houses, the best opening I've had for a Yash Raj Film in the last two years. I should know, because my theatre screens all the Yash Raj films in Patna. People love the film. Nobody expected Rab Ne... to be such a sweet love story. Shah Rukh as an ordinary small- town guy proves he is truly the king. And the new girl Anushka is a revelation."

What's working for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is the working-class ambience.The film delineates the dreams and aspirations of ordinary people.

"And the whole idea of putting the couple into a dance reality-show is a stroke of genius. Audiences immediately identify and connect with this new medium of getting famous overnight," says Roshan Singh.

In Mumbai, the responses on Friday ranged from exceptional to very very good. Said the Singh Is Kinng producer Vipul Shah, "I'm not surprised by the warm welcome that the film has got. After 26/11 Mumbai needed a feel good film. And the Shah Rukh-Aditya Chopra combination after eight years....Their last film together was Mohabbatein. I was really looking forward to the film. We don't get a film from the team that gave us Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge that easily."

With the heartening opening of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi the industry reeling under the twin impact of a recession and 26/11 can breathe easy.

The best reaction to the film's opening came from film's director Aditya Chopra and leading man Shah Rukh Khan's best friend Karan Johar in New York. "Rab Ne Bana Di will prove once and for all that the Adi-Shah Rukh jodi is god sent."

Don't 'Rab' that combo the wrong way.

Thumbs up to Shah Rukh's 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'

A cinema hall here resonated with the sound of applause as soon as superstar Shah Rukh Khan made his entry in 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'. It continued, reaching a crescendo towards the end of the film.

The film is a hit, the audience and members of the film fraternity say.

'It is a super duper hit', 'Shah Rukh looks so good', 'The songs are great' were just a few of the reactions of those who managed to see the first show of the film Friday.

Retired Major-General Jasbir Lacshar and his wife Triptinder watched the film and both of them felt it is a 'very clean movie'.

'You can go and watch it with your family. The movie is too good. I think it is exceptionally well-made. The overall packaging of the movie is also excellent,' Jasbir Lacshar said.

Set in Amritsar, 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' is the story of a mismatched couple played by Shah Rukh and newcomer Anushka Sharma and how the two of them find love in the backdrop of a dance competition.

The film is Shah Rukh's first release of the year. Apart from this, it is the first Shah Rukh Khan-Aditya Chopra film in over eight years. They had last collaborated for 'Mohabbatein' in 2000.

'Rab Ne?' saw a massive opening despite the recent Mumbai terror attack and the business for the film is expected to get better over the weekend.

Roshan Singh, a leading exhibitor in Bihar, told IANS: 'The film has opened to full houses in the cities, the best opening we have had for a Yash Raj Film in the last two years. People have loved the film. Nobody expected 'Rab Ne?' to be such a sweet love story.'

According to Singh, what's working best for the film is the very fact that it is about an ordinary man.

'The film delineates the dreams and aspirations of ordinary people. And the whole idea of putting the couple into a dance reality show is a stroke of genius. Audiences immediately identify and connect with this new medium of getting famous overnight,' he explained.

People from all walks of life have loved the film.

'This is a super duper hit movie and Shah Rukh Khan has proved that he is the real King,' said 22-year-old Gurmeet Singh, a college student.

For Lalita Tripathi, 20, the film was completely 'paisa-vasool' (worthwhile). 'For a change, Shah Rukh has not overacted and he looks very good,' she said.

The response to newcomer model-turned-actor Anushka Sharma is also positive.

While exhibitor Roshan Singh said she is a 'revelation', Neeraj Chauhan, a film buff, felt she has acted very well.

'The way she has danced, it seems as though she is a thorough professional,' said Chauhan.

Filmmaker Vipul Shah of 'Singh Is Kinng' fame says he is not surprised by the warm welcome to the film, as 'after 26/11, Mumbai needed a feel-good film'.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi - Movie Review

Well, to start off with, Aditya Chopra spells yet another poignant dimension of pure love as in his previous ventures with SRK; DDLJ and Mohabattein. Yeah! These tales were retentive impressing everyone from 8-80yrs old men and women. Of course, we fell in love getting imbibed with those spellbinding personations in these flicks. So, guess what about Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi – a film that brings back sensational pair SRK-Aditya together after 8yrs? Does the film exceed everyone's expectations on 'Love' n 'Entertainment' factors? Or merely conks out dashing down our hopes?

Hats off to Aditya Chopra! An awesome motif of delineating a touching story of romance...

Have you ever stopped to think if the most ordinary, uninteresting, unobtrusive man you might see on the road or around you might have a love story to tell?

Maybe not! How can an ordinary man have a breathtaking, goose flesh igniting, awe inspiring love story of all things to tell?

But guess what - love does not differentiate between the ordinary and exceptional, the uninteresting and interesting, the unattractive and attractive. Because love knows no distinction. It can happen to anyone and once it does it engulfs us into it completely and gives us those heaven-sent experiences that only love can yield.

Perhaps, everything in fine and good with the one-liner…. But Aditya Chopra fails in crafting a gripping narration all throughout the show. A flimsy screenplay lacking finesse with bits and pieces of discontinuities and these attributes easily scatters audiences' attention. The best illustration goes with SRK's ducky actresses shaking legs with him for 'Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte' on theatre screen. It's completely odd for that situation and possibly, the sequences could've been switched over to latter half as a 'special round in Dance show'. Was it an attempt to deliver a replica of 'Om Shanthi Om' song of film stars dancing together?

The film is about Surinder Sahni (Shahrukh Khan) - a simple, clean hearted, honest man working for Punjab Power, leading a humdrum life, when he meets his total opposite and finds love in the flamboyant, fun-loving, vivacious -Taani (Anushka Sharma) for whom the whole world is her canvas and she paints her own life with the colours of rainbow all until unforeseen circumstances changes it all and brings them together. Sooner, its biggest dance show in Amritsar and Surinder coiffes himself as Raj what he calls 'Macho Chap'… He does it all to impress his girl Taani and what's next?

It's a journey filled with laughter, tears, joy, pain, music, dance and a lot of love. A journey that makes us believe that there is an extraordinary love story in every ordinary jodi.

The first half dawdles with sluggish narration until earlier minutes to pre-interval where SRK's soliloquy with statue takes on emotional quotients. Well, the latter half comprises of few enjoyable moments like Anushka racing on her bike with 'Dhoom Machale' on BCM and next ultimate shot of Vinay Pathak-SRK at garage.

It's a crème de la crème performance by Shah Rukh Khan as he emotes resplendently on all situations. Be it his make-over sequences adjusting his tight jeans in dance class or the performance in penultimate minutes, King Khan is awe-inspiring. A flawless performance by debutant Anushka Sharma and of course she eclipses Shah Rukh on many parts. What to say about Vinay Pathak? He's over-the-top and more emblazons to the screen. He strides sparkling smiles on our lips with his wiggeries and soaks our eyes as he gets emotional. Don't miss the great dance of SRK-Vinay for the original tune of 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'. Its emotional outbursts from every characterization that turns entire spotlights on RNBDJ…

Aditya's innovative thought is laudable on certain parts like Shah Rukh laying rose next to food and again placing it vase, pictorial of Anushka's face for the song 'Tuj Mei Rab Diktha Hai' and entire Amritsar being lit up, 'I Love You' deserves grand round of applause. Fine! Young lads and missies would hail with praise worthy comments for Adhi's ideation. Both SRK and Anushka swallowing Pani Purees followed by abrupt sequence where he has to finish of delicious Biriyani are evokes laughter.

Nevertheless, the biggest flaw is that how come a woman fails to recognize her husband with a slight-make over…. The characters of Surindar and Raj differ merely with thin moustache, hair style and costumes. Both the characters have same voice sans any modulations….

What barricaded Aditya's cognizance while dropping these lines on his paper? Indeed, it's a billion dollar question.

Ravi K Chandran's cinematography enhances visual quality and his placement of creative angles deserves special attention. The duo Salim-Sulaiman seems to have not percolated a lot for background scoring. It's again the pieces of existing numbers in album tuned and they sway on all songs.

Possibly, 'Haule Haule' and 'Dance Pe' peaked with high-promos prior to release. For sure, both the versions of 'Tuj Mei Rab Dikta Hai' capture your senses with beauteous visualizing. 'Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte' fails to make it big despites grand set decorations, costumes and top-charting actresses with SRK. Ritesh Soni's editing especially on 'Dancing Jodi' at the climax is mind blowing... Choreography by Vaibhavi and Shiamak are sumptuously ne plus ultra…

On the whole, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is enjoyable on many parts with fun, frolic, lots of music and dance, pains and emotions.

SRK returns with Rab Ne Ban Di Jodi

Shah Rukh Khan's not just taking a chance with his dancing abilities but the mood of the audiences too. The sole film featuring the star in 2008 Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi which has not had the usual publicity drive releases today.

The actor feels that the film's fate is in the hands of God. "Adi (Aditya Chopra) and I feel that God has made this film, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is controlled by rab (God). We are strong believers of God. We think rab will take care of it and the people who go to watch it. We just want them to smile in this time of depression," he said.

With a sombre mood in the country post the terror attacks producers hope that SRK's presence will attract the audiences back to the theatres.

"People are really looking forward to this movie because number one Shah Rukh Khan is coming back after more than a year. Number two people really want to go out now. We feel that Friday, Saturday, Sunday will be great for this film, 75 per cent tickets have already gone for the weekend," said Alok Tandon, Chief Operating Officer, Inox.

"It has the promise, it has the potential of becoming a big hit. Obviously one will have to wait for the first show and how audiences react to it and how many people actually walk to the ticket window and buy tickets," said Anand Vishal, Vice President, Marketing, Fun Cinemas.

While in Delhi too, cinema halls bearing the brunt of low revenues in the past few weeks have a reason to celebrate.

"We were waiting for this movie and now it has finally arrived. I think it will be a revival from the drought that we have been facing for the past two-three weeks. The demand is very high and I think our weekend will be all sold out," said Amitabh Vardhan, CEO, PVR Limited, New Delhi.

As a parched film industry awaits a hit all eyes rest on the fate of Rab Ne and Ghajini, which follows suit.