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Every batsman or a bowler does not always perform to his full potential. SHAANDAAR by Vikas Bahl lives true to this sporting truth. You can resonate better with the statement ‘Past performance is no guarrantee for future perfiormance’ after watching Shaandaar. After 145 minutes you want to know what was the director wanting to make .
In Shaandaar, from te first frame the audience is one step ahead of the writer and the director. Maybe the director knows that and hence does not attempt to answer quite a few unsolved mysteries. It is absolutely no fun when the punch line is already rining in your head befor the joke starts.
The better ( there is no best ) part of Shaandaar is Shahid- Alia chemistry. It holds the film. They are a great pair to watch. With Alia innocent act and Shahid naughty eyes there is a playfulness. It s this which holds you back enough to endure the 145 minutes duration.
Ok, do here is the movie for you. Insomaniacs Alia ( Alia Bhatt) meets Insomamnic Jagjinder Joginder ( Shahid) during her fat sister’s destination wedding. The wedding is actually a business deal between her ‘Arora’ family and ‘Fandwani’ family. Enough for the director to consider it a story for a movie. Add on that the ever dominting mother, a designer Gay Chachu, the younger Fandwani- wh is the bridegroom. Play around, joke around, write dialogues at the location and at the end deliver a moralistic coaching moment. Just to make the femminist smile.
Sanah Kapur, the real sister of Shahid plays the bride in the business deal destination wedding. She adds some freshness to this expired situation and script ( if there was any).
Pankaj Kapoor as Bipin Arora does another act of his that we have seen in all its vignetts. Pankaj 
needs to demonstrate to the newer generation as to why he is respected. Sushma Seth as Kamla Arora the dictatorial grand mother again fails. Maybe that’s the stereotyped role which needs her to screams. Robin as Diljit Dosanjh the bidegroom better stay away form any thing that calls for acting. Sanjay Kapoor as Harry Fandwani the leder brother of the bridegrrom is wasted. Anyway he never claimed to be an actor.
Overall, most of the characters are loud and over the top. Which makes Shaandaar a good destination wedding Album for some wedding planners portfolio. But definietly not a Shaandaar movie.
There are two good peppy numbers. Gulabo and Raita Fhail Gaya. They are good to listen to. Honesty while you listenned to ‘Raita’ on FM, you saw the potential. Another case where audience een short changed.
SHAANDAAR may still pass the audience test. There is no film worth talking during the long weekend. The fact remains that the hall was full and there was enough laughter from younger generation.
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ADD-on- ONE
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Just to be sure of audience pull, a bikini shot of Alia Bhatt is included. Everyone who has seen the movie will agree it was not a demand of the story. Moreover, when titles roll out at the end. You see two visual boxes. One on the bottom left of the screen trying to engage you with interesting behind the scenes. And the other one is where you etyes are glued. The much brighter visual box on right and top corner. Here Alia keeps taking off her jeans like a GIF image and stands in full glory in her bikini. Well she looks pretty. But I did not get why 36 was her favourite number. It did seem unlikley. Soocho. t’s a
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ADD-on TWO
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Here is another mushy mushy one. Pankaj Kapoor sketches dreams on small sheets and gives them to isonamiac Alia. They are moving sketches on paper . I noted that I must update my digital knowledge and check this technology out. She saves them for a day when she will be able to sleep. It is silly and stupid. If you are in advertising you could see where it is inspired from. The famous origami wrapper film.
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The trailer is better than the movie. And to save time and effort, in case you have missed it- see it here
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Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Pankaj Kapoor, Sanah Kapur, Sanjay Kapoor, Sushma Seth Director: Vikas Bahl
