Resolution For The New Year….. No More Yash Raj Film’s For Me

Just recently I read a wonderful article at passionforcinema.com where Phoenixnu writes about why he will not watch any films of Yash Raj this year. Here’s the article….

I know it’s a bit late to make a new year resolution. But as they say, better late that never. I have decided that me not going to watch any more Yash Raj Film movies. Because they make MONEY only. They dont make MOVIES anymore. Why cann’t Aditya Chopra go and do some tel-saboon business instead. He is so good in packaging and marketing.

In recent past even as they delivered shit after shit, i went to the theatres everytime to see whats new every time. May be that whats they call “brand equity” in marketing books. Hum-Tum, Bunty Aur Babli, Salaam Namaste, Neal n Nikki, Dhoom2, Fanaa. The only film which i liked was Kabul Express. Though it wasn’t anything great but decent. Atleast there was something new. Not that candy floss shit all over the place.

Now YRF’s first release of 2007 Tara Rum Pum is ready and the promos are out. It is releasing on 27th of April. Just have a look at the promo and you can make out the whole film. Songs are so bad. No new sound. All formulas that have clicked and so this one should. Same Hum Tum pair. Clothes, their looks, camera angles, foreign locations, mannerisms and camera angles. Everything looks the same. Javed Akhtar’s words never sounded so dumb. Take this…..suppose i ask a kid to write four lines rhyme for a story that deals with a family’s khushi n gham days. And put one condition that the words Tara Rum Pum should fit in somewhere. I am sure, damn sure that the kid will also write the same…. gayenge hum, gungunayenge hum, chahe khushi ho ya gum, tara rum pum, tara rum pum!!! Or some shit liek that. Javed Akhtar has written the same. Give me a break!!! Its supposedly Life is beautiful meets Day of glory!!! Whatever that means. But I am shit bored of this candyfloss. And the sad thing is you know that they will still make money. My take…better watch some F1 racing at home. Will be much better than Saif’s racing n Rani’s rona-dhona.The other releases from YRF this year are Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Chak De India, Laga Chunari Me Daag and Aaja Nachale.

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom is by Shaad Ali, who has made one exact copy (Saathiya) and one crappy film (Bunty aur Babli) so far. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Bobby deol and Lara dutta. Its again a love story. Boy meets girl and because of some reason both  pretend that they already have boyfriend/girlfriend. So u can guess the fun formula there and how they finally live happily ever after. Back to London locations again!!! Supposed to be very high on style and all that. My take…play some nice songs, call ur friends n have some drinks n do some Jhoom Barabaar Jhoom with them instead. I am damn sure that will much more fun.

Chak De India is by Shimit Amin (so some hope there). Stars Shahrukh Khan ( no more  hope anymore) and many new faces including Deepika Padukone. Story ?? A hockey coach trains the women hockey team and they manages to win the world cup hockey. My take…will watch Bend It Like Beckham again. Its more or less similar story told from coach’s point of view.

Laga Chunari Me Daag is by Pradeep Sarkar (again some hope there). Stars Rani Mukherjee, Abhishek Bachchan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kunal Kapoor and Jaya bachchan. Set in small town. Some foreign guys come to shoot a documentary film. Family gets cheated. No money. No izzat. And how Rani Mukherjee handles the whole situation. Moves to big city and discovers herself. If rani mukherjee cries again ( after Baabul…then no more hope). My take…will watch Ritwik Ghatak’s “Meghe Dhaka Tara” all over again. And can do so hundred times for my favourite actor Anil Chatterjee. If u havent seen it yet…do check out.

Aaja Nachale is by cinematographger Anil Mehta. It stars Madhuri Dixit, Konkona Sen Sharma and Kunal Kapoor. It’s inspired by Chocolate. Replace the chocolate with theatre/ naach-gaana. I am very sure that i will break my resolution for this film. Only becuase of Madhuri Dixit. But if they do any tara rum pum, then will stick to my resolution.

Sometimes I wonder if Yash Raj Films needs directors at all for these kind of films. Scratch the surface a bit and you will figure out their formula of 2+2 = 4. Do these directors contribute to the film in any way ? Their point of view ? Their perspective ? I think NO. Yash Raj Films can place a log of wood and put a director’s cap on it and still can shoot everything smoothly, Churning out the same shit again and again.

Will Yash Raj Films ever make a film that will get some space in a film history book ? Deewar, Silsila, Kabhi Kabhi, Kala Patthar, Mashaal, Lamhe and many others. They are all history. And they will always make it to those pages. Or may be only a new chapter will be written for this new era….how chiffon sarees n switzerland made Yash Raj Films superrich and superdumb!!! And Aditya Chopra will surely be remembered for making the worst copy of a hollywood film….Mohabateein from Dead Poets Society!! And somebody said films reflect our society, values and thoughts of that specific era…socio-political situation.

( lot of info about the movies may be not accurate. But me sure the conclusions are more than accurate)

So do you readers echo the same thoughts about Yash Raj Films for this year as Phoenixnu? Are you bored of those stereotypical Yash Raj Films. I am for once not tired. I do not mean that I want to see a Mohabbatein or a Dhoom 2  being made but I will not mind a Dilwale Dulhaniye Le Jaayenge either. After all films are made to transport you to a very different place than where you originally are. So I do not mind their line up oif films for this year. So if Yash Raj can make good films, then they should expect to see me seated in the multiplex watching and admiring every scene of their film.