Review - Ta Ra Rum Pum: Pacy and colorful fun - at least for kids

Posted on 2 Jul 2009 by meetu in Hindi Movies, Sports, Kids, Melodrama, Family, Romance

Running time: 165 minutes

Quick Review

Rating: Catch on DVD for sure (rating scale)

Children finally have something worthwhile to occupy themselves with in the summer vacations - well, at least for three hours. Parents won't have a bad time either, especially if they don't mind the formula combination of action and songs. Nothing out-of-ordinary from the performances or the script but an easy one-time watch nevertheless.

All that glitters is not gold. It can also be silver or bronze. And these metals have their own charm. So Ta Ra Rum Pum glitters with the extravagant locales and the extra bright reds and blues, which don't necessarily add value to the art form that cinema is. But, it does manage to tell a regular story in a style that warms the heart.

Thinking about the movie two hours after having left the theater, the first thing that comes to mind is the car races. They are timed well and executed even better. However, I would have liked more aerial shots and fewer close-ups. Who wants to see a sweaty Saif Ali Khan? Only the face shows through a helmet, gals! The races and broad story-line did remind me a lot of Naya Daur (1957), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992), Cars (2006).

The next thing that comes to mind are the two cutely picturised songs. "Ab to forever" didn't necessarily have the most complicated dance moves, but structured choreography interspersed with normal dancing made it a delight to watch. "tara ra rum pum, ta ra rum pum" is by far the best picturised kids' song after "akdam bakdam" from Hanuman (2005). The lyrics in general, and specifically of "Saiyaan", restore my faith in Jaaved saahab after the Namastey London (2007) debacle. Which leaves us with the two romantic tracks. Those are reminiscent of songs from the late 80s-early 90s and thus didn't quite fit in with the rest of the movie.

Were the songs required, you ask? Have you seen the promos, dear? No? The newspaper ads with the producer's name on it? Okay-you at least know the title of the movie, right? Then, what kind of a question is that!? I seriously think the movie was named as such because they came up with that kids' song first.
They did not even bother to use the perfectly valid excuse they had - Rani Mukherjee plays a singer.

We have seen Rani Mukherjee have marital tiffs with Vivek Oberoi (Saathiya (2002)), Shah Rukh Khan (Chalte Chalte (2003)), Abhishek Bachchan (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006)). Now it is Saif Ali Khan's turn. It's pretty much the same Rani here. The same Rani that makes you shut your ears when she shrieks while playing a 20 year old and warms your heart when she plays her age. Again, Saif Ali Khan does nothing path-breaking. But he sticks to the genre and doesn't go overboard.

The children give an endearing performance. At times though, Angelina Idnani (Princess) was given dialogues that were too mature for her. The voiceover especially was certainly overkill. Their characters and situation looked like it was heavily drawn from Itni Si Baat (1981), Life Is Beatiful (1997). Someone I would have loved to see more of, would be Jaaved Jaaferi. Why wasn't he allowed to shake a leg or two? At least they gave him the best lines that he delivered with his "Videocon Flashback" style.

Everything was just about average, acting, direction, screenplay, story, editing (it could very well have been cut short by a good 15-20 minutes). But, while I scoffed every time I was asked to suspend my disbeliefs, the scene was accompanied by a shade of creativity that kept me entertained. And gradually, without realizing it, I was rooting for R V (Saif) and didn't care how many cinematic liberties the director would have to take to make this end happily ever after. So, somewhere along the line the characters and plot touched a soft spot and I didn't want bad things to happen to them.

Whether it is indeed a feel good movie or not you will have to check out for yourself. I would wait for the video if I didn't have to review this one. But if you are in the mood for well-shot car races and sweetly picturised songs, don't miss it in the theaters, and take the kids along.

Correction: Earlier I mentioned "Shakalaka Boom Boom" instead of "Namastey London" in the third paragraph. Indeed, the lyrics of Shakalaka Boom Boom are written by Sameer. Thanks, Charles Foster Kane aka Antonio Ricci, for pointing it out. Apologies readers!

- meetu, a part of the audience

Parental Guidance

Cast & Crew

External Reviews

Notepad

Detailed Ratings:

Direction:
Story:
Lead Actors:
Character Artists:

Dialogues:
Screenplay:
Music Director:
Lyrics: