Bodyguard
wogma rating: Switch channels if it's on cable (?)
For once, a film made me wish it didn't have a story and was the usual Salman Khan "cool". That, at least I'm prepared for. The attempt at putting in sorry, convoluted twists just kill whatever other fun you could have had.
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"More of the same" I can whine and cry my heart out, but some Salman Khan enthusiasts can dance with joy at the prospect of watching "more of the same" from him. Movies such as these are beyond reviews and opinions for die-hard fans.
But the Salman-cynic in me has something to look forward to. Yes, you read that right. One, I liked Salman's last film, Ready a lot more than I expected to (that's not saying much, even so). So who knows, I might just find something to like in the film. For example, Kareena Kapoor can be pretty good at comic timing if the director wishes so.
Also, usually no one expects a story from a film in this genre of action comedy. But, I was surprised by this still that tells a story by itself.
You can tell that Salman Khan is nervous and Kareena Kapoor is pretty amused by this nervousness. It tells me that I can look forward to some decent acting too.
Don't worry, these little things won't make my hopes too high. Because for every positive thing that I can come up with, the trailer surely has something that will make me roll my eyes.
"mujhpar ek ehsaan karna, ki mujhpar koi ehsaan na karna" (Do me a favor, that you never do me a favor.) Are you trying to confuse me so well that I don't know whether to do you a favor or not? (For the uninitiated, that is a Dabangg)
Anyway, I think this one will be another festival for Salman Khan fans and for non-believers like me, there might just be a thing here and a thing there to keep us amused. If not, it's always fun to be amongst a bunch of people who love their Salman Khan films.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Bodyguard's last half hour constantly reminded me of a Chinese curse.
May your wish be granted.
I had wished for a story in a Salman Khan film and I got it. And there was so much story stuffed into those 30 minutes that I was praying for it to be over. And it refused, as if taunting me, "you wanted story, you take story! And here take some more."
Fortunately, maybe, all is not lost for Salman Khan fans. There are at least three action packed sequences with slick moves. But somehow, a lot of the credit will be taken by the camera and editing for the "coolness".
The rest of the time though, he plays the squeaky clean, Lovely Singh. The romance he's involved in drags forever and has a climax that you can laugh out your heart at - not in a good way. And the exact same laughter is brought about every time Salman Khan breaks into a song. No rhyme, no reason, just been a while since the audience has seen Salman Khan move his muscles, so let's edit a song in. The supposedly comic scenes on the other hand barely bring a smile or two. At other times, they bring cringes, especially when the "comic relief" side-kick comes on screen.
The one thing that I found amusing above all is that Salman Khan is being played around at the hands of a woman. Otherwise, usually the women are thrown around as if they have no brains and are helpless at the hands of their men. That doesn't mean Kareena Kapoor gets a chance to have a pathbreaking performance. She does her usual pretty-young-thing bit, only she gets a little more screen time than otherwise accorded to a non-Salman-Khan in a Salman Khan film.
Usually, for a film where only the star of the film matters, I have a disclaimer that the review doesn't apply to the star's fans. But, I doubt even hardcore Salmaniacs will enjoy Bodyguard either. The star however is confident as ever and has a "I can get away with anything" attitude.
A dialogue in the film goes, "tumhaari nazar mein tum hero, hamari nazar mein hum hero" (According to you, you are the hero. According to me, I am the hero). Who would have thought a Salman Khan film could be introspective.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...a simple, but captivating story with a dramatic twist in the tale... full review
Thumbs up, by Charu Mahesh, Buzz in Town : ...est assured you’ll get to witness undiluted Salman mania right from his dhamakedar dialogues, soft romance to a shirtless moment too! ... full review
Thumbs up, Daily Bhaskar : ...Salman, Kareena and Siddique serve a good Eid biryani for the audience by blending romance, action and comedy.... full review
Thumbs up, by Nupur Barua, fullhyd.com : ...Kareena Kapoor looks good in her Manish Malhotra clothes. She does the best she can in a male-oriented film, but, surprisingly, the story revolves more around her than the hero. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...It's Salman all the way with Kareena Kapoor bringing in the brilliance of Geet from JAB WE MET.... full review
Thumbs up, by Somak Basu, Gomolo.in : ...The always 'no-bakwaas', silent, sweet & tough in times Lovely Singh showed some guts and attitudes which are like the very first time in Bollywood.... full review
Thumbs up, by Komal Nahta, koimoi : ...Salman Khan lives the character of Lovely Singh. He looks like a million bucks and acts very efficiently.... full review
Thumbs up, by Satyen K Bordoloi, Now Running.com : ...Debutante Rajat Rawail provides comic relief to the film not just with his antics but also the funny messages on his t-shirts like '6 Pack Coming Soon' pasted over his fat belly.... full review
Thumbs up, by Ankit Ojha, Planet Bollywood : ...Realistic, beautifully portrayed and well-etched, this movie ends up being a sensitive love story, with all other ingredients acting like subplots that only make this movie more marketable to a more universal audience. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Bhavikk Sangghvi, Planet Bollywood : ...Raj Babbar is effective while Mahesh Manjrekar and Aditya Pancholi play their part sincerely. Chetan Hansraj and Mohan Kapoor merely fill the gap. Asrani is wasted. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Ruchi Mehta, Roochster : ...Now the music of the film I think is decent. I really like the song ‘I love you’ and even ‘TerI meri’ is melodious.... full review
Thumbs up, by K N Gupta, SmasHits.com : ...The script does justice to the two lead players - Salman and Kareena.... full review
Thumbs up, by K K Rai, STARDUST : ...a good entertaining flick for the masses.... full review
Thumbs up, Zee News : ...he first half of the film flows smoothly while the second half grips you with its unexpected twists. ... full review
So-So, by Naresh Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice : ...a treat for Salman fans... full review
So-So, by Smita, Desi Martini : ...Salman all the way and only he saves the day! ... full review
So-So, by Rachit Gupta, Filmfare : ...The only other good thing about this film is Rajat Rawail’s printed Tees with messages like ‘I’m in shape. Round is a shape’ (made hilarious by the fact that Rajat’s as big as a Sumo wrestler).... full review
So-So, by Shubha Shetty-Saha, MiD DAY : ...Sadly, Aditya Panscholi and Mahesh Manjrekar are relegated to being a little more than petty extras.... full review
So-So, Movie Talkies : ...Raj Babbar is uniformly hammy in all scenes, while Hazel Keech is content to hang around in the background in most of her scenes with Kareena.... full review
So-So, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...Isn't it objectionable that a mother tells her twisted love-story to her son through a diary. ... full review
So-So, by Gaurav Malani, Times of India : ...What still works in the film's favour is that, unlike most overblown Salman Khan capers, Bodyguard doesn't go slapstick in humour, loud in attitude or crass in conduct.... full review
Thumbs down, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...It may earn many more crores than before, but for me its like playing with the innocent loyalty of your millions of fans. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Amrita Tanna, Bolly Spice : ...although fitting to the season and celebration of Eid, may find it hard to create and leave a mark with the audiences.... full review
Thumbs down, by Rony D'Costa, Desi Martini : ...Bawdy Guard ... full review
Thumbs down, by Aniruddha Guha, DNA : ...Even Salman Khan can't save this Bodyguard... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Deosthalee, Film Impressions : ...The most important creative decision the writer/director of a Salman Khan film has to take is how to tear his character's shirt off in the most dramatic fashion possible. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times : ...Here's what this film's super-star should do next. Pick up, remake every regional blockbuster of Rajnikanth's from the recent past. That's what super-hero, cartoon character Salman is to the Hindi audiences by now... full review
Thumbs down, india today : ...It helps that Kareena Kapoor doesn't break into giggles when he plays the tentative lover.... full review
Thumbs down, by Sanjukta Sharma, Live Mint : ...Salman Khan is at his worst; Chulbul Pandey, the enduring police inspector of Dabangg, is a faint memory after this film.... full review
Thumbs down, Mixed Bag : ...A better editing by Sanjay Sankla could have certainly multiplied the waves of the final twist in the movie. ... full review
Thumbs down, Mumbai Mirror : ...(At the time of writing, Bodyguard is on its way to shatter all box office records. Does it really matter what I think?)... full review
Thumbs down, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...Bodyguard is an out-and-out Salman Khan film meant to be taken in the festive spirit of the season. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Mansha Rastogi, Now Running.com : ...There is absolutely no chemistry between Salman and Kareena. Kareena though looks good and gives her best to this film but sadly her efforts go in vain courtesy a week character and an equally weak plot.... full review
Thumbs down, by Sukanya Verma, Rediff : ...Under miscellaneous, there's an obese guy who later runs half-naked in the movie along with a snarling Raj Babbar, growling Aditya Panscholi and grimacing Mahesh Manjrekar... full review
Thumbs down, by Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Reuters : ...this twist is executed so badly, it makes you laugh... full review
Thumbs down, by Janhvi Patel, StarBoxOffice : ...The film begins with a crisis but to introduce our hero, there is a song in the middle of the crisis! ... full review
zgibor: salman khan new movie #bodyguard is by far the best movie of the year...entertain right from the start till the end.sweet movie.
Visheshjaiswal: Hey all must watch bodyguard mast movie hai.!!
veee15: not really into bollywood films but gotta admit #Bodyguard was pretty funny
vagabondRK: bodyguard.....a shocker in penultimate scenes..lovestory at heart,dnt miss dis one guyz
stalisuhail: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/showbiz/bollywood/oh-my-guard-review-salmans-bodyguard-520 via -Paagal ho gaya saala, jootein maro isko, itni badiya film aur iska itna third rate review, who pays these idiots ??
shivamnw17: Awesome Movie..!!! "BODYGUARD" must watch it
Shail_Mehta: Bodyguard #epicmovie ....
sarahhussain89: #bodyguard~story wise ok..cute n sweet in a way..hilarious action scenes..but must say farrr better dan previous salman movies..good tp:)
S1kandar_Khan: BODYGUARD IS AN EXCELLENT AMAZING AMAZING FILM!! MUST WATCH!! SALMAN IS KING OF ACTION MASALA! I LOVE KAREENA TO BITZ <33 CUTE JODI! SK-KK<3
rusmguys: #bodyguard nice movie! Better than #Dabang
rafia_pak: Bodyguard n bol wat 2 moviez..made me laugh n cryy...amazinnn..!
PriyalPanara: liked the movie #bodyguard
Pinkl3t: #BodyGuard Was Tooo Good! @BeingSalmanKhan Was Too Adorable! >.< Loved It! x
offerbean: 'Bodyguard' is a perfect family entertainer that compliments the spirit of the festive season. http://fb.me/12OPasqBd
nidaaa96: Just Saw BODYGUARD,my new Fav MOVIE! LOVED @BeingSalmanKhan & Kareena! Desi Beat <3 I Loved Tsunami's Shirts! Movie toh HIT hai! Zabardast!
NadzyAngel: Bodyguard was a great movie! Salman Khan is the best!
Mv2989: wow aWESUM film bodyguard emotion drama action & sexy kareena ;)
MissMauna: .@BeingSalmanKhan I loved Bodyguard! Adorable.
MarinaxxG: eid mubarak...i celabrated it yesterday..:S....Xx...watched bodyguard yesterday it was a mad movie loved it and salman khan..woohoo hottie:D
loveneet04kumar: awesome movie bodyguard
libinphileo: #bodyguard is a awsme #movie lovd it...!!
Jhanzaibnemat: Today I've been to Odeon cinema in Derby to watch a Hindi film ''Bodyguard'' nd with family nd it was great :D
JamshidR: #Bodyguard = Good Humor + Lovely Romance + Over the top Action + Right Emotions + Beautiful Kareena + Incredible SALMAN...Blockbuster!!!
JAI_AWESOME: bodyguard- awesome. packed with loads of action and sweet love.......
irisharoz: Watched #BODYGUARD! Absolutely loved it! @BeingSalmanKhan is charming as always! I'm definitely a fan! Story twist was weird tho!
husainkapadia: #Bodyguard is an awesome movie. It is action packed romantic movie. Lovely(Salman) and Divya(Kareena) creates (cont) http://tl.gd/cq43b2
HeyItsFarheen: Bodyguard is a AWESOME movie :)
HASSAN_AH: Just watched "Bodyguard movie" LOVE it, #salmankhan#kareenakapoor
Haiddar: Watched bodyguard, really good drama, action and romance..way to go #KareenaKapoor
Funny_Swifty13: Just watched "BodyGuard". Funniest and CUTEST movie EVER!!
emran_khan_123: BODYGUARD was awsome and a must watch!!! A big blockbuster indeed!!!☺
dhrumil_26: #bodyguard : Comedy/humour by Tsunami is Good but the Best Comedy Arises due to the Funny Antics of Salman in the First Half
Chirpy_Kulfi: #Bodyguard haters should go jump off a bridge :D That's all I have to say!
chaturajith: Love the movie Bodyguard, salman and kareena was fab!
bhagugirl: like bodyguard vry much..luv u salman
beingbodyguard: Salman,salman,salman,salman,salman #bodyguard superhit hai @beingsalmankhan lvd it...mindblowing
AtTiTuDeKnIgHt: I will watch Bodyguard again on sunday :D booking the tickets again.
AshokLuitel: Hi.....Yesterday i watch the Salaman khan flim Bodyguard,it iz really nice plz don't miss it to watch.....???
asamahmed1: Just saw @BeingSalmanKhan bodyguard loved it really good film :)
anwar_shaikh: bodyguard is superb & my sallu's performance was outstanding... instead of so much pain in his jaw he can still perform so good love u sallu
Anneeliks2tweet: Bodyguard is an awesome movie @BeingSalmanKhan looked amazing in the movie
addy9321: Bodyguard is not the usual salman khan action movie...its better.
aaterdagzay: Watttaaa movie 'BODYGUARD' #<3 #loveit
7RCRonaldo: Been a great day, bodyguard film was amazing, great day #happyeid
shahthebest: So i'll be honest...saw bodyguard & it's not bad.Diff from salman's usual masala flicks
Haji_M_Hanif: Bodyguard is not Salman-y enough! - First day, first show, first row. It could only be a Salman Khan film. http://bit.ly/oFTCDL
wallflower31: Shitty and shameful piece of cinema shouldnot be encouraged in bollywood for eg #Bodyguard
TinuLuthra: Watched Bodyguard last evening, I think thats why i slept so well. #Aweful
teleparallel: Khud Pe Ek Ehsaan Karna Ke #Bodyguard dekhne maat jana, #Bollywood, #Salman
Spoorthi1230: I didnt lik hindi Bodyguard!! I feel they shudve fallowed d malayalam version's screenplay! Movie can be watched juz fuh salman !!
shuchikalra: my grey cells died a slow painful death #Bodyguard
neerajmodani: Wat a worst movie.. Bodyguard...The more you expect from the movie..the worst that movie is.. But Salman is awesome in movie...SEXY man..
nazeez: Bodyguard- absolute rubbish!
Jeffrinaslam: Does not live up to the expectation #Bodyguard. Should have stuck to the same scene by scene copy of the original.
h4hasi: bodyguard is very ghatia movie...
Crystiiii: If anyone wants to commit suicide go & watch Bodyguard, it will rape your mind completely when you see Salman's pathetic attempt at acting.
codyhulk: Bodyguard isn't as happening as @BeingSalmanKhan previous film.
BoydiiMo: Film Review: Bodyguard: A romantic action picture whose shifts of tone are abrupt even by Bollywood standards, t... http://bit.ly/q5x3u7
Amish_Patel: Just watched the Bollywood movie, Bodyguard, pretty sick movie! The ending was kinda stupid though.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Plot Summary
Lovely Singh (Salman Khan) is Divya's (Kareena Kapoor). She doesn't want a bodyguard lurking around her all the time. She finds a way out while he is busy saving her life.
What Worked
- I was surprised at the ultra-simple titles. They worked compared to the inartistic, non-thematic stuff that go with titles these days.
- Divya's dressing style.
- The name of the town - Jaysingpur. It's a town 3 hours from Pune where a part of my family stays! Brought a smile.
- Raj Babbar's voice.
What did not
- Total lack of continuity in terms of clothes, etc. Especially during fight sequences.
- The last fight sequence when Salman Khan gets hold of Mahesh Manjrekar. A huge jump there in the edit, where positions of the characters change suddenly.
- The mistaken identity bit when Lovely Singh enters Jaysingpur.
- The jokes on midgets and obese people were in bad taste
- Plush rooms reserved for caretakers and bodyguards.
- The childish pranks Divya plays on Lovely Singh.
- The weird visuals in the 'desi beat' song. Especially a Black and White Salman Khan running in slo-mo in what looked like rain.
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: Lots of violence, but nothing gory.
- Language: Has a few innuendoes.
- Nudity & Sexual content: None.
- Concept: Of a loyal servant placing his job above all else.
- General Look and Feel: Bright and loudish.
![[Facebook page of Bodyguard]](/static/images/icons/facebook_small.png){kind=icon}
![[YouTube channel of Bodyguard]](/static/images/icons/youtube_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Wikipedia page of Bodyguard]](/static/images/icons/wiki_small.png){kind=icon}
![[IMDB Page of Bodyguard]](/static/images/icons/imdb_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Salman Khan twitter account]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
Comments (12)
No worries @Rachit. There are a few problems with watching the South Indian version. Most of them don't have sub-titles. And the other is time. If I'd start a regional section, i'd want to cover as many films in that region as possible. But that will be next to impossible.
@Dattaprasad glad to bring a laugh! :D :D :D
@Shashank i hear ya!
that bad, huh?
Bodyguard is a awesome movie.its a superhit movie and all songs are very good watch this movie in watch-hindi-movies com
Thanks for saving me time, money and dissapointment.
Hahaha, nicely written. Loved the dialogue you quoted and the last line.
Sigh! I had liked the trailer :(
@Vishal heart-felt sympathies.
@Sandy yep!
@deepu oh well...i'm surprised it too so long for a Salman fan to leave a comment here :D
@Nemoneyaware any time!
@kunal thank you! I was hoping readers would appreciate it :)
@Chintan so did you see the movie?
Wow! what a wonderful dialogue..awesome, too good :D
@Keerthana :D :D :D
@Khwaja really?
@Milind that among many other questions.
Awesome review...superbad movie:-(
arey yar Salman is just Salman...i just went and enjoyed the action, music and whole hall and whistles in a multiplex....nvr had such an amazing experience in any of the multiplex in India.....i enjoyed the whole atmosphere...moreover i wasnt expecting anythng serious from salman....
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