Main Aur Mrs Khanna
wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)
The promos of Main aur Mrs. Khanna are quite misleading as they would have you believe that this movie is a Salman Khan movie. For all the Salman Khan fans out there, THIS IS NOT A SALMAN KHAN MOVIE. But if you want to see him anyway, go right ahead and watch it. Watch out for Bappi Lahiri.
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So when a guileless Salman Khan worshipper like myself, gets ready at 8 in the morning,(and mind you, GETS READY and not just WAKES UP), to go for the latest Salman Khan movie, the least she (or in some cases, he) can expect is for that movie to be a Salman Khan movie, right? Wrong. Apparently, nowadays, it’s okay to lead the audience on. You can show them something and not deliver. So when you project Main aur Mrs. Khanna as a Salman Khan starrer, you can get away with ensuring that the Khan with an attitude makes a single appearance on either side of the interval.
Main aur Mrs. Khanna, to say the least, is the work of an extremely confused filmmaker. Perhaps, Prem Soni, the director, screenplay, story, and dialogue writer (phew!) of this movie, started off with a fair idea of what he wanted to show, but somewhere in the middle, just lost it. What could otherwise have been a pretty good movie turned into a so-so fare by the average treatment meted out to it. The plot is interesting but it is let down by a loose screenplay. Also, a film like Main aur Mrs. Khanna could have done with a lot more drama in it.
The main flaw, however, in Main aur Mrs. Khanna lies in characterization. The characters, especially the lead characters, are not etched definitively. If you were to define a singular character in the movie in just about one word, you wouldn’t be able to do so. For that matter, even if you were given as many words you liked, you still wouldn’t be able to do so. Primarily because right till the end of the movie, you have no idea WHO these people are. Sure you know their names, you know their profession. But the connect that a viewer has with a character, is sorely missed. We don’t feel for Kareena when she cries, nor do we laugh when she laughs. This movie commits the cardinal sin of being just something that we are watching on the big screen – it forms no relation with its audience.
The first half is slightly flat but the tempo picks up a little in the second half. In fact, the second half can squeeze quite a few laughs out of you. Just when you think that the movie might just start living up to your expectations, the plot falls flat again. The end is, in fact, very patchy and some details in the end are just plain unnecessary.
Another sphere where the movie lacks is the chemistry between the lead pair. A movie that is trying to put across a message about love and relationships simply cannot do without absolutely sizzling chemistry between the lead (or so the promos say) couple. The missing chemistry, however, is not the actors’ fault it is more the director and story/screenplay writer’s fault. He just hasn’t etched characters strong enough to portray any sort of relationship.
The look of the movie otherwise is good. The locales are good, as is Kareena’s styling. From the glam doll in Kambakht Ishq to girl-next-door (or at least Kareena’s version of it), Kareena’s look has definitely undergone a change. However, it is at odds with the character she plays. How can an orphan afford such expensive clothes?
Salman is well, just Salman. No need to say anymore. He looks good and acts like he always does. However, the age is definitely beginning to show a little, and the whole ‘young couple’ look kind of goes for a toss.
Sohail Khan has probably delivered his best performance to date in this movie (which isn’t saying much, considering he has acted in movies like Aryan; but he is quite good here). Yash Tonk is funny in bits and unnoticeable in other bits. Nauheed Cyrusi and Mahek Chahal might as well have been carved out of stone and Dino Morea had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance. The surprise package of the movie came in the form Bappi Lahiri, who was in his element as Kareena’s boss.
Music is passable, with just one track, Don’t Say Alvida standing out. Preity Zinta’s item song is just about okay. Choreography is not spectacular or even noticeable. Other technical aspects are just okay, though the flashback technique, of going into a black and white zone, looks quite nice.
Salman Khan fans might be a tad bit disappointed, though, with the size of his role. Watch only if you must. Till then keep guessing ki ‘Kiski Mrs. Khanna’ (whose Mrs. Khanna).
This review is by guest reviewer Akashi Kaul. Akashi is currently doing her Masters in Journalism but she doesn't see the point in waiting another 6 months for a degree to voice her opinion about movies. Besides, she was tired of having her entire movie-experience destroyed by some reviewer revealing the entire story in the garb of a review. Akashi Kaul also blogs at http://www.withlittlethoughtornone.blogspot.com/.
Thumbs up, by Suranjana Nandi, Buzz18 : ...despite all that, the film is good... full review
So-So, by Noyon Jyoti Parasara, AOL INDIA : ...one-time watch for its ‘cuteness’ factor.... full review
So-So, by Subhash K Jha, IBOS : ...There are many moments in the writing where an unspoken and delicate line is drawn between the comedy of errors and underlining tragedy of human relationships. ... full review
So-So, Indicine : ...the director seemed to be in a rush.... full review
So-So, real bollywoood : ...While his film begins well, establishing his main characters and their issues without much deviation to sub plots, he fumbles in the second half.... full review
Thumbs down, by N K Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice : ...‘Main Aur Mrs Khanna’ is so very behind its times that it appears that writer-director Prem Soni gleaned most of the scenes from the scrapped scripts of the unmade movies from the previous decade.... full review
Thumbs down, by Tushar Joshi, aslibaat.com : ...The story moves at a snails pace in the first half, most of it is gloomy dark and depressing.... full review
Thumbs down, by Bobby Singh, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...In the new age period of 2009, it’s really strange and courageous of the film-makers to even think of conceiving a film on this subject. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Roshni Mulchandani, Bolly Spice : ...The script has massive loopholes, which create nothing but chaos in the film.... full review
Thumbs down, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...could've been an interesting story had the drama quotient been a bit stronger... full review
Thumbs down, by Daliya Ghose, Bollywood Mantra : ...The hype surrounds the film was much but it fails to stand up to the expectation of the audience... full review
Thumbs down, by Udita Jhunjhunwala, DNA : ...what are Bappi Lahiri and Preity Zinta doing in this movie? ... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Garimella, fullhyd.com : ...The main twist in the film revolves around an issue that is, in the first place, an avoidable one. Secondly, it could have been painlessly solved by some elementary across-the-table talk, and it seems contrived to build an entire plot section around it.... full review
Thumbs down, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ... When there's not much in a script, no actor can do anything. Not even a dashing Samir, or even a stunning Mrs Khanna!... full review
Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times : ...The screen is softly lit with no material to take a story forward. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...There are dumb scripts and dumber scripts, but Main Aurr Mrs Khanna has got to be the dumbest.... full review
Thumbs down, by Kaveree Bamzai, india today : ...It also has the best part. Bappi Lahiri playing the owner of a café at the airport, wearing his entire gold collection all at once, singing lots of old songs in his incomprehensible accent... full review
Thumbs down, by Gaurav Malani, indiatimes : ... The film desperately struggles between being a comedy and a sensitive emotional drama but miserably fails on scoring in either genre... full review
Thumbs down, by Amrita, Indiequill : ...Aakash is possibly the most uninteresting lover ever seen on film. And I’ve seen Bharat Bhushan at work. ... full review
Thumbs down, mag4you : ... The music is good and so is the cinematography.... full review
Thumbs down, by Tushar Joshi, MiD DAY : ...In the effort to keep the film light and the tempo steady, Prem Soni has ended up cooking a half-baked dish. ... full review
Thumbs down, Movie Talkies : ...it is a confused offering... full review
Thumbs down, by Anupama Chopra, NDTV : ...There is no real conflict between the Khannas and the one the director creates is so lame that you are not the least bit concerned or engaged by it. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Ashok Nayak, Now Running.com : ...The screenplay seems disjointed and many questions are left unanswered... full review
Thumbs down, by Sethu Madhavan, Passion for Cinema : ...There are so many situations which make you laugh (in agony) and cringe by looking at the situations conjured up by Prem Soni.... full review
Thumbs down, by Sethu Madhavan, Passion for Cinema : ...You wonder at times whether it’s an attempt to have a serious take on marital discord or a light hearted entertainer.... full review
Thumbs down, by Lidia Ostepeev, Planet Bollywood : ...This film appears to have suffered set-backs in its infancy - a change of female lead from Lara Dutta to Kareena Kapoor and reduction in the impact of its item number from the originally desired inclusion of Shah Rukh Khan to the reality of featuring Pretty Zinta.... full review
Thumbs down, by Hanumant Bhansali, Radio Sargam : ...Salman Khan and Kareena’s acting is mind blowing and carry their part well. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Patcy N, Rediff : ...Sounds promising, doesn't it? But let me tell you, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna is anything but.... full review
Thumbs down, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...A dialogue in the film refers to Raina as a bharatiya nari, which is highly offensive. Lacking a smidgen of self-worth or ambition, Raina is the kind of hyper-dependant, clingy characters that films love to pass off as an ideal wife. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Critic's I-view, SmasHits.com : ...senior actors play their roles very well though the movie does not challenge them at all. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Sameer Dagga, StarBoxOffice : ...It’s a pain to see Kareena Kapoor’s talent being wasted in a role that’s neither properly written nor fleshed out... full review
Thumbs down, by K K Rai, STARDUST : ...his love for Kareena Kapoor, despite of knowing her marital status, seems strange and the Indian audience wouldn’t find it palatable. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...Main aurr Mrs Khanna seems to have no passion at all. Neither love, nor anger, nor pain, nor envy. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Alekh Sangal, Upper Stall : ...Mr Salman Khan sleepwalks through his role earnestly with his ever changing locks, his almost villainous look of negativity and his not so convincing "I love you's".... full review
Thumbs down, by SpiceZee Bureau, Zee News : ...thrown in is some music, courtesy the situational dreams of Samir and Akash as they eye the very eyeful Mrs Khanna at suitable intervals throughout the film.... full review
Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
What Worked
• Editing was tight
• Story is not that bad
• The scene in the flashback, right in the beginning of the movie, when everything goes from black and white to colour when Salman lights a candle in the church where Kareena’s praying, asking for a sign.
What did not
• The whole ‘love at first sight’ between Kareena and Salman; Sohail and Kareena’s angle was built better than Kareena and Salman’s even though the later is supposed to be in love.
• The crow feet near Preity’s eyes in a shot from her item number
• Deepika Padukone’s midriff (or whatever it was supposed to be) shot in the end
Parental Guidance:
Overall: U/A
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Comments (2)
Sorry @TimELiebe Akashi doesn't write for wogma any more and it's difficult to trace her down. I haven't seen the film, so I can't comment either.
Totally depressed after watching the much hyped London Dreams..what is happening,thought the curse of bollywood maata would be over after diwali!!
oops..will not hijack your review of it..!!
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