Roadside Romeo
wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)
Animation scores though animals behave no different from humans. They dance sleazily even in a kids' movie!
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Roadside Romeo - Preview
NOT A REVIEW - Just excited about the quality of animation!
Will my kids really get to watch a Hindi movie made for kids with decent computer graphics? There is hope with the one bank that hopefully will not dry soon - the Yash Raj bank.
There is one concern that I always have with a movie in this genre, especially with animals and inanimate objects - contextualization. I don't see the point of making animals do what humans do in other movies. When that happens, it feels unnecessarily honey-coated, over-the-top-cute animals/cars/toys falling in love and fighting villains.
The one wonderful example of story completely in tune with the context of the ocean-world is Finding Nemo. Fish were doing fish things like bouncing off sharks and jellyfish and making friends with turtles. Versus say , where cars were running hotels and managing cities.
Oh well, expressive caricatures, hopefully with adequate support from Walt Disney is a good start...
- meeta, a part of the audience
Just because a movie is animated and set in a fantasy land doesn't mean it is for kids. But, when you advertise it on kids' TV channels, implies you are targeting them. Then it absolutely peeves me off, the instant you have a central male lead bragging about scoring with 'chicks' in the opening song. It is a sheer letdown that the YRF banner, which usually has decent-sized, significant roles for women, have the two she-characters as mere sidekicks. And the sole function of one is to be wooed by men for her sexiness physical beauty.
Nevertheless, the graphic design is certainly one giant leap for Hindi movies. If only the story were too. Even if we forget that dogs are on two-legs, own salons, and dance to sensuous moves at pubs, the basic story is snore-worthy. Not to mention we have seen humans do it countless times. Anyway, one step at a time, I guess.
It is sort-of funny when a movie where Aditya Chopra is involved in the writing has references to his earlier movies. Not so when it features in EVERY Yash Raj film. So is this the contract the writer signs at gunpoint?
- A Yash Raj film has to be mentioned a minimum of 8 times.
- There shouldn't be a lapse of more than 5 minutes and 45 seconds between references.
- Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayengehas to come up at least twice.
- What does the audience know about movies!? Anil Kapoor's character, Lakhan was underestimated in Tashan. He needs more exposure. The villain in your movie has to have his mannerisms.
- You are not allowed to let the audience forget the real life relationship between the lead pair.
So, yeah if you are likely to enjoy another movie full of digs at their own films, this is one you might completely enjoy. Once you have accepted that, the imaginative and smart dialogues keep that smile glued to your face throughout.
It was especially hilarious to see the audience hoot when they hear Kareena Kapoor on screen. She sure has a faithful fan following, even if she's playing a bitch! Saif Ali Khan and Jaaved Jaaferi aren't doing anything especially new with their voices. They all just sound a little gruffy, as if the same digitized special effect was layered over their usual voices.
I wouldn't want my kids to watch something that implies so much disrespect towards women and is more-or-less story-less. But, they will. And they are most likely going to enjoy it too.
Yeah-yeah-yeah, lighten up, diwali hai (it's the festive season)...oh well...
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by roshni mulchandani, Bolly Spice : ...Hansraj has a winner with the children on his hands.... full review
Thumbs up, by Sanjay Ram, Business of Cinema : ...Roadside Romeo is ultimately a movie that has stemmed from the land of masala films, so expecting anything different is sheer blasphemy.... full review
Thumbs up, by Aditya Mehta, Buzz18 : ...No one person from the cast can be pulled up here, everyone has delivered a splendid performance!... full review
Thumbs up, by Angel Rani, Deccan Herald : ...Roadside Romeo has bollywood written all over it Roadside Romeo has bollywood written allover it, with the dogs occasionally doing a Shah Rukh or a Salman or a Sanjay Dutt Roadside Romeo has Bollywood written all over it, with the dogs occasionally doing a Shah Rukh or a Salman or a Sanjay Dutt.... full review
Thumbs up, by Bollywood, eTalkIndia : ...Roadside Romeo is not a disappointment but a pleasure to watch an animation movie which looks full of effort and time.... full review
Thumbs up, by Shubhra Gupta, Express India : ...The alacrity with which the characters break into song-and-dance shows that Disney or no Disney, Bollywood rules.... full review
Thumbs up, by Martin D'souza, Glamsham.com : ...The story is simple, but the characterisation is elaborate, with due pains taken to suit the voice of the animals to different actors.... full review
Thumbs up, by Gaurav Malani, indiatimes : ...For Gods sake the genre has finally overcome mythological boundaries and the animation has upgraded over the Amar Chitra Katha variety.... full review
Thumbs up, by Harshita Kohli, indya.com : ...The voices behind the characters because they truly are the reason why the film will work. Saif Ali Khan fits Romeo’s character to the hilt. He does a great job... full review
Thumbs up, by Aneesh, Intermission, The Bookeazy Blog : ...Animation is absolutely neat by Indian standards. Considering the small budgets we work on (compared to international industry standards), I’d say its fantastic.... full review
Thumbs up, Movie Talkies : ...Debutant director, Jugal Hansraj manages to finally make it, at least as a director.... full review
Thumbs up, by Goher Iqbal Punn, Radio Sargam : ...The actor turned director Jugal Hansraj does brilliant with the direction but lacks in the script, which is the big flaw of the movie.... full review
Thumbs up, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...Charlie Anna is a riot – he speaks in exaggerated South Indian accented Hindi and English... full review
So-So, by noyon jyoti parasara, AOL INDIA : ...The writer in Jugal Hansraj fails to create a distinct identity of the smaller characters.... full review
So-So, by Aparajita Ghosh, Apun Ka Choice : ...The only thing that dogs Roadside Romeo is a script ridden with uninteresting clichés from popular romantic movies.... full review
So-So, by Samrat Sharma, fullhyd.com : ...The art is gorgeous, and the animation is very solid (I don't think I quite warmed up to the pooch design, but that is personal taste). But the soul of a good film is missing.... full review
So-So, by Anand Singh, Hindustan Times : ...Why take a worn-out Bollywood 'love triangle' plot and throw it on an animated film,... full review
So-So, by Anupama Chopra, NDTV : ...Instead of letting his imagination soar, debutant director Jugal Hansraj, who also wrote the film, remains firmly grounded in the conventions of Bollywood.... full review
So-So, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...The story is completely predictable, as is the narration about an English-speaking dog, Romeo (Saif)... full review
Thumbs down, by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express : ...Nice voice talent (Sanjay Mishra is a hoot as the villain’s sidekick) and fairly detailed animation... full review
Thumbs down, by Masand, IBN Live : ...Roadside Romeo is too busy, too crowded with Hindi-movie clichés and repeated flogging of moments from previous Yash Raj-hits to be even half-likeable.... full review
Thumbs down, by Taran Adarsh, IndiaFM : ...The dialogues by Charlie Anna, the villain who speaks in a South Indian accent, are difficult to decipher and comprehend... full review
Thumbs down, by Subhash K Jha, Now Running.com : ...This has got to be the most urbane and coolest take on the rites and wrongs of that thing called love.... full review
Thumbs down, by Raja Sen, Rediff : ...The animation is spiffy, the sidekicks are more endearing than the protagonists, and absolutely everything is looked at through Bollywood-tinted sunglasses.... full review
Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Plot Summary
Romeo has to help the local goon score a date with Laila (the local beauty).
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: A little bit of fighting around, but all animated.
- Sexual content: A kiss between the dog and the bitch.
- Concept: A dog has to help a goon in wooing the she-dog he likes.
- General Look and Feel: It is peppy and made with kids in mind. Unfortunately not the story.
![[Facebook page of Roadside Romeo]](/static/images/icons/facebook_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Wikipedia page of Roadside Romeo]](/static/images/icons/wiki_small.png){kind=icon}
![[IMDB Page of Roadside Romeo]](/static/images/icons/imdb_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Yash Raj Films twitter account]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
Comments (6)
Hey Sudhir, you still around? I thought you had stopped visiting wogma :)
Prashant and Dattaprasad, mythological or 'woo a gal' - it has to be well-made. It is done with so much crass (and unfortunately no different from other such Hindi movies) that i wouldn't want my kids to watch it, just like i don't like the violence in power rangers but that in tom and jerry is alright.
Dattaprasad, it'll be nice if you can explain what you mean by visuals versus animation.
hmmm, thanks Dattaprasad. Will certainly add to my experience in watching animated movies henceforth.
[...] A REVIEW - Just wondering if this one is really for the kids unlike some other films floating around in the name of kids [...]
Sexual content: A kiss between the dog and the bitch.
lol hahahahaha
;)
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