Not Shaandar

On a weekly basis, I see a number of movies. If I write about each one of them here, this would become a movie blog. But yesterday, I saw Shaandar. And I had the words forming in my head before the interval. I knew this one needs a special mention.

There are two kinds of special in this world. Your favorite is your special -- your favorite dress with a story or a date with a fairly interesting memory is definitely special. But the opposite is true too. A day with bad memory is also ...you know ..."special." I have a similar story with this movie.I really wanted to watch Shandar. I love the cast and the trailer left me curious. But I had no idea I would be walking out of the cinema hall holding my ears in a sorry while the Husband glared at me. "We'd have rather watched Pyar ka Punchnama" a second time", he whined. I could only shrug.

To say Shandar is a bad movie would be unfair to "movies" because with all due respect to the people who invested almost a year in making it, it is not a movie. It is just a collection of  random scenes. No, really! There is hardly any story, there is no acting required and in all the scenes, it looks like people are actually laughing and having fun. In a way, it is good because you know they enjoyed making the movie, but nothing is fun for the audience here.

Surprisingly, only the role of Sannah Kapur has a few scenes that required acting and she has done her part pretty well. Besides that, there is nothing ... nothing in the movie that I could talk about with a satisfaction in my heart. The movie started with an animation story and the whole movie, in fact, has a fairy-tale feeling to it. That's all. I anyway don't look for a lot of logic in Hindi movies (I gave that up long back) but at least 2 scenes should connect together. Is even that too much to ask for?

There were a lot of things that could have been developed. Alia Bhat's character has this quirk of throwing random facts in between a conversation. I loved this character angle. However,she stops abruptly through the movie. It was not taken ahead. The two protagonists are insomniacs. I liked this part -- but I wish they would have used this information in a better way. There does not seem to be any connection, any romance in them. For a movie that has been given a fairy tale treatment, the story at least deserved to have a fairy tale moment between the Prince and Princess.

A lot of awareness trends these days, which is good --more power to social media! But like everything, the issue of body image confuses me. Yes, no one has to be apologetic about the way their bodies are, but why to promote an unhealthy lifestyle. Fine, the bride, Sannah Kapoor, is fat and she has no qualms about it. Nothing is better than being comfortable in your own skin. But she stuffs her mouth with chocolates and laddoos and is also encouraged by her family while she eats like a glutton. Why would you show it is okay to gulp down chocolates and laddoos? Please decide  guys. Being fat is okay. Being comfortable is perfect but being unhealthy is NOT fine. You don't want to die while harping about body issues, do you? (I have a lot to talk on this point -- another post coming soon!)

In one sequence, the groom gets arrested by the UK police and you later find out that Shahid Kapoor had tipped them into doing it. But what was the freaking point? He was still a jerk after he came out of it. In another sequence, Alia finds a panty instead of her breakfast. Okay, so Shahid found her skinny dipping the previous night and hence the prank (I am guessing) but again, what's the point? This does not culminate into anything that contributes to the story.

Alia sleeps for the first time while chit chatting with Shahid. Also, she is high. So why did she sleep? Because she was high or because she finds some magic with Shahid? I know it is supposed to be the latter but sorry it could have been treated way better. The insomniac who finally gets to sleep -- shouldn't this be an important part of the movie?

There is also a masoom angle to the movie -- which if you, like me, have grown up watching movies, you will predict it in the very first scene. The big reveal is shown in a sequence where everyone is high and acting like retards. Honestly, again it could have been better. The whole "everyone  is high and acting stupid" does not bring even a smile, leave alone laughing out loud over it.  The horse riding sequence has no point again and there is an unnecessary Karan Johar KWK scene too. Nah!! No growth in the story, no character arc, no entertainment.

Ok, listen, I feel bad criticising a piece of art and I know people would have really worked hard for this movie. But as a movie-goer and an ardent and sincere fan, I spend my hard earned money on movies. Hoping it to be decent is the least a viewer can ask for. I love Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor equally. And honestly, I searched, really looked for something, something that I would like and enjoy. Something I can hold on to and say, "the movie was bad but at least ..." Sadly, I never got my "something" through the whole of Shaandar.

I would have rather watched Pyar ka Punchnama. Don't kill me for being a female and still liking it. It is entertaining and come on girls! loosen up a bit. All movies have guys as the culprits -- this one begs to differ. Let them enjoy the moment. At least you genuinely laugh at this one.