Aladin
Saturday, October 31, 2009 10:21 IST
By Santa Banta News Network
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandes, Saahil Khan, Ratna Pathak
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Rating: ***

"I am still a teenager", says Amitabh Bachchan right at the beginning of "Aladin", setting the mood for the film to follow. Young at heart and fresh in treatment, "Aladin" wouldn't have been possible without him.

Playing Genius - The Genie could have gone either way since he is expected to be whacky, quirky, a little eccentric, a bit mad and hugely lovable.

The narrative is clearly divided into two sections. If the first half is more children friendly, the second half has a lot going for teenagers and above.

There is some fun in store for children with a donkey's head replacing Riteish's, his guitar turning into a frog and him being thrown in the air after being turned into a balloon. The funny antics that follow may not have grown ups rolling with laughter, but should surely keep the smiles on.

Amitabh's 'Yo dude' act keeps the fun going. He adopts a completely different body language as the flamboyant genie, who is happy moving on with the times, and could give the younger generation a run for its money.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Dutt's Ringmaster character makes on and off appearances, though one would have expected to see more of him.

The entire past about Aladin and the Genius gets a little confusing.

The real fun begins in the second half with the battle between good versus evil. Sanjay becomes more prominent on screen, the past is unearthed, action and thrills take centrestage and the best of VFX is unveiled.

The visuals belong to the never-seen-before variety, especially the ones where Big B is shown repenting about his misdeeds. The flashback sequence is extremely well done too.

Sujoy Ghosh does well in conjuring the imaginary world of 'Khwaish' that gives the film a visual appeal. This is further enhanced by the presence of newcomer Jacqueline Fernandes.

Riteish is likeable as the young man who gets superpowers towards the film's end, hence keeping an option for a sequel.

Sanjay is good but how one wishes that he had at least a couple of dramatic scenes with Amitabh.

However, the film completely belongs to Amitabh who totally steals the show. Watch him in "Genie Rap" and you'll know why.

The story of "Aladin" is legendary and Genie and Jasmine are known worldwide. This is why it requires courage for a filmmaker to set the film in contemporary times and come up with his own take on a well loved tale.

Ghosh does exactly that as he lets his imagination go wild and spins a tale that ends up relating the past, present and future of these characters. This VFX filled entertainer is just the right recipe if one is looking for a family entertainer.
I Want To Talk Movie Review - A Bittersweet Tale of Grief, Hope, and Resilience!

Shoojit Sircar's films often delve deep into themes of grief, death, and the enduring hope that arises from life's darkest moments. His latest film, I Want To Talk, follows in the footsteps of his previous works like Piku and October, exploring loneliness, the

Friday, November 22, 2024
'The Sabarmati Report' Review - A Riveting Tale of Media, Politics, and the Godhra Tragedy!

Vikrant Massey makes a striking return to the big screen with The Sabarmati Report, a gripping film that revisits one of the most debated events in India's recent history'the Godhra train

Saturday, November 16, 2024
Devara - Part 1 Makes Waves at the Box Office with Rs. 77 Crore Opening Day Collection!

Devara: Part 1 made a remarkable entrance at the box office on its opening day, grossing Rs 77 crore across all languages, as reported by industry tracker Sacnilk. The action drama, directed by

Saturday, September 28, 2024
Taaza Khabar Season 2 Review - A Missed Opportunity for Freshness!

The highly anticipated Taaza Khabar Season 2 featuring Bhuvan Bam returns with his character Vasant Gawde, diving into the world of fresh news updates. Alongside Bam, the show

Friday, September 27, 2024
Yudhra Review - A Bumpy Ride Through Action and Chaos!

Ehsaan Loy composing the music, all the elements seem to point to a cinematic success. However, in 2024, audiences have become harder to impress, and despite these heavyweights, Yudhra fails

Saturday, September 21, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT