Most stories sound interesting on paper or when narrated in 10/15 minutes flat. But when you watch the full-blown cinematic version, you realize why most Hindi films fall flat on their face.
Aladin movie review
Sujoy Ghosh’s ALADIN promises the moon, but what you get is a mere flicker. This fantasy had the trappings to transport you to fantasyland, but… Seriously, Sujoy could’ve run his imagination wild and come up with a film that would’ve made the child in you jump, scream and clap with glee. But 15/20 minutes into the film and you realize that ALADIN is merely a visual spectacle. A film that lacks soul!
After having watched ALADIN, I too desire three wishes…
* Wish 1: Henceforth, actors shouldn’t ask for scripts before they sign on the dotted line;
* Wish 2: Producers should act more responsibly. They shouldn’t be mere moneybags, but have creative control too;
* Wish 3: Directors and writers should stop taking the intelligent viewer for granted.
Let’s give the credit where it’s due. ALADIN starts with a bang, with the initial portions holding a lot of promise. But no sooner does the genie appears, he breaks into a song and you realize that ALADIN is no different from those mundane films churned out week after week. Sadly, ALADIN only slides downwards after this point. Sure, there’re some interesting moments, but you can actually count those sequences.
You can’t overlook two major flaws in the writing…
* One, Amitabh refrains from revealing the past to Riteish, till Sanjay Dutt arrives on the scene and spills the beans.
* Two, the flashback portion – which resulted in Riteish’s parents losing their lives – is haphazard. It’s not easy to comprehend.
On the whole, ALADIN is a terrible waste of a terrific opportunity. Hugely disappointing!
