Review of Om Shanti Om (2007) by Krupa P — 27 Apr 2012

Om Shanti Om, my first encounter with a Bollywood film. It's a special experience where musical numbers seems to be a part of the plot without being categorized as musical but rather like a Disney movie. Om Shanti Om starts in the 70s where the young film extra, Om Prakash who have fallen for the young and beautiful actress, Shanti. But one day, Shanti's husband and manager Mukesh Mehra has trapped her inside a burning building. Om tries to save her, but both of them dies. Since Om is a Hindu he is being reincarnated as the son of a famous actor, and 30 years later covered in all his wealth and fame, he finds out who he was and decides to hunt the man who was responsible for Shanti's death and make him confess his sins. Unfortunately this man is a friend of his father and his producer.

Weirdly enough this is my first Bollywood film, and I must say that I enjoyed it. Sure there are some things that I don't like with this film, such as the extremely long musical numbers (numbers that are great, by the way), and cheesy over-exposed sets and make-up and a running time on over three hours. But that's how all the Bollywood films are. But I did love the plot which includes Hindu myths and spiritualism set in the heart of the Bollywood itself as shows us the Karma of the industry itself. Thumbs up.