Since we are celebrating #21YearsOfODYHI, I thought I would give you my review on this often underestimated em of a movie.
WARNING! SPOILERS!
This movie was so silly right from the flimsy plot-line of Hero ( Shah Rukh Khan) falling in love with a …..Lady of the Night… on so slight an acquaintance, to the idea of the villain pimping the country (India) like a prostitute, to the highest bidder in an attempt to rule.
The corny characters, Don Kihote (Don Quixote) looking for all the world like Max Von Sydow’s Emperor Ming in ‘Flash Gordon’, his son Prince Don and Miss India’s father the Pimp.
However, it is also poetry in motion! I loved the fact that some of my favourite actors from other SRK films played these parts: Amrish Puri as Don Kihote Anupam Kher as the fake/president Tinnu Annand as the father/pimp
You have to watch the film more than once to appreciate the Humour and Irony of it. Loved the opening scenes which introduce us to ‘Hero’ aka SRK.
So nice to see a young Shah Rukh, seemingly fresh out of acting school. SRK excels himself in this comedy role, showing what an excellent actor he really is.
To call him the ‘King of Romance’ is not something he likes to hear, but the song at the beginning proves that he can even romance a broom!
So nice to see SRK sing and dance so much! Love it when he talks really fast.
I also loved the Prison sequence. Shah Rukh’s ‘fast-talking’ , reminds me of a musical version of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors I have. In fact the whole sequence reminds me of a Shakespearian comedy, especially SRK’s acting! He has the ability to well-and-truly ‘ham-it-up’! Much to my delight and hopefully yours too.
Classic!
Then, there is Hero’s wooing of Miss India. Shah Rukh’s use of the word ‘pyaar’, OMG! I could melt…. He is totally poetic in this scene. Who wouldn’t fall in love with this soliloquy?
Quote: “Love is the intoxication that robs of you peace and sleep You feel like talking to the other-of belonging to her and making her belong to you One feels like living Love is the spring of life where blossoms the roses of imagination Love gives poetry its music It evokes desire, spawns off a thousand stories and gives it ecstasy Love gives the future meaning It gives the past identity It brings two strangers together It gives a journey its destination”
And then Miss India spoils it all by replying “Love eh? That’s right up my alley!”
But who couldn’t love the Fountain scene and an excuse to get wet?
That innocent look of Hero succumbing to the charms of Miss India.
Yup! I think I might die too!
Then, I liked the vulnerability of Hero’s character. When the son Of Don overcomes Hero and takes Miss India back to his ‘Lair’ to’ have his way with her’, Hero chases after them when he has recovered. He then holds a conversation with himself and gives us a ‘will I, won’t I’ sequence, splitting himself in to two personas to decide whether to pursue them, or give up on Miss India.
I love the way that his love for Miss India (read India the country) makes him strong. Finally deciding to continue his pursuit, we see him throw himself to the ground and pray to God to help him. His prayers are immediately answered by one of the street urchins who shows him where they have gone. Next is an amazing fight sequence between Hero and Prince Don. Love these fight sequences because it shows SRK’s skills in both fighting and acrobatics. Which other actor could be as convincing as he is when screaming with agony after having a spear thrust into his foot?
Just about sums up the whole movie, ha ha!
Then we get to the truly farcical bit of the movie. The selling of India to the highest bidder!
I like the way that Hero, pretending to be Don, exclaims over how little the bidders value the Indian people and tries to increase the bidding to reflect the true value.
As for the ending…. When Hero comes back to save the day and tries to get the help of the Street people, they can’t seem to differentiate between India (the country) and Miss India, as though they are one and the same! Then it all gets very silly again with a ‘Free-for-all’ fight involving Hero, Don, Street people , bidders etc. and helped along by high-powered hose-pipes. Any excuse to ‘Get Wet’!
I loved the poetic justice meted out to the villains. To the fake president, for trying to sell India, coming to a very sticky end. Don, being killed by mini Indian Flags!
Then the climax of the film as the baddie, Hero and Miss India plunge out of a window to certain death and Hero and Miss India are saved by the Flag of India serving as a parachute to enable them a safe landing!
But wait! Somewhere along the line, Hero declares that he is dying of cancer.
How can we have a happy ending? Well, it turns out that the doctor told him that he had ony six months to live.
But that was 18 months ago, ha ha! Because…….
Oh Darling Yeh Hai India!
PS. This movie is now available in HD to buy or rent on You Tube
Unfortunately, the only copy of the DVD that was available when I first watched it, was horribly dark and grainy. So it was great to be able to watch it again in gloriously clear colour. Which is how I managed to capture all these lovely pictures for you to drool over ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnCTOf3jiSY
PPS Since I wrote this article, I managed to dash-off a quick sketch of Shah Rukh as Hero for the anniversary of this movie.
Here it is:
He’s supposed to be looking puzzled or bemused, but I think I’ve managed to make him look more worried than anything. Oh well, I’ll have to try harder next year!
Oh Darling, Yeh Hai Lindia 😂
#21YearsOfODYHI @iamsrk @SahiDeepa in 'Oh Darling, Yeh Hai India' Since we are celebrating #21YearsOfODYHI, I thought I would give you my review on this often underestimated em of a movie.