Drona movie review

When ‘Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai’ was released, while reviewing it on filmtvindia.com where I was the editor and review, I described it as a total waste by bade baapon ke nikame bete. I was of course referring to Abhishek Bachchan and Goldie Behl. Perhaps googling for the reviews one of them, or both, read the review and I received a nasty hate mail.

A lot of water has flown under the river near Pratiksha since then but when I heard about Goldie’s new khwab with Abhishek Bachchan I was not very hopeful for the film. Okay, Abhishek has had a couple of hits and he has married the most beautiful girl in the world (or universe) but I did not hold much in stock for him. Or for that matter Goldie Behl who has hung around his childhood chum for seven years, offering him over 30 ideas (DVDs?) for his next film and being rejected every time, but has never taken even one of these ideas to anyone else! I simply don’t understand a dostana like this!

Two days before the release, I bumped into some old friends who were coming out of the preview at Juhu’s PVR. How did they find it?

Lousy.

Abhishek had spoken about a phase when, one night, unable to sleep he went to his dad and said that he thought he shouldn’t have become an actor (or words to that effect) but Amitabh told him to shut up, that he hadn’t brought him up for that (or words to that effect) and Abhishek returned to his bedroom and films.

I think it is a tyranny of two successful, actors (Amitabh and Jaya) to force their son into a profession which is not meant for him.

I am saying this after seeing this film and would like to add that Jaya too must retire. As it is she was overrated. She has forgotten whatever little she knew of the craft (I will not dignify what she does by calling it the art!) not withstanding her alibi that with age your expressions become exaggerated.

Jaya is bold and courageous. I endorse the way she annoyed Raj Thackeray and admire that way she call a spade a shovel especially when her husband makes all the efforts to be politically correct. She should contest elections opposite Raj Thackeray (if he stands for elections which he might not) or his party and add some more color to the drab politics of Maharashtra. The political hoarding will look more attractive with his old pictures which, any time, are better looking than the pictures of ugly politicians.

As for Abhishek Bachchan, well, I remember what Amitabh Bachchan said during his low phase. Bachchan had said, with tongue in cheek, "Agar mera kuch nahin hua to UP jakar doodh bechoonga!" He didn’t have to do that but Abhishek can keep that promise.

As for ‘Drona’, the only thing I like about has come from Abhishek’s sister. The title was conceived by her for her son but Amitabh overruled it and christened him Agastya. Had he not done that this film may not have been called ‘Drona’! And if numerology has anything to it, then the film might have done better.

Avoid at all costs!