Compromise to Conquer the Box Office

Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahaani will go on to become Raj Kumar Santoshi's most successful film, in terms of box office returns. But I don't think Santoshi will be proud of this film. The director, who made both entertaining and sensible films (in the commercial format) like Andaz Apna Apna, Ghatak, Ghayal, Damini, Khakee, Bhagat Singh to name a few, has at last realised that it is better to make a light-hearted, hare-brained entertainer and have a rolling hit than make something more sensible and not get the big bang effect.

APGK reminds you a bit of the Andaz Apna Apna humour, but it lacks the flow of that Santoshi masterpiece. But for the all the failings in the film (script, continuity and story), there is one person who redeems the film in every frame. Ranbir Kapoor is a revelation, and a lot of credit should go to Santoshi for believing in this young actor to deliver the big P. After seeing Ranbir in APGK, I feel he is immensely more talented and spontaneous than SRK in his younger days (this comparison is going to be inevitable, even though they are poles apart in their acting styles).

APGK proves beyond doubt that Ranbit has 'acting' in his genes, but I thought I also saw sparks of Kishore Kumar and Raj Kapoor in some of the scenes. So even though Ranbir has all the makings of becoming a superstar as big as SRK (as I said in my earlier post) he will chart his own path to get there.