This is a film, coming as it does after the defeat of 'India Shining' campaign in last year's elections, for urbanites/NRIs to show them what Indian villages look like and what can be done about the problems with rural India. And it does nothing but reaffirm this superficial 'concern' for a fictional rural poor (not that there isn't such a category in reality, but this particular type in the movie is a work of fiction). Mohan's self realization is at the center here, not the 'simple' village folk who move in and out of his life as and when needed. There is not a shred of realism and people's accents, their costumes and their general disposition makes it seem that this particular village is a blend of UP, Bihar, Kerala all at once. And the methods for 'swades' brand of rural upliftment are highly innovative too-- dance sequences and technological utopianism.
AR Rehman's music is, though, a high point of the movie, as are a couple of performances, mostly by the Lagaan cast. SRK does what he's best at-- shedding tears; and here he finds a willing companion--his old nanny. Some of the camera shots are 'inspired' by 'The Motorcycle Diaries', and incidentally, they're the best of the lot. In the end, the tagline 'We, the people' is a misnomer. Instead the movie turns out to be 'SRK, the saviour'.
AR Rehman's music is, though, a high point of the movie, as are a couple of performances, mostly by the Lagaan cast. SRK does what he's best at-- shedding tears; and here he finds a willing companion--his old nanny. Some of the camera shots are 'inspired' by 'The Motorcycle Diaries', and incidentally, they're the best of the lot. In the end, the tagline 'We, the people' is a misnomer. Instead the movie turns out to be 'SRK, the saviour'.