Om Shanti Om Movie Review

Om Shanti Om was produced on a budget of ₹40 crore. Farah Khan conceptualized the film while directing the musical Bombay Dreams (2002), which was inspired by the Indian film industry. The film went into production after the lead roles were cast, and its title was derived from a song from Subhash Ghai’s Karz (1980). The soundtrack, composed by Vishal–Shekhar with lyrics by Javed Akhtar, was a critical and commercial success, becoming the highest-selling album of the year in India. The background score was composed by Sandeep Chowta. The film is notable for its numerous cameo appearances by Indian film celebrities.

Released on 9 November 2007, coinciding with Diwali, Om Shanti Om received positive reviews for its story, screenplay, soundtrack, production design, costumes, and performances. It grossed ₹150 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2007 and the highest-grossing Hindi film at the time of its release.

At the 55th National Film Awards, Om Shanti Om won Best Production Design. At the 53rd Filmfare Awards, it received 13 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor (Shah Rukh Khan), Best Actress (Padukone), and Best Supporting Actor (Talpade). It won for Best Female Debut (Padukone) and Best Special Effects.

Story

In 1977, Om Prakash Makhija is a junior artist dreaming of stardom. He lives with his widowed mother Bela and close friend Pappu in a small chawl in Mumbai. Om is infatuated with the glamorous actress Shanti Priya, often expressing his love in front of her film poster. One night, he sneaks into the premiere of Shanti’s film, “Dreamy Girl,” and makes an impression on her. Later, a drunk Om gives a mock acceptance speech to Pappu and some kids.

Om and Pappu take minor roles in films at R.C. Studios, owned by the egotistical producer Mukesh Mehra, who launched Shanti. During a shoot, Shanti gets trapped in a fire and Om rescues her, leading to their friendship. Om lies about being a famous South Indian actor but eventually reveals the truth when he sees Shanti’s genuine fondness for him. With Pappu’s help, Om and Shanti spend an evening together.

Om overhears a heated argument between Shanti and Mukesh, revealing their secret marriage of two years. Mukesh plans to marry another woman for career benefits, and Shanti, pregnant with his child, is furious. Om is heartbroken and avoids Shanti.

Mukesh takes Shanti to the set of “Om Shanti Om,” promising to cancel its production and instead have a grand wedding. Om tries to meet Shanti but sees Mukesh reveal his true plan: to kill Shanti and their unborn child to protect his career. Mukesh sets the set on fire and locks Shanti inside. Om tries to save her but is severely beaten by Mukesh’s guards. Om manages to enter the burning set but is thrown out by an explosion before he can save Shanti. The set burns down with Shanti inside. Om, devastated, is accidentally hit by the car of famous actor Rajesh Kapoor, whose pregnant wife is in labor.

Rajesh takes Om to the hospital, but Om dies reminiscing about Shanti. Rajesh’s assistant Nasser asks the surgeon to keep this a secret from Om’s family. Moments later, Rajesh and Lovely are blessed with a baby boy named Om Kapoor.

Thirty years later, Om Kapoor, known as “O.K.,” is a talented but arrogant actor, reincarnated from Om Prakash. He suffers from pyrophobia. O.K. often encounters Bela, who believes him to be her son, but he dismisses her as crazy. Pappu tries to make Bela understand that O.K. is someone else.

O.K. and his assistant Anwar Sheikh visit the abandoned R.C. Studios for a film shoot. Anwar explains the studio burnt down in a mysterious fire decades earlier. O.K. recognizes the area and experiences flashbacks of his past life. That night, O.K. wins the Filmfare Award for Best Actor and remembers the speech he gave to Pappu. Pappu watches it on TV and realizes his friend was reborn. During a party, O.K. meets Mukesh, now working in Hollywood. O.K. fully remembers his past life. Later, Om has an emotional reunion with Bela and Pappu, and they plan to avenge Shanti’s death.

Om convinces Mukesh to resume filming “Om Shanti Om” at the ruined R.C. Studios. He auditions actresses to find Shanti’s look-alike and meets Sandhya aka Sandy, a ditzy but devoted fan who looks exactly like Shanti. Om hires Sandy without revealing his plan but gets angry when she struggles to act. On Pappu’s advice, Om reveals the truth to Sandy, who promises to help him.

At the film’s inauguration, Om introduces Mukesh to Dolly, the film’s heroine. Bela scares Mukesh in disguise, and Om and Pappu try to remind Mukesh of his crime. Although it doesn’t work, a photograph supernaturally catches fire, disturbing Mukesh. He is later lured into a make-up room by “Dolly,” finding Sandy dressed as Shanti. After seeing Shanti in the preview footage, Mukesh decides to return to the US. Om persuades him to stay and finish production, but Mukesh grows suspicious.

During the music launch, Om warns Mukesh through a story about Shanti’s life. Sandy accidentally reveals her ruse, prompting Mukesh to chase her, but a falling chandelier knocks him unconscious.

After regaining consciousness, Mukesh is confronted by Om about Shanti’s murder. Mukesh taunts that they can’t convict him without proof. Sandy confronts Mukesh, revealing how he buried Shanti alive. Mukesh, shocked, tries to shoot her but Om attacks him. During the fight, a fire breaks out, but Om conquers his fear to defeat Mukesh. Sandy stops Om from killing Mukesh, who is then crushed by the chandelier.

Pappu, Anwar, and Sandy arrive. Om realizes the woman with him is Shanti’s ghost, who helped with the plan. With her death avenged, Shanti’s spirit bids Om goodbye, and he reunites with Sandy as Shanti’s spirit ascends.

Production

In 2002, while working as a choreographer for the musical Bombay Dreams in London, Farah Khan felt the show portrayed a clichéd and outdated version of the Indian film industry. She believed it would not succeed in India and started developing a new story, jotting down her initial ideas on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s letterhead while staying at his house. By 2006, Farah began working on a project tentatively titled Happy New Year. Although there was speculation that Shah Rukh Khan would star in it, he rejected the first draft. Farah’s husband, editor Shirish Kunder, reminded her of the story she had conceived in London. Happy New Year, intended to mark Deepika Padukone’s Hindi debut, was put on hold and later revived over eight years later under the same title.

Farah completed the first script of Om Shanti Om within two weeks, setting the first half in the 1970s. She felt that Hindi films from that era were more influential than those from other periods, particularly the 1980s, which she considered a low point for the industry. She incorporated numerous 1970s references, including overacting mothers, clichéd dialogues, cabarets, and badminton, all popular elements of that time. Shah Rukh Khan’s costumes were designed by Karan Johar, Deepika Padukone’s by Manish Malhotra, and the rest of the cast’s by Sanjeev Mulchandani.