New Metallica Album: The Other New Song

New Metallica Album in 2008

Hmmm....how long will it take?? It was scheduled for a fall 2007 release, then it got delayed till the first quarter of 2008. Uh..it's getting tiring now. So yeah, Load was too much of an experiment for my taste, Re-Load was mediocre at best for most of its songs, Garage Days was..wel....garage stuff..St. Anger was like yukk!!!! S&M was somewhat of a relief and quite entertaining. But, even after more than a decade of disappointment, I'm waiting for the new Metallica album like crazy! Also not very helpful is the fact that these guys have been giving interviews and saying that the new album will revisit the Master of Puppets glory days...whoa!! It's Metallica for cryin out loud!!!! Anyway..here's a Youtube video of a song which is "supposed" to be on the new album. It's simply called The New Song...lol.

War Without End--Warbringer: Review

Only yesterday I was talking about how there is a fine line between being influenced and plagiarism in my Feel The Blade review. And Warbringer seem to know exactly what I was talking about....yay!

Warbringer are a Thrash Metal band from California, USA and this is their first official release...God bless Century Media:). Not very well known in the Metal circles, but that's going to change pretty soon!!! yeah..you better believe me on this. The album opener Total War grips you by the throat and proclaims loud and clear 'HEY! A NEW BAND CAN THRASH TOO!! YOU KNOW'. This is absolutely mind boggling, I'm actually at a loss of words here. While Lamb of God, The Haunted, Legion of The Damned etc. have been providing considerable doses of the "Thrashy" element in their music, it always leaves you a little short of satisfied. Even Municipal Waste, who are quite arguably the only "real" new Thrash band mix elements of Hardcore and Punk..Crossover so to say. But!! what Warbringer have achived here is pure genius!, I mean what the hell were these guys on? A track by track review is totally unnecessary as each and every song here is nothing short of a Thrasher's delight, not one filler!. Even the instrumental album closer A Dead Current has brilliant written all over it. Killer riffs played at amazing speeds, scorching solos, montrous drumming...everything!...this is what great Thrash albums are made of. And you know what, not one riff or one solo sounds lifted...the Tom Araya-esque vocals aside, this album definitely has it to become a classic of modern Thrash Metal. An outstanding debut, it has everything you could ask for in a great Thrash album. Municipla Waste have some serious competition at hand now. Bring on the WAR!!

Rating: 9/10

Snapshots from the Auto Expo, 2008, New Delhi

We had to bear with the 1 hr+ Metro Train journey, and also toil throuh the vast expanse of Pragati Maidaan with more than 12 huge halls to visit. By the time I got back home, I felt my legs would fall off, but, it was all worth the pain and the trouble. For those of you not in Delhi, or who couldn't find the time...here are some snapshots. The one above is a classic 1974 Ford Mustang.

DC (Dilip Chhabria) showcase their 4 Crore!! Ambierod.

Another DC offering.

Hyundai showcases the soon to be launched Gamma or Magma....aah! I forgot what the name was.

Kawasaki Ninja!

Bajaj showcase their 1 Lakh concept car.

THE Star!! of the show. TATA's Nano.

HUMMER...whoa!!

Yamaha R15.

Honda CBR.
The fastest production bike in the world....Suzuki Hayabusa!!!!

Feel the Blade--Legion of The Damned: Review

Their last album, Sons of The Jackal was a decent offering of Death/Thrash. Feel the Blade is not actually a new album; this is a recording from the days when Legion of The Damned were still known as Occult. They've just added three new songs to that EP. Anyway, coming on to the music; what Legion of The Damned have done here is combine 80's style Thrash with Death Metal influences. The production is also very good here. The thrashy opener Nuclear Torment gives you a clear picture of what Legion of The Damned are upto! Thundering double bass, hyperspeed riffing and tormenting vocals...it's all there. The rest of the songs are more or less in the same vein, with a bit of variance in the speed. The last three songs(new recordings) boast of better production sound and some guitar solos too! Overall, a decent offering again; though this band is capable of much more. This album might sound like a monster! to someone who's not really into 80's Thrash, but I rate this as 'decent' because each and every song on this album smells of Slayer, Destruction, Sodom, Kreator at some point or the other. All bands have their influences, and there's nothing bad in it, but when a band consciously creates similar sounding riffs, similar sounding drum beats and even inserts breakdowns! in the same vein, then it has to be criticized. To sum up...Feel the Blade is a good album to headbang to and has some killer moments to its credit. If you're someone who has grown up with the works of Slayer,Sodom,Destruction,Kreator etc., you might not think too higly of it.

Rating: 6/10

Must Have Heavy Metal Albums of The New Millennium: 2000-2007

Some say "true" Heavy Metal died it's natural death in the early nineties. Old school fanatics might also tell you to stay away from anything post 1988. Since the advent of NWOAHM(New Wave of American Heavy Metal) in the early 2000's and Nu-Metal getting big, Heavy Metal is supposedly finished. Not quite true; there are still plenty of bands(new as well as old) who are releasing pretty solid Heavy Metal releases. I'm gonna list a few albums here, which in my opinion are some of the best Heavy Metal albums from 2000-2007.

1. Kreator-- Enemy of God (2005)
The German Gods of Thrash!!..Nothing to say here. This albums really rips!! and boy does it shred! This is the yardstick by which every modern-thrash album should be judged. Nuff said....
Killer Tracks:
Enemy of God
Impossible Brutality
Murder Fantasies
Suicide Terrorist



2. Children of Bodom-- Follow the Reaper (2001)
My introduction to Children of Bodom, and I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said that I was shocked!!(in a good way). These finnish metallers just knock your socks off with everything they do, and this is their masterpiece!(till now that is). You really can't classify them into a genre, but Extreme Power Metal with Melodic Death influences(phew!) should do for the uninitiated.
Killer Tracks:
Kissing the Shadows, Mask of Sanity, Hate Me! & Follow the Reaper


3. Dark Tranquillity-- Character (2005)
The best album from these Swedish metallers; and that's saying a lot since they have a long list of great albums. The album is bone crunchingly heavy, yet accessible. The use of piano and keyboards amidst the barrage of riffs provides for a grand atmosphere.
Killer Tracks:
The New Build, Lost to Apathy, Out of Nothing & Dry Run




4. Symphony X-- V:A New Mythology Suite (2000)
If the 90's belonged to Dream Theater then the 2000's belong to Symphony X in the Progressive Metal genre. I'll only say this--if you're a fan of progressive metal, power metal or guitar wizardry in general, but you still don't have this album..you deserve to be tortured!! Listen to the 12 minute 'Rediscovery' to know why.
Killer Tracks:
Evolution, Fallen, On the Breath of Poseidon & Rediscovery



5. Machine Head-- The Blackening (2007)
The only 2007 release in this list. Yes. it's that good!! Hell, some people have already started comparing it to Master of Puppets and Reign in Blood. I won't do that just now, will give it some more time. But!, this is a masterpiece of an album for sure. Aggressive, brutal modern post-Thrash.
Killer Tracks:
Aesthetics of Hate, Beautiful Mourning, Slanderous & Halo




6. Dream Theater-- Train of Thought (2003)
Another jewel in Dream Theater's godly discography. Naysayers keep complaining about the complexity and changing sound of Dream Theater with every album. Hello!! This is Progressive Metal you idiots!...progression is the crux of it.
Killer Tracks:
Endless Sacrifice, In The Name of God, Honor Thy Father & As I Am




7. Arch Enemy-- Wages of Sin (2002)
Arch Enemy's first album with Angela Gossow on the vocals, and arguably their best one too. The highlight of this album is the precision! with which every instrument is played, even at breakneck speeds. Michael Amott is a guitar God!!
Killer Tracks:
Enemy Within, Ravenous, Svage Messiah & Dead Bury Their Dead




8. Municipal Waste-- Hazardous Mutation (2005)
Finally a new band makes it to the list. Though classified as Hardcore/Thrash Crossover act, Municipal Waste will plainly sound old school classic Thrash to your ears. This album could have well been released in 1986 and gelled with the DRI, Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, Suicidal Tendencies releases quite comfortably!
Killer Tracks:
Death Ripper, Guilty of Being Tight, Mind Eraser & The Thrashin' of The Christ

9. Soilwork-- A Predator's Portrait (2001)
This is Soilwork's masterpiece! and one of the most revered albums in all of Melodic Thrash/Death metal. An album without any mentionable weakness with something for everyone. Clean singing passages, death metal growls, melodic solos, savage riffing...everything!
Killer Tracks:
Bastard Chain, Needlefeast, The Analyst & Shadowchild




10. Lamb of God-- Ashes of The Wake (2004)
This is what modern Metal should sound like. No frills, no nonsense...straight up! in your face! devastating metal!! Lamb of God are labeled Metalcore, but they are not! Pure modern Thrash with Death/Groove influences. These guys are the new age Pantera!
Killer Tracks:
Laid to Rest, The Faded Line, Ashes of The Wake, Remorse is For The Dead



Other noteworthy albums:

11. In Flames-Clayman: Their last truly great album.

12. DragonForce-Inhuman Rampage: Faster than the speed of light!!

13. Children of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll: Another monster headbanger from the children.

14. Destruction-All Hell Breaks Loose: A great dose of modern Thrash from these German masters.

15. Symphony X-Odyssey: Yeah!..another one. Not as grandiose as V but still great and heavier!

16. Killswitch Engage-As Daylight Dies: Ok, you may scoff at me for this, but I really like this album. Mellow, energetic, boombastic..an all in one package.

17. Blind Guardian-A Twist in the Myth: Beautiful and epic! Power Metal from these German masters.

18. Amon Amarth-With Oden On Our Side: Another bludgeoning Melodic Death metal release from this millennium.

19. Shaodows Fall-The War Within: Good dose of modern thrash/metalcore.

20. Mastodon-Blood Mountain: Excellent Sludge/Metalcore from Atlanata.

The Evil That Men Do

The dawn of 2008....and what a magnificent!? welcome the men of our country have extended.

So you must know about the gang molestation of two NRI women outside the JW Marriott hotel in Mumbai...yeah? If you're the obsessive idiot box-er type then you must also know about the eve teasing incident involving a Swedish girl on New Year's eve in Kochi. It's pathetic!, yes, it should be brought to public notice, yes, the culprits should be put beind bars, yes. What about more important things though? What about this 14 year old girl who was raped, murdered and then her body was hung from a tree!!? What about this poor pregnant woman in Andhra Pradesh who was brutally raped by TEN! men?

From news channels to morning dailies, from Shabana Azmi to Koena Mitra, from Congress to Shiv Sena, from acclaimed columnists to noname bloggers, everyone seems to be obsessing about the JW Marriott incident in Mumbai. And yes, they should! If it were in my hands, I'd make all those nasty lewd buggers stand in a queue, strip them of all their clothing, ask them to bend over and set a horny Gorilla free on them. But, and forgive me for being so forthcoming, I think this incident has been blown out of proportion. Everyone is seeking his/her share of writing space and limelight for something which happens almost every second day in some corner of this huge country. That these don't get reported or don't make it to National TV is another matter. Yes, I personally know many women who've had experiences which are as horrifying, if not more. Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad,Delhi..in the bus, on the train, on the road..you name it, you've got it. Kolkata always remains the noble exception to such travesties. Not that it means we should start taking it in our stride, hell no! These scums of the Earth need to be taught a lesson, and a severe! one at that. But there's something about this JW Marriott incident, and the media hullabaloo that followed which smells of sensationalism to me. You can't tell me that being groped by a group of men with your brother and husband around is more traumatic than being raped by 10-12 men, when you're 8 months pregnant, and your husband is beaten up and tied to a tree!! You can't tell me it's a more heinous crime than raping a minor girl, mudering her and hanging her dead body from a tree! So why isn't everybody crying hoarse over these events? Why is it that the vanity of 2 NRI women, supposedly modern women(who didn't even want to report it by the way) given precedence over the vanity of a poor rural woman? Why is it that a 17 year old boy pinching the buttocks of a Swedish girl makes for more important news than a 14 year old girl who was raped and murdered? I've been trying to find the answers..if you know them...please do share...

Anway, some points to remember...

1) If you think someone is following you don't wait till he comes near you, walk briskly towards a crowd or call someone(or pretend! to call).

2) If you're alone and someone passes a comment, ignore! Do not look, stare at him or call him names. If a policeman is around, report to him.

3) If you have to stay out late, always carry something to get you out of tricky situations. A small kitchen knife, red chili powder etc. in your purse would do.

4) If you're stuck in a situation, and you actually want! to fight, aim for the crotch..always!

5) Accept lifts from only those colleagues who are also acquainted with your family, husband, brother etc. Make sure you tell someone at home that this guy is driving you home(make the call in front of him!)

6) If it's dark, whether it's the company's cabby or one from the streets, no one is to be trusted. At stations and airports--make sure someone is there to pick you up. In the office cab, make sure you're not the last drop!

7) Do not take shortcuts while walking in the night. Narrow alleys, muddy strecthes near rail/metro stations, parkways, deserted subways etc. are a strict NO. MAIN ROAD, always!!

8) Keep the mobile car service numbers handy. If you're driving in the night and the car breaks down on a long and deserted stretch--pull up all the windows, lock all doors, call the service guys and lie down..on the back seat!

9) If you're out to party at night, make sure there's atleast one male friend who can and will! fight for you. For only-girls parties, make sure it's someone's home.

10) Although this point might irk some of the feminists out there, but mangalsutra, a hint of sindoor or anything which says you're married might help sometimes. Yes, it can!..there are varying degrees of evil in all bad men you see.

Adios for now....

Top 10 Heavy Metal Albums of 2007

It's that time of the year again, and I'm about to list the best Metal albums of 2007. This was not really a great year for Heavy Metal, yeah, there were quite a few releases from old warhorses, but even these could not save the year from the overall mediocrity it was burdened with. So here are some of my favourite Heavy Metal albums from 2007(in descending order)

1) Machine Head: The Blackening

Phewww!! This has definitely displaced Burn My Eyes as my favourite Machine Head album, and quite possibly as Machine Head's best yet. Angry, menacing!! aggressive Post Thrash. Want some track recommendations..how about all of 'em? Well, just for your sake..I'll say check out Clenching the Fists of Dissent, Halo, Aesthetics of Hate, Beautiful Mourning and Slanderous. The best this year! and quite possibly the best Post/Thrash release since Lamb of God's Ashes of The Wake in 2004. It's a killer!!!

2) Dark Tranquillity: Fiction

This his how modern Melodic Death Metal should sound like! The Swedish masters have done it again. This is a worthy follower to their last masterpiece Character in every which way. Yeah, they still sound the same, but hey! that's what we want :) . Tremendous arrangements, clinically precise and crunching riffs...this one is a Gothenburger's wet dream.

3)

Arch Enemy's second best album to date!(first being Wages of Sin).Here's a short review of this album.

4) Overkill: Immortalis

If it's old school Thrash you're looking for, you can never ever! go wrong with Overkill. This certainly ain't another The Years of Decay or Horrorscope but it still has loads of ripping riffs and shredding solos to leave you gasping for more. The production is terrific and the instrumentation is godly...it's Overkill after all!

5) Symphony X: Paradise Lost

The most beautiful(musically) Metal album to be released this year, without doubt. You gotta give it some time though, it grows on you after the third or fourth listen. Beautiful melodies, Michael Romeo's exquisite riffing and mind boggling solos, this one's got it all. Not in the league of The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V-A New Mythology Suite but still a very good album.

6) The best Megadeth album since Cryptic Writings, period. Before anyone asks, NO, I wasn't a fan of The System Has Failed. Sleepwalker and A Tout Le Monde with Christina Scabbia are worth the price of this album. Great riffing, after a long long! time. Not very heavy, but Megadeth haven't been really heavy except on Youthanasia perhaps.

7) Exodus: The Atrocity Exhibition-Exhibit A

This album is reviewed in my previous post.

8) Iced Earth: Framing Armageddon(Something Wicked Part 1)The Power Metal masters are back!. This album is a tad mellower than their previous masterpieces, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Night of The Stormrider or The Dark Saga, but it still packs that trademark Iced Earth punch. This one is a loong! player with 19 tracks and some songs tend to get overtly complicated. But once you're past through that initial barrier, you'll be reaping the benefits in no time :)

9) Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos

Clocking in at nearly an hour and twenty minutes, this one can be tedious for the casual fan of progressive metal. For the fan though, this is what it is! A good dose of technical riffs, harmonies, keyboard madness and beautiful solos(Constant Motion is a killer!), which you can turn on and then get on with your daily chores. A very good album, and better than Octavarium(yukk!!) for sure, but Symphony X have clearly stolen the thunder from under Dream Theater's nose this year.

10) Kamelot: Ghost OperaKamelot keep surprising you with one good release after the other. They followed Epica with the masterpiece Black Halo, and they have followed it up with the excellent Ghost Opera now. While Black Halo remains Kamelot's best work to date, Ghost Opera also deserves a spot in your CD collection(if you're a fan of Kamelot or Power Metal in general). Roy Khan's voice is in form again(like that's anything new) and the musical arrangements are great.

So that was it...these were my favourite Heavy Metal albums of 2007.

Major dissapointments

1) Obituary: Xecutioner's Return

2) Sodom: The Final Sign of Evil

3) S.O.D.: Rise of The Infidels

4) King Diamond: Give Me Your Soul..Please!

P.S.--As I Lay Dying's An Ocean Between Us just! missed the list. Yeah, frown some more :)

Exodus-The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A

Exodus are back!, and back with a bang! they are. For the uninitiated; Exodus are one of the most influential Thrash bands ever and their album Bonded by Blood is easily one of the Top 10 Thrash albums ever. Their last two releases, Tempo of The Damned and Shovel Headed Kill Machine, though praised by the critics and fans alike left me unsatisfied. They were more 'groove' than 'thrash' for me. With The Atrocity Exhibition however, they have hit a home run. It's all in the guitars they say, and Gary Holt and Lee Altus leave no stone unturned to rattle your brains crazy with their uber heavy and pulverizing riffs. This album has that quintessential aggression that was missing in the two previous releases.

Right after the minute and a half soothing intro of 'A Call to Arms', they bombard you with the bludgeoning 'Riot Act' and you know that Exodus mean business this time. Relentless riffing coupled with double bass mayhem make this a headbanger's delight, the solo here is just boombastic!! Next up is 'Funeral Hymn', an 8 and a half minute epic with it's thunderous and crunchy! riffs--a good song overall but it tends to get monotonous and a tad tedious. The solo here is again magnificent! Exodus follow it up with another 8 minute+ player in 'Children of A Worthless God'--the main riff is excellent! here and the guitars are exceedingly sharp. It does have an almost Arch Enemy-esque sound though. Next up is 'As it Was, As it Soon Shall Be', which is reminiscent of their work in Tempo of The Damned..crunchy and groovy mid-paced riffing. This song is nothig great but still leagues ahead of the Staind,KoRN,Disturbed,Godsmack crap masquerading as Metal out there. Things move on to the 10 minute+ epic Title song--which is a strange mix of Thrash as well as the Dillinger Escape Plan and Meshuggah sounds. You have to give this one some time, it grows on you! and really turns into a monster around the 5 minute mark...and the last 4 minutes are absolute Thrash bliss!..ummm. Oh, there's another exquisite solo in here. Next up is what is arguably the best song of this album..'Iconoclasm', when Rob Dukes screams I am the chosen one!!! you'll feel the adrenaline rushing to your head. The main riff is superb, and the breakdown around the 3 minute mark is simply mindblowing! Terrific solo once again!(man!! what were these guys on?). 'Garden of Bleeding' starts off in a very doom-ish way but comes into full feldged thrash frenzy in under a minute. This is also one of those songs which can be an acquired taste(yeah, even for the metalhead). It has a certain avante garde feel to it, and the riffs are heavier than your normal Thrash. I love! it though :) ..the last 1 and a half minutes of this song are pure mayhem! The last song 'Bedlam 123' is the most experimental song here. Starting with off beats and a Primus like bass line, this song gets into hyper speed destruction mode. Time changes coupled with blast beats and galloping double bass throughout, this is a worthy closer to the album.

Finally, what Exodus have achieved here is an excellent example of classic brutality and speed coupled with modern finesse,variations, and production sound. I say hats off!

Killer Tracks--Riot Act, Iconoclasm, Garden of Bleeding, Bedlam 123

Rating: 8.5/10

Om Shanti Om

Some films take themselves very seriously and some take themselves too lightly. Om Shanti Om is an anomaly of sorts; it gets too serious in taking itself too lightly. Doesn't make sense? Well..yeah..even the 17 odd reels of Om Shanti Om don't. That's not a point of contention however, I knew what to expect when I walked into the cinema this morning. Let's get on with the review now..shall we?
Om Prakash Makheeja(SRK) is a 70s junior artist who’s insanely in love with Shanti Priya(Deepika Padukone), who is in love with the badman Mukesh Mehra(ArjunRampal). Things go wrong, and both OM and Shanti end up dead! But….picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.

The first half with the 70s backdrop is as much a visual treat as it is a laugh riot. Yes, I’m not exaggerating here; the first hour of the film has some of the most massy and funny sequences Indian cinema has ever seen. The Dreamy Girl premiere, the whole Manoj Kumar spoof and Rajesh Kapoor(Khanna) and pregnant wife(Dimple) interview are supremely hilarious. The Rajnikanth spoof will have you holding on to your stomach, just in case anything pops out. The Dhoom Tana song where Shanti dances with Sunil Dutt, Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra a la Forrest Gump is absolutely splendid. The special effects department should be lauded for this feat.The village shoot where Om and Pappu(Shreyas Talpade) are playing dacoits is again a rib tickler. In between all these moments of laughter and entertainment(which is the whole point of OSO anyway) is a friendship brewing between Om and Shanti. Their rendezvous’ are handled beautifully and Deepika looks quite charming, and if I might add, stunning. The whole set burning sequence which results in the deaths of both OM and Shanti is grandeur at its best. Among the typical Bollywood masala entertainers, this is definitely one of the most entertaining, funny and involving first halves ever.

30 years later….Take TWO!, the second half dips and dips and keeps dipping for several minutes till we have a jug full of bitter Lipton Tiger in our mouth. Om Prakash Makheeja is reborn as Om Kapoor, the son of yesteryear superstar Rajesh Kapoor. Dard-e-disco though choreographed beautifully and quite catchy semed just out of place, I dunno why it had to be there. Om Kapoor keeps hearing voices and seeing flashes from his past life. His mother(Kiron Kher) in his first life keeps chasing his car with the everlasting ‘beta ruk ja’ line. The visions, the voices..anything just doesn’t make any emotional impact. When Om is shooting for superhero film Mohabbat Man(which was a very funny sequence again) he accidentally walks into the room which used to be Shanti’s dressing room. Again come the flashes, the voices and the faces too; all this while, I was hoping this just gets over!!! Give me some more entertainment. This isn’t good for Farah Khan, if she ever wants to be a good storyteller. Farah does oblige to our requests intermittently though; with the earth shakingly hilarious Filmfare Awards sequence and the star studded Deewangi Deewangi. Anyway, Mukesh Mehra is back again, this time as Mike or Mik-ee as he wishes to be addressed. Om of course recognizes his murderer, goes back to his mother and Pappu, gets lucky enough! to find a Shanti look alike,Sandy(Sandhya) and is determined to bring Mukesh Mehra to justice(wow!..now that’s what you call absitively posilutely seriously mindless). Om devises a plan which involves the help of all his actor friends and family to bring Mukesh Mehra to justice at the same place he murdered his beloved Shanti. Surprises, shrieking old ladies, staged bhoot incidents, tampered film reels et al make Mukesh Mehra fall into the trap and justice is finally delivered in Madhumati ishtyle! climax which is immaculately shot and is truly a grand spectacle. The second half could’ve been crisper though; some serious editing flaws in there. The whole Om/Mukesh restaurant sequence, the Om/Sandy rooftop sequence are just plain boring. The dialogues are grossly overwritten, too much blah blah for no rhyme or reason. All in all, quite a disapoointing second half with the exception of the far and few in between funny moments, and the climax, which is very well done indeed.

Coming on to the performances—Shreyas Talpade as Om’s sidekick is funny, loveable and extremely confident…two big Thumbs Up to him. Kiron Kher excels in what she’s supposed to do, i.e. play the loud, melodramatic Bollywood maa. Deepika Padukone looks gorgeous, and her performance is not bad for a first timer. I have my doubts about the voice though, I still think it’s dubbed. Arjun Rampal is plainly stupid in some scenes and plainly terrific in others. I still don’t know how to rate him here. I’ll go with a ‘decent’ at best. And now to SRK—the man hams like he never has! But wait a min, that doesn’t mean what you think it does. The truth about OSO, as a matter of fact is…it’s a one man job. It is SRK’s film; he’s the spine, the heart, the soul, the joy, the laughter and the emotion(whatever little this film has) of the film. He’s a revelation in the first half specially—playing to the gallery comedy has never been his forte, but he’s just marvellous here. Some of the hamming in second half is quite annoying though, specially in the confrontation scenes. He hams, he overacts, he makes silly faces, he ridicules himself, he ridicules others and still manages to bring the film several notches above what it deserves.

So that was OSO for you. No, it’s not the mother of all masala entertainers as some of our esteemed critics seem to think. What it is though, is 2 and a half hours well spent with your family and children. A first half full of laughter and energy, a scond half which gets quite boring at times, annoying at times, fun at times resulting in a wonderfully crafted climax. Am I disappointed? Yes…still worth a watch though.

Rating: ***