The Indian film, `Om Shanti Om` is directed by famous choreographer Farha Khan and this is her second project after the successful `Main Hoon Na`. The film also has the debutant model actress Deepika Padukone in the lead role. Arjun Rampal is in a villainous role while Shreyas Talpade plays the role of a friend. Nearly thirty stars from yesteryear and today are referred to or show up during the duration of the film, including twenty-eight of them in only one song. The film is based on reincarnation where it proves that for some love stories one life time is not enough.
The film is shot in different locations in India. Om Shanti Om has set a record as it has registered pre advanced booking of 18, 000 tickets in a chain of theatres in Delhi a couple of days before the advance booking was to start. A book titled, `The Making of Om Shanti Om` written by Mushtaq Sheikh has been released after the release of the film as well.
Synopsis of `Om Shanti Om`
The Indian film `Om Shanti Om` is a hearty tribute to the cinema of 1970`s; and it becomes clear from its opening scene when it shows that Rishi Kapoor, all dressed in silver, dances to the song "Om Shanti Om" from Subhash Ghai`s film `Karz`. In the crowd there is Om Prakash Makhija, one of the junior artists shooting for the song along with his friend Pappu Master.
Om Prakash Makhija played by Shah Rukh Khan is a junior artist trying hard to shine in life. He and his friend Pappu played by Shreyas Talpade are trying to become big heroes in the film industry. Om`s mother, Bela Makhija played by Kirron Kher, inspires and encourages her son to become a hero. She believes that one day he will shine in life and will be a superstar. Om`s love interest is the country`s heart throb and the star of the film, `Dreamy Girl`, Shantipriya played by debutant Deepika Padukone.
Om gets to meet Shanti on several occasions but for the first time he meets with his love at the premiere of `Dreamy Girl` where he creeps in after claiming he is the actor Manoj Kumar. Then again they meet at a film set where he saves her life after the set catches fire. From then on, Om and Shanti become good friends. They sing song together when Shanti comes to meet Om. Pappu sees their friendship and is the sole witness. Om sees Shanti again in the make-up room when he overhears her arguing with top producer Mukesh Mehra played by Arjun Rampal. To Om`s shock, Shanti is revealed to be married to Mukesh and is also pregnant. Mukesh is adamant that their relationship is kept a secret. Mukesh also tells Shanti that he cannot officially accept this because a rich businessman is financing his upcoming film `Om Shanti Om` for which he requires 40 lakhs rupees. But as a matter of fact shanti comes to know the truth that he is getting married to the daughter of the businessman. Angry and hurt, Shanti demands justice and more importantly love from Mukesh. Om, heartbroken begins to avoid Shanti.
One night, Om sees Shanti going along with Mukesh to the set of `Om Shanti Om`. Mukesh tells Shanti that he is going to cancel the film and he is going to reveal his marriage with her to the public as he wants her happiness. Shanti becomes overwhelmed. He also tells Shanti that he will destroy the set after they have the marriage ceremony in it. But he is so furious and angered by Shanti`s demands holds her responsible for his financial loss. He sets fire to the set of the film with Shanti trapped inside. Om sees Mukesh drive away without Shanti and to his horror sees Shanti trapped inside screaming for help.
He tries to reach her but Mukesh`s guards beat him and stop him from getting to her. Just when Om is about to hit the glass window of the set the guards beat on his head and he become senseless.Soon after the set explodes killing Shanti. Om who gets blown out of set`s window is hit by a car owned by Rajesh Kapoor played by Javed Sheikh. He is a well known actor who is rushing his pregnant wife played by Asawari Joshi to a hospital. Rajesh takes him to the hospital, but Om dies on the operation table just before a fraction of second rajesh Kapoor`s son takes birth.
30 years after the incident, Om is reincarnated as Om Kapoor, son of Rajesh Kapoor, who was born right after Om Makhija died. He is an arrogant star who tries to run the industry according to his own choice. He does not believe in god but one thing he can`t stand , is fire. The interesting part starts when after signing his next film Om goes on a location hunt. They choose the burnt studio and set of the film `Om Shanti Om` as their present shooting location. As soon as he sees the set, Om begins to remember bits of his past life. Soon after at a award giving ceremony he meets Mukesh Mehra, who has been a popular Hollywood producer for the past 25 years. Everything comes to Om`s mind and he has a tearful reunion with Bela and Pappu.
To take revenge of his beloved Shanti`s death, Om decides to remake the film `Om Shanti Om` with Mukesh. Mukesh agrees after convincing that he will produce the film. During the audition for the role of Shanti, the crew meets Sandy or Sandhya, a look-a-like of Shantipriya.
Om begins to play with Mukesh`s by first taking him to the restored set of `Om Shanti Om` where Om`s mother Bela appears and says something to Mukesh. Om and his friends are successful making him believe that Shanti is a ghost. However during the mind games many occurrences take place which were not planned by Om`s team. Mukesh becomes scared and wants to go back to Hollywood. But Om tells him to stop his move till the music release of `Om Shanti Om`. Mukesh eventually comes to know about Sandy and Om`s plan. He confronts Om and they begin to fight. Planwise Sandy comes and talks to Mukesh about that night he killed her. She reveals details about Shantipriya`s death that even Om did not know. She reveals that Mukesh returned that night to take care of Shantipriya`s body, who was still alive. Mukesh buried her alive underneath the chandeleir of the set. Om realizes that she is actually Shanti`s ghost after the real Sandy enters from the front door. The ghost Shanti kills Mukesh by making a chandelier fall on him. At the end, Om sees the ghost of Shanti tearfully bid him good-bye. She runs up the stairs and disappears. It is implied that Om and Sandy who is not the reincarnation of Shantipriya get together in the end.
Cast and Crew of `Om Shanti Om`
The star cast of the Indian film `Om Shanti Om` includes Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Shreyas Talpade, Kirron Kher, Arjun Rampal, Javed Sheikh, Bindu, Yuvika Choudhary, and Shahwar Ali. The film also includes 31 prominent starts of Bollywood industry in one song sequence including Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Rekha, Dharmendra and Mithun Chakraborty. The film is directed by Farha Khan while it is produced by Gauri Khan. The story, screenplay and choreography are done by Farha Khan while Mayur Puri writes the dialogue. The music is given by Vishal-shekhar, lyrics has penned by Javed Akhtar. V. Manikandan did the cinematography while Sabu Cyril was the art director.
Awards for `Om Shanti Om`
The Indian film `Om Shanti Om` is a directorial work of Farah Khan and is an award winning movie. The movie has got many nomination for filmfare awards including best film, best director, best actor, best villain, best actress, best actor in a supportng role, best music, best lyrics, best playback singer. The film won Star Screen awards as best newcomer femala and as best choreographer. Farah Khan got the stardust dream director award, Arjun Rampal won the Stardust best actor award in a negative role while Shreyas Talpade won the break through performance in male category.