KARZZZ
Nothing but Confidence, Sheer Confidence
by Vishal Verma
Banner: T-Series
Genre: Musical Thriller
Shooting Locations (City & Country): Kenya & South Africa
Producer: Bhushan Kumar & Krishan Kumar
Director: Satish Kaushik
Star Cast: Himesh Reshammiya, Urmila Matondkar, Danny Denzongpa. Gulshan Grover
Rohini Hattangadi, Shweta Kumar (debut) Bakhtiyaar Irani, Dino Morea, Raj Babbar
Asrani & Himani Shivpuri
Cassettes and CD's on: T-Series
Singers: Himesh Reshammiya, Sunidhi Chauhan, Tulsi Kumar & Shreya Ghosal
Lyricist: Sameer
Music Director: Himesh Reshammiya
Cinematography: Manoj Soni
Writer: Shiraz Ahmed
Media Relations: T-series in house PR department with Universal Communications
Technical Analysis
No doubts (read debts) at the B.O. This evergreen punar janam story is a winner. It will be unfair to match the original 80’s combo of Subash Ghai, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Sachin Bhowmik, Rishi & Simi with Satish Kaushik, Himesh Reshammiya & Urmila Matondkar.
A cult will always remain a cult and a shinning glory for its mentors and I strongly believe that T-series, Satish & Himesh know this fact very well.
So what makes them to touch this evergreen musical reincarnation drama?
The answer is confidence and that is what makes you the winner, the belief in yourself.
Director Satish Kaushik post ‘Tere Nam’ gave two back to back debacles Shaadi Se Pehle & Vaada but he still believed that he can deliver the goods in ‘Karzzz’.
Himesh after playing himself in ‘Aap Ka Surror’ believed that he can do Monty – the role which will always remain as one of Rishi Kapoors finest moments in his career.
Urmila Matondkar for believing that she can play the vamp like Simi in the film where she has to do all the villainy for the mute villain.
And of course T-series for believing that their sufi rockstar can now also deliver at the marquee.
So does this remake works for the masses.(underline masses, this is for the aam junta not for creative explorations and discussions at art houses and coffee shops, this is for making money and selling the average 50.Rs price single screen ticket).
The answer is yes for the following reasons.
- Himesh improves as an actor (he is no SRK, Bachchan or any other Khan or Kumar and he is not as spontaneous as Rishi was in the original) but he has improved a lot from his debut film ‘Aap Ka Surror’) and that will make his followers happy.
- Music is already a hit and this will draw crowds to the theatres.
- Production values are stupendous and Manoj Sonis camerawork is excellent.
- Satish has given the today’s look to this 80’s blockbuster, so you have ‘Tandoori nights’ in a discotheque, email instead of hand written letters, helicopters instead of jeep and South Africa instead of Ooty and Bacardi’s instead of Vat 69. the club feel funky mix Hari Om instead of the disco beats of ‘Om Shanti Om’, the typical nasalstar’s sufi rock ‘Mashallah’ instead of the romantic ‘ Dard –e- Dil. Anayways ‘ Ek haseena thi’ is restructured for the absorbing climax.
- Writer Shiraz Ahmed who does not lift the original as it is and gives some twist in the Kahani and co-ordinates with his helmer’s Satish Kaushik’s interpretation to give the viewers of hardcore masala film a paisa vasool stuff.
Though it’s a Himesh show all the way but Shweta Kumar in her debut impresses in a small role.
On the flipside, the changes in the second half may not go well with the hard core Karz fanatics.
Veterans like Raj Babbar Danny Denzongpa. Gulshan Grover Rohini Hattangadi & Asrani are either wasted or they fail to impress.
The song ‘mahiya’ could have been chopped. From all the tracks ‘''Lut Jaon Lut Jaon'' ‘Mashaallah, ‘Tandoori Nights (already a regular at top night spots), Hari Om are an instant take home.
The credit for ‘Karzzz’ is shared between Himesh and T-series for their courageous and confident effort. It's difficult to take risks, especially when you're under a scanner constantly. Like the famous lines go, every step you take, every move you make, the word will be watching and so it is this ‘karzzz’ will be watched for different reasons.
Can any Khan, Kumar, Kapoor or Bachchan can turn music composers overnight
No, But this TV Producer turned singer turned music composer turned actor is now making others to turn their heads and watch the confidence.
The Story
Shiraz Ahmed does some minor changes to sachin bhowmik’s original screenplay of ‘Karz’ and sets this one amidst the majestic and breathtaking locales of South Africa, Karzzzz is a remake of the 1980 Subhash Ghai block buster hit Karz.
The protagonist Monty (Himesh Reshammiya) is an extremely successful Rock Star based in South Africa; he is phenomenally popular and is worshipped like an idol. In course of one of the many parties he attends, he meets Tina (Shweta Kumar) For Monty, its love at first sight. But, Tina returns home immediately, after leaving Monty fretting. That's when things start to change.
During one of his rehearsals, Monty starts playing a tune and suddenly goes into a trance, with intense visual flashes - a mansion, a temple, a beautiful girl... Monty collapses unconscious.
On further probe, he finds out; the mansion belonged to a certain Ravi Verma (Dino Morea) , who died in a tragic accident. Another flash back reveals that Monty was Ravi Verma in his previous life, married to a beautiful girl called Kamini (Urmila Matondkar). Monty now has the grave realization of having been reborn in his current persona. His beautiful love interest (Tina) is none other than Kamini's foster daughter. From here starts Monty's new journey.
A journey of enthralling vengeance, which he unleashes on Kamini. In close connivance with her wicked accomplice Sir Juda, Kamini had murdered Ravi to take over his estate, leaving his family helpless after his death.
To repay the debt he owed them for all their suffering, Monty now brings his mother and sister out from the dark recesses of their life; he also reunites with Tina and culminates his incomplete love from a previous life.
Promotion
Right from the day when the news of T-series buying the rights to remake ‘Karz’, the buzz had been smartly kept alive by the promoters. Anything what Himesh does gets the attention. The promos are slick and well designed and aims at the concerned audience. The music is already a hit and may surpass Rock on, Singh Is Kinng in popularity charts all over.
Media awareness by t-series along with Parag Desai’s Universal communication has been apt.
Business Analysis
Himesh’s popularity, hit music, no serious competition, vacation period, will see that the film gets a good opening. The movie will do maximum business from Mumabi, Gujarat, and Rajasthan where his popularity is higher. Business will also be good form select centers of U.P., Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh and pockets of Nizam and Hyderabad.
The business however will be low in east and south and not very encouraging from overseas. (Mainly because Himesh is not very popular in those territories).
All said and done, ‘Karzzz’ is a winner and will make everyone happy.
Star status: Himesh is already the nasal sufi rockstar who with his second film has made it clear that he is gonna stay.