How about What’s Your Raashee?

“How about what’s your Raashee?” asked my friend Hima. I said “No way. I heard it’s too long for romantic comedy. And I can’t tolerate Harman Baweja”. “Hey, you like Ashutosh’s movie right. You even saw his Swades”. “Swades was different. I think it’s a wonderful movie”… “ I heard it’s a nice movie” , joined Chinmaya. I should have thought twice when a guy who doesn’t know hindi and a guy who loves mindless Sharukh movies says it…

“Oh, we already booked and you are coming”. I was like “what?”.. I made up my mind to sleep well as it was a night show and that too you get awesome seats in Seasons (Sathyam). We (Myself, Hima and Chinmaya) were just on time after a simple dinner at Noodle House.

I knew the movie was based on a Gujarati Novel by Madhur Rye “Kemball Ravenswood” based on the two stations in Chicago. (I actually cracked a question in the ASAP Spent Quiz that afternoon — of course sitting in the audience and answered to my friends. One of the teams on the stage cracked it). The story is simple — Yogesh Patel (Mr.Yogi??), a NRI working with Accenture in Chicago has to marry a girl in 10 days to acquire family fortune so that he can bail out his brother from a financial mess. He accepts but throws up a condition that he will meet up 12 different girls of 12 different Raashees to find the right girl after reading a astrology book one night.

And there goes he starts meeting 12 different Priyanka Chopras of different Raashees with each one depicting the qualities of astro signs.. Who does he marry after 3 Hrs and 45 min- it’s for you to find

The Plus

1. Priyanka Chopra was awesome in all the 12 roles. I just can’t believe that this was the same girl who made her debut with Vijay (damn!!!) in a crap called Thamizhan. She just cake walks all the roles. The best ones according to me are Hansa, Anjali, Chandrika, Mallika and the Virgo — the doctor (forgot her name)

2. The story had a purpose to it. Hindi movies have become so pointless in recent years concentrating more on skin rather than the story. Or they get on with mindless remakes like “Wanted” — man you dunno how much we hated that damn movie in Tamil Nadu. Kudos to Ashutosh for adapting a book.

3. The music — I know there too many songs. Just hear the songs as an album, you will enjoy it — Do the songs spoil the movie or vice versa ( Both!!!). But Sohail Sen is wonderful for a new comer. The final medley is awesome. I am trying to make it as my hello tune, I couldn’t.. Till Now

4. The supporting actors — Ashutosh Usuals were superb. The best of the lot is the personal assistant of the business lady.

The Minus

1. When the story had a purpose, the screenplay didn’t . The movie is extremely longgggggggg. Ashu Ji you can adapt a novel but you can never make a novel in to movie. I think I would have finished the novel in the movie running time.

2. Too many songs spoil the fun, although the songs are good. The first song came after 1 hour — we were startled that there are 11 more to go. You could have easily done with 6–7 songs and used the time to establish the characters better.

3. The characters depict only one side of the astro signs (bad or good). Except for Leo, I didn’t find any of them depicting both sides. For example, the over perfectionism and possessiveness of Virgo or the double standards of Gemini never came out..

4. I appreciate your idea of portraying Priyanka for all the characters in order to shun the physical beauty of the girls but if the purpose was to tell the audience that the Raashees don’t matter, why did you reveal the girl at the last? It would have been interesting, if you had ended the movie with a question from Yogesh to the girl “What’s your Raashee?”

5. Harman

The movie is neither great nor boring.. It definitely keeps you awake the whole 4 hrs (including interval). It could have been more interesting than what it is. Ashu, it’s a good one but not your best.

So atlast I didn’t sleep off in the movie, but a lot of ideas sprung up while watching the movie…

What’s your Raashee Ideas

1. A reality show like swayamvar series — 12 girls with different Raashees and 12 guys with diffrent Raashees choosing their pair without knowing each other’s Raashees.

2. A Matrimonial site which will suggest girls or guys, for a profile from 12 different Raashees based on the criteria.

3. A detective novel or movie — where a killer murders people from 12 different Raashees.

4. The final and a more practical one — I think I can choose my partner by meeting girls from 12 Different Raashees — what say? Dad, are you reading this?

PS: They are calling me for Wake Up Sid this Friday, I hope I don’t sleep so that they “Wake up Syl” ;)