Movie Review: Kurbaan (2009) starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Om Puri, Vivek Oberoi, Dia Mirza, Kirron Kher
Director: Rensil D Silva
Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Johar
Banner: Dharma Productions, UTV Motion Pictures
Music: Sulaiman Merchant, Salim Merchant
Background Music: Sulaiman Merchant, Salim Merchant
Sound: Nakul Kamte
Lyrics: Prasoon Josh
Ehsaan (Saif Ali Khan) comes to New York with Avantika (Kareena Kapoor) to set-up a home and live happily-after. They move into an idyllic neighbourhood and things are rosy and calm; for a time.
In-between removing each other’s clothes and performing lewd sex acts (that’s with each other) they somehow notice that their next door neighbours are part of a secret terrorist cell who are planning to blow up law-abiding American citizens in the not too distant future; the fact that they are Afghans and look like Osama-bin-Laden wannabes shows otherwise?
Anyway, Avantika then stumbles upon her husband also plotting to do the same. Apparently, his family were done bad by the American government and he is out for revenge. Blah! Blah! Same old story!
Avantika, the poor girl, now has a major situation on her hands. She has to stop having sordid sex with this Mullah Omar duplicate and try to save the citizens of New York. Hmm. Hard decision, don’t you think?
The rest of the story is about how she goes about trying to restrain herself from having intercourse with him. Hmm, well maybe not! I might have exaggerated a little. You will too once you come out of the cinema watching 160 minutes of total nonsense.
Who cares about America wanting to take control of the world’s oil fields? And I don’t give a toss about why a man becomes a terrorist in the first place and his reasons behind blowing the poor New York residents. All we want is 2 hours of entertainment. If we wanted a history and morality lesson then we have numerous TV channels for that, don’t we?
When Karan Johar began writing the story for Kurbaan he most definitely would have thought the terrorism subject as the film’s pivotal promotion tactic. But, as things usually happen differently than planned in life, it is the sex scene between the two lead stars that became the film’s ‘only’ selling point. These days a film is promoted with such force on Television that a viewer is already in a frame of mind prior to the opening credits.
Terrorism, what terrorism? This film is a soft-porno made to pleasure Karan Johar’s dysfunctional mind. If he wanted to see Kareena topless, why not just pay her to come to a private hotel room and take her clothes of? Why subject a fanatic Bollywood-loving community to 2 hours and 40 minutes of utter trash?
Now getting all that of my mind we come to the performances. Saif and Kareena are good together. They are good at headlining parties, they are good at visiting sick children to promote their upcoming films and they are indeed good in front of the camera. There is a unique chemistry between the pair that is distinctive to them only. You will not get to see anything more special between anyone else. In fact, both feed of each other. Both need to make more films as a couple. We need more Saifeena!
Vivek Oberoi is so-so. Any Tom, Dick or Upen Patel-like actor could have done his part and made it look less lame then he has. One has to also take note of Om Puri and Kirron Kher. These two sensational actors are under-used in Indian films. We want more of Omiron!
Karan’s story is lame and he brings nothing new. Rensil D’Silva is also average. Music on the other hand does fit in well with the film. Hands up to Salim-Suleiman.
And for the wrap… I personally did not find anything new in this film. I have seen tons of films since 9/11 about how a man becomes a terrorist. I was expecting something new in Kurbaan but, apart from the sex scene, there was nothing else. At the Box Office the film will do initially very good, after all every one is eager to see Kareena topless (or is that backless – can’t see the difference myself in her case).
RS Rating: 6/10
Reviewed by Tony
Related posts:
- Movie Preview: Kurbaan (2009) starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor
- Music Review: Kurbaan (2009) starring Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor
- READ THE RS REVIEW OF KURBAAN
- Soundtrack: Kurbaan (2009) starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor
- Video trailer of Kurbaan starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor
Is this a joke? This ‘review’ seems less like one and more like someone crying about their personal issues. By far the worst review of the movie on the net… How on earth was this allowed to be published?