Ra.One
Ra.One

For a film that attempts to take everything to the “next level,” the worst thing I could probably say about Ra.One is that it was underwhelming. The VFX is fantastic – definitely the best we’ve seen in Hindi cinema so far. However, the story is so wafer-thin that it feels like a wasted attempt. Ultimately, we end up with a product that has a sparkly exterior, but a hollow interior.

Ra.One
Ra.One

The main problem with Ra.One lies in the fact that the makers couldn’t decide whether they were making a superhero flick or a masala movie. The result of that was an under-developed film – the time they took to throw in cheap jokes and item numbers could have been better spent on developing the main saga; the Good vs. Evil story. If they did that, they would have had a true winner on their hands. Instead, what we end up with is a half-assed attempt that is ultimately disappointing, mostly because you realize how good it could’ve actually been.

Ra.One
Ra.One

The acting by both Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor were strictly okay. Shah Rukh does a decent job, but it’s by no means his best. Kareena doesn’t even do much beyond her signature pout. Arjun Rampal showed a lot of promise, but was around for such a short time that ultimately it didn’t make much of an impact either. The true star of the show was the kid, Armaan Verma. Very natural; I’d keep an eye out for him.

Ra.One
Ra.One

On to the good parts: The Rajnikanth scene was entertaining, if not a little pointless. I just wish we could have seen the two superstars play off each other more, because that would have made for an interesting set-up. But it was fun and will elicit a giggle. I also really liked some dialogues – by far my favourite was, “Tum Raavan ko har saal isiliye jalate ho, kyunki tumhe pata hain ki woh kabhi nahin marta.” And the G.One-Ra.One scenes are great (but so few and far between!) and brimming with potential. So Ra.One definitely did have its plus points and entertained in parts.

Ra.One
Ra.One

As a side note, I saw the film in 3D and didn’t think it added much value to the overall experience (I think 3D in general is overrated though; this is not a fault with Ra.One). If you’re going with kids, you could probably do the 3D for the extra thrill value it offers, but otherwise don’t feel like you absolutely need to see it in 3D!

In short: Watch for the VFX; definitely worth it. But don’t go in thinking it’ll live up to its hype.