Hindustan Times
Main Aur Meri Galti
Freedom! I have just exchanged my TV set top box for a dish and if my life isn’t jhinga-la-la, it’s certainly much more relaxed than it was before.
Earlier, I was always in a rush to get back home so that I could catch some TV serial or show (since I do a TV review column).If I missed the said programme, I’d have to try and get a CD from the channel in question (more difficult than it sounds; considering it’s their own content, I was always mystified as to why channels took so long to send the CDs. Often, I had visions of channel executives trekking across vast frozen deserts to reach a super secret vault from which they’d extract the relevant CD). Anyway, now I can record programmes and see them whenever I want to. If that isn’t liberation, I don’t know what is. (I can even fast forward the ads – and I can’t tell you what a relief it is not to see those ghastly underwear/deodorant commercials).
But that’s not what this post is about. I was quite stunned to discover that Tata Sky Plus started showing Main Aur Mrs Khanna on their Showcase channel less than a week after the film’s theatrical release. Clearly, the makers (UTV in this case, I think) realized that their film was such a massive dud, it made more sense to just put the movie out on cable (I paid Rs 150 to see it on Showcase) and make at least a couple of crores, if nothing else.
But having seen the film, I can understand why crowds of people weren’t exactly breaking down theatre doors to get in. Five observations about Main Aur Maine Yeh Film Kyon Dekhi
1) Shouldn’t Sohail Khan at least have the grace to blush when he gets girls (Preity Zinta in this case) to say things like “Aap to bade handsome hain!” to him (in the film, I mean; I hope better sense prevails in real life)
2) People often say that so-and-so sleep-walked his way through a film. But this is the first time someone has been in a comatose condition all through the film – the only kind way to describe Salman’s performance in Main Aur Mrs Khanna.
3) The scriptwriter was afflicted with the same condition – I’m sure of it. It’s probably as contagious as swine flu. I know I felt quite comatose after seeing the movie.
4) Kareena Kapoor has often said that she did Kambakht Ishq because she wanted to wear pretty (read designer) dresses and shoes and carry nice (read designer) bags. That seems to be the only reason why she agreed to do Main Aur Mrs Khanna as well. So for Kareena, it’s no longer about roles with substance, it’s all about clothes with substance?
5) Why did I see the film?
(7 votes, average: 4.86 out of 5)
Loading ...Posted by Poonam Saxena on Monday, November 2, 2009 at 11:56 pm
Filed under Bollywood · Tagged dish, liberation, Main Aur Mrs Khanna, Tata Sky Plus, TV serial, TV set top box
Haha! I have full sympathies Poonam!
Lots of movies are made just to show others that a certain actor or actress is busy, Main aur Mrs Khanna seems to be made to show that Salman and Sohail have work and kareena can look pretty.
Anyhow, I would rather our film makers made fewer movies ina year but made movies like Kaminey or Chak De!, movies which dont necessarily have big stars but can still leave an indelible mark on the psyche of the viewer.
But alas! its been ages since people have been crying out loud for good cinema but filmmakers are hell bent on torturing them with Main aur Mrs. Khanna
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poonam saxena Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:20 am
You know, Malvika, I’m quite happy even to see a reasonably okay film, but when a movie is so pointless, you feel really cheated. If you’ve seen Main Aur Mrs Khanna, you’ll know that the story and characters make NO sense whatsoever! (And incidentally, I foolishly thought the film sounded quite promising when I saw the promos, I thought it was some kind of a nice, fresh take on marriage).
And this is a home production for Salman! (It’s produced by his brother Sohail, which explains the latter’s “handsome” presence in the film). I think you’re right — some movies are just made to keep the gravy train going and this is one of them! It should come with a warning sign — “Stay Away” (not that it was needed, everyone’s anyway staying away!!)
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Hi Poonam,
you said in your post that you could get the program CD from the concerned channel.
I need a help in that.
there are some old serials , which came on DD. From where can i get their CD’s?
The name of the serials are: kasmkash and Farmaan.
I really want to see these serials and keep their CD in my collection. I checked out in the Planet M but they only stock old mythological serials and not these!!!
Please help!!
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poonam saxena Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:30 am
Oh boy, Jaya, getting CDs of India’s nuclear plans might be easier than getting old programme tapes from DD!! Sorry to be full of gloom and doom, but I don’t think you can get these shows unless they are released in the market (as has been done for Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and some of the other older DD serials).
The CDs i used to get were of shows I shouldn’t have missed but did (a new serial/reality show/some particularly controversial episode etc) which had been telecast just a few days before. (And that too, only because I had to write about them)
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Vikram Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:23 am
saxena madam careful with your jokes about the N plans. big brother might whisk u away for some chat. and then it might be revealed to all that we dont have plans in the first place
heheh … ooops i better stop yapping
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anurag Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:04 pm
hahaha, life is becoming jhinga lala , just bought dvd’s of “chankaya” and saw it,i was kid when this show run on tv so doesn’t understand then, after watching it “wow” what a serial and what actors, don’t know this type of actor are not born now days, serial had doesn’t got big budgest but they manage it with their acting, and hindi they speak,we have ekta kapoor mahabhart wher character speaks in urdu hindi!!!
why not bollywood try to make film on “chankaya?
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poonam saxena Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 11:58 am
It was a really good serial — will try and watch again
Dipta Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:34 pm
HT Cafe (the daily lifestyle supplement in Bombay) recently carried a series of reviews of all the DD serials available on DVD. Very exhaustive.
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Jaya Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Hi Dipita,
please share the link here for us delhiites!!!!
Jaya Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
i couldnot resist. can you also check and update on the serials mentioned above ??
hahhahaa…so u finally saw Main aur Mrs Khanna..I remember u were quite upbeat about this movie..when u had posted about the 3 diwali released
now i want to c Alladin..reviews have trashed it as well..but m sure i will like it!
I was quite sure that I wont c this..simply bcoz salman n sohail r there in the movie..n salman mostly sleep walks thru most of his movies..I like him for his looks but his acting is wayy too pathetic n his good looks cant compensate for that! n preity..sorry to say..looks too old for that kajraare type song..as for its choreography…how cud they lift the entire look of a recent bigtime hit!!
Anyways..I have seen All The best & Blue as well..And I must say ‘all the best’ is fine..good timepass..but contrary to my expectations and the reviews that I read which had trashed Blue left right n centre..I quite liked Blue! i remember HT givin it a 1 star ..the movie was defntly not that hopeless! m sure if the same stuff was released by hollywood..it wud have got 3 stars for the underwater sequences if not anything else..at least m thankful that akshay did something which suits him n looks n acts well too…n lara looks hot!n half of the movie is underwater…(i had heard a review say it was max 2-3 mins sequence!!) but yeah its a big screen watch..so pls dont c it on tata sky showcase
even i got tata sky + at my place..and i must thank god for the recording facility…coz i usually have guests comin over in evening and used to miss out on programs coz of them! and fast fwding Ads is a dream come true..m actually so much hooked to recording facility..that i rarely watch any program directly..i prefer recording it..and then watching it later at ease..minus the ads
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poonam saxena Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Chinz, even I couldn’t believe the way they lifted the entire Kajarare song so shamelessly in Main Aur Mrs Rubbish… also, do you have any idea WHAT the song’s hookline is? It sounded like ‘Haaapen’ but obviously it can’t be that — there’s no such word. Was it ‘Happening’? Perhaps I just didn’t hear it properly since I was well on the verge of passing out by then.
Hmmm… your comments on Blue are surprising and refreshing. No one I met had a good word to say about it. But now I will make strenuous attempts to go and see it in a hall (I say strenuous because I’ll have to convince some very reluctant people to accompany me — drag them to the theatre kicking and screaming!)
But I do want to see All The Best, everyone’s told me it’s mad but very funny.
And yes… Tata Sky Plus is a real boon (am I sounding like Aamir Khan in the commercial?) But really, it’s so nice to see a programme when you’re fast forwarding the ads, otherwise the ads go on for ever and ever and ever
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Chinz Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
the songs hookline is ‘happening’…but they (mis)pronuonce it so that no one can ever make out what it was
and m sure ppl r not anyways bothered!
abt blue…the broad thing is when movies r action/adventure oriented..the storyline wont b that fantastic..so it wont appeal instantly to indian audiences..m sure many ppl would find it boring coz it had no jokes/emtnl stuff..it is just pure action/stuntbaazi..
but yeah blue is denftly not for ppl who r KJO movie fans..m the odd one out coz i always walk out of KJO movies..coz they r highly torturous on the big screen with all the rona dhona nautankis of filthy rich ppl! 
The +ves of blue is it is very sleek (it reminded me of those sleek chinki movies which have good stunts on bikes/cars and a dose of tatoos etc but not much storyline/emtnl stuff). ..has only 1 proper bollywood song(kylie)..the length of blue is 1hr 45mins..which is right for such a movie.the only -ve would be the end of the movie..it ends quite suddenly! n just happy that akshay dint do stupid stuff like welcome, singh is king and kambhakt ishq..which were sheer torture! he shud defntly explore action.adventure once again!
n abt tata sky ..oh yes i too sound like aamir khan n have that smile pasted on my face too
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poonam saxena Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
ONLY one hour 45 minutes??!! What about paisa vasool?
Chinz Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
that length is enuff for any good movie…movies which stretch beynd 2 hrs start getting on the nerves! paisa vasool lies in bike stunts/underwater/hot lara /hotter n mean akki & katrina!
I dont demand much from movies..they shud overall leave me feeling good..not wasted n wanting a refund!
n oh yes abt MAMK..i saw kareena’s interview on zoom review show 1 day prior to release..n the intervuiewer asked her 1 st question..y MAMK…she replied..i did this only n only for salman..no other reason..
That itself gave me the hint that moview is hopeless!
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So much for pre diwali release promos!! I too asked myself why I watched MAMK.
But was Kambakht Ishq worse, oor was it MAMK? Now that could be an interestng debate.
All the best was certainly more tolerable…..
We are gluttons for punishment, arent we?
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poonam saxena Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
That’s a really tough one, Atul. But though — as should be more than clear by now! — I didn’t like Main Aur Mrs Bakwas at all, I think Kambakht Ishq was much worse — it was cruder and definitely more disgusting. Hearing Akshay Kumar and Kareena constantly abuse each other is not my idea of entertainment — and that idiotic Amrita Arora and Vindoo… eeww
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Chinz Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
hahhaa..
well then maybe u missed out on tashan..that by far takes the credit for the most idiotioc movie which i have ever seen! u shud defntly see that movie just to know how bigwigs can come together and create the worst rubbish u would have ever seen! its a masterpiece!
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poonam saxena Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Chinz, I saw Tashan — to my everlasting regret! When the film was over, all I could come up with was, “Hain???” Kareena Kapoor didn’t look sexy at all — she was just so thin, like a stick. (But I guess this is for the guys to decide — whether she looked sexy or not). Anil Kapoor got on my nerves terribly with his strange English dialogues (was it supposed to be funny?) What a roll of honour! — Tashan, Kambakht Ishq, Main Aur Mrs Khanna. (Hey, I suddenly realised — all three have Kareena!)
Chinz Reply:
November 6th, 2009 at 11:54 am
till date i m not clear on the story of tashan! its the only movie in my life..in which while watching on VCD..i actually took the VCDS out and double checked if i watched VCD1 and then VCD2..coz i was completely confused where the movie was heading!! Horrible! If v had some awards like worst movie of the century..hands down its the clear winner for me!
honestly speakin..there shud b now awards on worst films/actors n stuff..the time has come for it!
n kareena is the most overhyped thing in industry..there is nothing more to her than a bikini, size zero ..designer shoes bags n clothes…n the kapoor surname!
There r far better actresses than her n more glam too..be it priyanka/aishwarya n then vidya balan/konkona etc..n then poor vidya balan gets trashed by media for her dressing sense! whatever!! i wud vouch for them anytime over kareena!
How about a post on Guilty Pleasures? Movies that are ‘bad’ but you enjoyed a lot?
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If anybody can help me lay my hands on the complete 70 episodes DVD of “Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai”, I hereby solmonly promise to give that person a big treat!!!!
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JD Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
i can. but not DVD print. got them from torrent so the 70 episodes are stuffed in arnd 8 gigs of data
and yes, they are hilarious especially considering i watched the whole season with my parents during the recent durga puja holidays and the resemblances of indravadhan to my dad and roshesh to me are uncanny(to put it mildly)
What were you saying about the treat?
Cheerio
JD
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Jaya Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Hi JD,
Torrent you say? let me try and download from there!!!
You resemble Roshesh!!! MOMMMAAA!!!
It will be intresting to meet you!!
give me a buzz , when you are in delhi, for the treat!!!
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poonam saxena Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Sarabhai vs Sarabhai was super!
Chinz Reply:
November 6th, 2009 at 11:58 am
i totally loved sarabhai vs sarabhai! U can get their videos on torrent website or website like India forums.com !
6. why sohail khan is acting?
7. why he shows his face in every third film?
8. why his family apart from salman khan is in film industry?(just watch amrita arora and you will know)
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I didn’t think MAMK was that bad. It was pointless, I agree. However, I’ve spent many pointless 2 hours in the past.
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MAMK just proved how bad films are made.
Secondly I think Kareena is getting lot of hype in the media not for her acting skills but for being arm candy of her muslim boyfriend Saif. It looks like KHAN last name is enough for our media to loose its sanity.
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So Long hindi phillum…..
This was the stark reaction for me this year after watching few of the later releases. Indeed I have full sympathy for your agony of virtually surviving through Mrs.Khanna and her hampered morality.
On the same plot there was a short film, from the movie “Dus Kahaniyan” compiled by Sanjay Gupta. The very first story “Matrimony”, with Mandeera Bedi and Arbaaz Khan was very subtle and there was a residual effect after watching that short film, Which Mrs.Khanna is bereft off.
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by the way…happnd to c ajab prem ki gajab kahani on weekend…its a very very average movie…somehow i cant blv ppl even compared it to andaz apna apna…AAA was a cult in comedy..whereas APKGK is okie dokie avg comedy! wonder what made ppl give it a 3/4 stars!
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