Yes, theres no polite way to say this: Shandaar is a bizarre film. Director Vikas Bahl creates a purposefully exaggerated world with mostly whacked out characters. Some of this is funny, but Bahls script quickly runs out of both plot and wit. These are small mercies in a wildly inconsistent film that seesaws unevenly between charming and WTF! Its especially disappointing coming from the very writers and director that gave us last years terrific Queen. Im going with a generous two out of five for Shaandaar. Dont say I didnt warn you.

On the whole, Shaandaar is an entertaining film and will be loved by the youth, especially in the cities. It will emerge amply victorious at the box-office on the strength of youth patronage. Business in the good multiplexes will be excellent but that in the lesser multiplexes and less-maintained single-screen cinemas will be below the mark.

Shaandaar has a fun plot. However in his attempt to spoof destination weddings of the bankrupt and the famous, Vikas Bahl, (who also directed that gem, Queen) forgot to take a script along. Seriously, how was anyone to guess that this is a cruel joke played by Bahl on his investors and perhaps on an unsuspecting audience.

The writers have tried to build-up a good climax, but the story is so predictable and the pressure to sound funny is so much that they lose control. Shaandaar tries very hard but its not funny. It has moments which will give a glimpse of Vikas Bahls talent. It has star power and that is its biggest draw. But not much is shining in Shaandaar.

Shaandaars charm lies in Bahls treatment, employing SFX and animation in abundance, which is perfectly timed and enhances ordinary seconds into attractive ones. As one of the characters quizzes, why must we do every thing out of necessity, why cant few things done for the fun of it, Shaandaar is simply fun, fun, fun and frothy enough to pull it off.

It looks spiffy and theres some gloss to like, but overall Shaandaar is pretty much — as Alia calls the fourth finger of each hand — useless. By the end of the ordeal, even the finely-outfitted gatekeepers we saw early on have been replaced by ornamental life-size statues of Royal Guards. Bahl may have tried to go Disney, but this sure isnt the real thing.

SHAANDAAR has a fairy tale kind of feel to it with lots of VFX, animations, exotic UK locations and big expensive sets. The film is very high on glitz and glamour. It is a larger than life film, with funny and quirky characters (dominating grandmother, scheming mom etc.) and to a large extent, that does the trick for the film. On the whole, SHAANDAAR is a feel good movie that will make you leave the cinema hall with a smile on your face, despite its flaws. It will mainly appeal to the youth who seem to be the target audience for the film.

Take a blank canvas. Daub some Orphan Annie paint on it. Add a little dash of Cinderella. Come closer home and borrow from that old durable Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, and the much more recent Dum Laga Ke Haisha. And gild the whole with glitter and gold. What Shaandaar is trying to do is clear: reinvent beloved fairytales with the help of winsome stars, but ends up being a blinding mix of everything with nothing of its own to boast of.

Shaandaar is a fun film that is infused with great charm, which in turn is enhanced by director Bahls panache for a light touch, an attribute that was on full show in Queen. While it does not live up to its title as a package, it fulfils much of the expectations that the audience might have from a film produced jointly by Karan Johar on the one hand and Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap on the other. It brings together two different worlds and succeeds in striking a balance between the two. For that, and for much else, Shaandaar deserves hearty ovation.

Shaandaar is different from his other flicks alright, but its far from being brilliant. Bahls scenes are seen falling flat most of the time, and he isnt even able to whip out something to keep us captivated during the boring parts. He however succeeds in bringing out the best from his actors. He and the ever so impressive Anil Mehta deserve credit for capturing some jaw dropping locations as well. The film would have received a lot of help if some of its songs and unneeded sequences were chopped off

The highlight of the movie is the direction, the script, the dialogues, the songs and the easy performances essayed by the cast of Shaandaar. Oops! Did we just mention every aspect of film there? Must watch movie people! Shaandaar is everything that you need this weekend, so don’t miss watching it in the theaters with your loved ones by your side! P.S: Alia Bhatt’s bikini scene on the BIG screen is worth it!