Oh My God (OMG), is a very brave movie and a good one at that. I say it is a brave movie because the courage the film makers have exhibited in making this movie given the current repressive atmosphere against freely expressing anything about religion. Even though we live in a world that is more civilized and less violent than the last century, religious intolerance and conflicts in the name of God have only increased manifold and the world is deeply divided than ever before.
Kanjibhai (Paresh Rawal) is an atheist and owns a small business of selling idols of god. He is a shrewd businessman but has no respect for religion and is always sarcastic about religious practices around him. Kanjibhai's wife and people around him are religious and he has fun ridiculing them at every give opportunity. Everything is fine and business is exceptional and a scene where Kanjibhai sells a Lord Krishna idol to a businessman is hilarious.At this point though there is a twist in the tale when a 3.3 richter scale earthquake brings down only his shop and Kanjibhai loses all his merchandise and the shop. People around Kanjibhai are swift to blame that the incident occurred due to his irreverent attitude towards God. To add salt to his wounds, Kanjibhai learns from his insurance company that the insurance does not cover any 'act of god' scenario. Watch our for another priceless scene at the insurance company when Kanjibhai learns about his insurance claim rejection.
Hurt by his claim rejection and to salvage his business and save his family, Kanjihbhai takes on the insurance company and religious trusts (that claim to represent god) by dragging them to court. Kanjbhai's contention is that either the insurance company or the religious trusts has to compensate him as an 'act of god' demolished his shop so he is liable to get compensated from one of them. Kanjibhai files a case against GOD! and sends notices to the insurance company and a number of religious institutions. Watch out for Mithun in a fantastic portrayal of an self obsessed godman, I think his character brings out on what is clearly wrong with religious leaders and institutions in India.
Kanjibhai faces a lot of hardships after his case is accepted by the Mumbai high court and his own family does not stand by him, he faces a lot of social and media pressure and threats from political goons. What I loved is the brave portrayal of how the society reacts when someone questions the status quo with respect to religion and god, even in a democracy there seems to be no allowance for a fair religious debate and respect for an individual's freedom of expression.
Enter Akshay Kumar in very restrained performance of the Lord Krishna and the way he tries to help out Kanjibhai by showing him the path is very touching, subtle and not over the top. What unfolds later and how Kanjibhai goes on to fight the case forms the rest of the story.
Paresh Rawal's is the pillar of the movie and performance is really outstanding. A host of supporting characters including Swami Siddheshwar, Paresh Rawal's friend, Om Puri and others are commendable. Overall the movie never loses its comic touch to the proceedings and there is never a dull moment and all scenes are pretty logical and not over the top.
All in all a wholesome entertainer and with a very timely and a valid message. I especially loved some of the dialogues in the movie like 'Religion is for people and not the other way around' and hard hitting messages about our superstition and belief systems without understanding the real meaning of religion and its goodness. The movie also narrates a grim commentary on the role of godmen and religious institutions in the world which are only acting as franchise's of God and not imparting any true knowledge to people.
I will go with 3.5 stars out of 5 for the movie. Kudos to the director, producers and the writer of the Gujarati play on which the movie is based.
God bless such endeavors which are entertaining and contain a social message. Did I say god bless!
Kanjibhai (Paresh Rawal) is an atheist and owns a small business of selling idols of god. He is a shrewd businessman but has no respect for religion and is always sarcastic about religious practices around him. Kanjibhai's wife and people around him are religious and he has fun ridiculing them at every give opportunity. Everything is fine and business is exceptional and a scene where Kanjibhai sells a Lord Krishna idol to a businessman is hilarious.At this point though there is a twist in the tale when a 3.3 richter scale earthquake brings down only his shop and Kanjibhai loses all his merchandise and the shop. People around Kanjibhai are swift to blame that the incident occurred due to his irreverent attitude towards God. To add salt to his wounds, Kanjibhai learns from his insurance company that the insurance does not cover any 'act of god' scenario. Watch our for another priceless scene at the insurance company when Kanjibhai learns about his insurance claim rejection.
Hurt by his claim rejection and to salvage his business and save his family, Kanjihbhai takes on the insurance company and religious trusts (that claim to represent god) by dragging them to court. Kanjbhai's contention is that either the insurance company or the religious trusts has to compensate him as an 'act of god' demolished his shop so he is liable to get compensated from one of them. Kanjibhai files a case against GOD! and sends notices to the insurance company and a number of religious institutions. Watch out for Mithun in a fantastic portrayal of an self obsessed godman, I think his character brings out on what is clearly wrong with religious leaders and institutions in India.
Kanjibhai faces a lot of hardships after his case is accepted by the Mumbai high court and his own family does not stand by him, he faces a lot of social and media pressure and threats from political goons. What I loved is the brave portrayal of how the society reacts when someone questions the status quo with respect to religion and god, even in a democracy there seems to be no allowance for a fair religious debate and respect for an individual's freedom of expression.
Enter Akshay Kumar in very restrained performance of the Lord Krishna and the way he tries to help out Kanjibhai by showing him the path is very touching, subtle and not over the top. What unfolds later and how Kanjibhai goes on to fight the case forms the rest of the story.
Paresh Rawal's is the pillar of the movie and performance is really outstanding. A host of supporting characters including Swami Siddheshwar, Paresh Rawal's friend, Om Puri and others are commendable. Overall the movie never loses its comic touch to the proceedings and there is never a dull moment and all scenes are pretty logical and not over the top.
All in all a wholesome entertainer and with a very timely and a valid message. I especially loved some of the dialogues in the movie like 'Religion is for people and not the other way around' and hard hitting messages about our superstition and belief systems without understanding the real meaning of religion and its goodness. The movie also narrates a grim commentary on the role of godmen and religious institutions in the world which are only acting as franchise's of God and not imparting any true knowledge to people.
I will go with 3.5 stars out of 5 for the movie. Kudos to the director, producers and the writer of the Gujarati play on which the movie is based.
God bless such endeavors which are entertaining and contain a social message. Did I say god bless!
