Release date: 27 August 2004
Director: Sanjay Gadhvi
Writers: Vijay Krishna Acharya (dialogue), Vijay Krishna Acharya (screenplay)
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, Esha Deol, Amir Farid, Arjun Sablok, Perizaad Zorabian, Manoj Joshi, Rimi Sen, John Abraham, Yusuf Hussain and others
Genres: Action, Thriller
Writers: Vijay Krishna Acharya (dialogue), Vijay Krishna Acharya (screenplay)
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, Esha Deol, Amir Farid, Arjun Sablok, Perizaad Zorabian, Manoj Joshi, Rimi Sen, John Abraham, Yusuf Hussain and others
Genres: Action, Thriller
Dhoom is very different from the standard Hindi film fare and combines glamor, action, and oodles of skin. It seems to have become somewhat of a cult film and the comments on this site seem highly appreciative. I may be one of the few dissenting notes here.
I saw this movie last night on video - and I agree that it is better watched on the big screen. But what struck me was the complete suspension of disbelief - fairly standard in a Bollywood flick, but this one was trying to be more.
Lets take the plot. A gang of pizza delivery boys use souped-up bikes to hijack armored bank trucks and carry out incredible heists. Would a accompanying police escort stop at a traffic light? - hello, its the police, they would switch on their siren and move to keep pace with the armored truck. Secondly, Where are these deserted highways close to Bombay/Mumbai where one can speed at 260kmph (150 miles per hour) and also find no other traffic? Third, the greatest strength of the police is their organization - numbers, skilled specialists etc. However, the hero, who vacillates between incompetence and retardation works alone, with a garage mechanic/motorcycle aficionado who is more hindrance than help. The rest of the police squad seem to be very nonchalant about the stakeouts - treating them more like some chore than the urgent action they are supposed to be. Fourth, after a warning is received, why would the Chief Minister's charity organizers hold up the collection box with the money in full view of the public(and robbers)? Fifth, where do the robbers emerge from suddenly? - Why wouldn't a large trailer truck be suspected and searched as a reasonable place to stow away bikes? Finally, what sort of moronic investigator reveals all his plans to the arrested suspect while "taking a walk" as if they were sauntering in Lodhi Gardens? Why didn't he cuff the suspect(s)when he had them on camera?
I saw this movie last night on video - and I agree that it is better watched on the big screen. But what struck me was the complete suspension of disbelief - fairly standard in a Bollywood flick, but this one was trying to be more.
Lets take the plot. A gang of pizza delivery boys use souped-up bikes to hijack armored bank trucks and carry out incredible heists. Would a accompanying police escort stop at a traffic light? - hello, its the police, they would switch on their siren and move to keep pace with the armored truck. Secondly, Where are these deserted highways close to Bombay/Mumbai where one can speed at 260kmph (150 miles per hour) and also find no other traffic? Third, the greatest strength of the police is their organization - numbers, skilled specialists etc. However, the hero, who vacillates between incompetence and retardation works alone, with a garage mechanic/motorcycle aficionado who is more hindrance than help. The rest of the police squad seem to be very nonchalant about the stakeouts - treating them more like some chore than the urgent action they are supposed to be. Fourth, after a warning is received, why would the Chief Minister's charity organizers hold up the collection box with the money in full view of the public(and robbers)? Fifth, where do the robbers emerge from suddenly? - Why wouldn't a large trailer truck be suspected and searched as a reasonable place to stow away bikes? Finally, what sort of moronic investigator reveals all his plans to the arrested suspect while "taking a walk" as if they were sauntering in Lodhi Gardens? Why didn't he cuff the suspect(s)when he had them on camera?
No complaints about skin and sex, but realistically, where does one find fishnet stocking clad girls (in the hundreds) rooting for bike-rider racers in Bombay? I mean if the theme is total fantasy then why have a plot at all - just a series of music videos with a few dollops of sex would have sufficed - oops, thats what it was anyway, right? I tend to be harsher on movies that pretend to have a plot, or be different. I daresay for large numbers of people Dhoom is a first in terms of action, cinematography, plot etc. It is highly different from the girl-marries-boy with wedding-spectacle of 3000 dancers. A tighter plot and some intelligence from the scriptwriters would have made this into a first-rate film.
I think everyone acted well - and Abhishek seems fairly similar to his father 30 years ago. Uday Chopra played the nitwit pretty well, though again, why cast an imbecile as a crucial player? Surely, the police can find motorcycle specialists with moderately higher intelligence levels AND humor?
I think everyone acted well - and Abhishek seems fairly similar to his father 30 years ago. Uday Chopra played the nitwit pretty well, though again, why cast an imbecile as a crucial player? Surely, the police can find motorcycle specialists with moderately higher intelligence levels AND humor?