Diwale is very much a tale of two wildly different films which have been edited together into one, with the hope that no-one notices. Half of the film is a good gangster love story sets across eras, the other half is an atrocious comedy caper.
The Quality Part: The West-Side Story-esque plot between Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol's characters is actually very good, and there are solid flashback scenes which are convincing in terms of looks and subtle differences in characterisation. The modern day scenes with these (more jaded) characters also works well, even if it is all resolved a little too easily at the end. Goa looks gorgeous, and the stylised nature of the way the movie is shot actually sets off the movie well (Although some sound-effects during the fighting scenes are distracting). It's a unapologetic brash modern car-chase shooting-fighting movie and if the film had simply been this story line, it would have been great.
Side note: It has to be said, Shah Rukh Khan is so ridiculously on a different level to all the other actors in the film, it was like watching Robert De Niro circa Raging Bull era being forced to act in an Adam Sandler movie. He, and to some extent Kajol, who is less consistent, deserve much much better than this. They are the only people in the cast who appeared to turn up, work hard and actually act, so kudos to them.
The Terrible Part: But what brings the whole film down is the supporting cast and side-plots which have little purpose other than demonstrating terrible 'comedy' and limited performance skills, sometimes so bad it actually ruins the film. The younger love story is boring and superficial, but only raises a little when it intertwines with the love story of their older siblings. The other characters linked to the sub-plot (plot may be too strong a word) of the drug cartel/black marketeers are terrible, and serve little purpose at all. You could have easily deleted an hour off this movie by editing out these characters, and it would have been much better.
Best scene: Towards the start of the film in the hospital, Shah Rukh Khan's change from one 'aspect' of his character to another without moving a muscle, his transformation as seen only in his eyes is brilliant.
Worst Scene(s): A toss-up between the Ramlal/Pogo stupidity, or any scene with the car-part black marketeers.
The Quality Part: The West-Side Story-esque plot between Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol's characters is actually very good, and there are solid flashback scenes which are convincing in terms of looks and subtle differences in characterisation. The modern day scenes with these (more jaded) characters also works well, even if it is all resolved a little too easily at the end. Goa looks gorgeous, and the stylised nature of the way the movie is shot actually sets off the movie well (Although some sound-effects during the fighting scenes are distracting). It's a unapologetic brash modern car-chase shooting-fighting movie and if the film had simply been this story line, it would have been great.
Side note: It has to be said, Shah Rukh Khan is so ridiculously on a different level to all the other actors in the film, it was like watching Robert De Niro circa Raging Bull era being forced to act in an Adam Sandler movie. He, and to some extent Kajol, who is less consistent, deserve much much better than this. They are the only people in the cast who appeared to turn up, work hard and actually act, so kudos to them.
The Terrible Part: But what brings the whole film down is the supporting cast and side-plots which have little purpose other than demonstrating terrible 'comedy' and limited performance skills, sometimes so bad it actually ruins the film. The younger love story is boring and superficial, but only raises a little when it intertwines with the love story of their older siblings. The other characters linked to the sub-plot (plot may be too strong a word) of the drug cartel/black marketeers are terrible, and serve little purpose at all. You could have easily deleted an hour off this movie by editing out these characters, and it would have been much better.
Best scene: Towards the start of the film in the hospital, Shah Rukh Khan's change from one 'aspect' of his character to another without moving a muscle, his transformation as seen only in his eyes is brilliant.
Worst Scene(s): A toss-up between the Ramlal/Pogo stupidity, or any scene with the car-part black marketeers.