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Om Shanti OmAs the initial reels of Om Shanti Om unwind, we are introduced to Om (Khan) who is desperate to make it as a heroic leading actor while working as a junior artist in the beehived, flared 1970s. It's "dreamy girl" Shanti (Padukone) who forms the root of Om's infatuation but alas his love is unrequited by the A-list actress; until he saves her from the burning sets of a film shoot in true hero style so forming a bond between the two.
Shanti is secretly married to Mukesh (Rampal) a seedy film producer who wants to keep their union a secret until the completion of their new film, much to the reluctance of a pregnant Shanti who demands a respectable place in society as his beau.
Upon realising that Shanti won't keep quiet, Mukesh kills her, unaware of the fact that Om has witnessed the whole incident. Once again, as the valiant knight in shining armour, Om tries to save Shanti but the two die - only for Om to be reincarnated as a top film starlet's son, Om Kapoor.
With an unexplainable phobia of fire and reoccurring flashbacks, Om finds it hard to decipher the state of his mind until the revelation of his previous life comes to the forefront. The rest of the film deals with how Om Kapoor sets out to get justice for Shanti and himself with the help of a Shanti look-alike, who may not be what she seems.
Director Farah Khan deserves credit for presenting her homage to the 1970s in an innovative and baroque manner, allowing her film to mock the monotonous trends of the Hindi film industry. However after an entertaining first half, the amalgamation of the 1970s and the present leaves the viewer feeling disappointed. What starts off as a spoof turns into an inane paradox.
Khan's role as Om can be compared to that of a piano. It offers him all the right notes to hit, and hit them he does. Yet one wishes that in the latter part of his career he would stop resting on his star image and be brave enough to present us with a new tune.
Padukone provides the mandatory eye candy and holds her own in scenes with Khan. However, as most of the film has been built around Khan's reputation, she's relegated to the background for most of the film.
Musically, Om Shanti Om packs in every possible genre to appease the back of the auditorium and with Farah Khan being a seasoned choreographer, the song-and-dance routines prove a fine showcase for her craft. As for the quintessential item number 'Dard-E-Disco', it's so camp as to be a draq queen's wet dream.
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