If there is one Bollywood movie someone should see at least once, it is the 2007 classic Om Shanti Om. The Hindi-language film delves into the territory of romance and fantasy in some of the most unique ways, making it one of the biggest tributes to Bollywood up until that moment. Directed by Farah Khan, the story takes place across three decades and hits all the tropes of the genre, making it not only indulgent but highly entertaining in a way that can only be done in a Bollywood movie. Shah Rukh Khan co-starred with Deepika Padukone, and the film features some of the biggest celebrities at the time in a dance scene about halfway through.
The film also served as the debut of Padukone, who is now one of the biggest Bollywood stars today. In the movie, Khan portrays Om Prakash Makhija, a broke young man living with his single mother and hustling with his best friend to be an extra on film sets. He’s smitten with an actress named Shanti (Padukone), but when he gets the chance to meet her, this moment of fate will weave together their story across lifetimes. Set across three decades, Om Shanti Om is an epic story of romance, revenge, and redemption.
A Tribute to Classic Bollywood
There are some staples when it comes to Bollywood movies, making some deem them to be formulaic. Perhaps that’s why these movies have been so popular with audiences around the world, but if there is one thing to note about Om Shanti Om, it is that the movie does an excellent job synthesizing all of these tropes together. There’s the classic reincarnation and amnesia plotline, multiple extensive dance scenes with music, the endless yearning for the woman lead, and so much more. Those familiar with Hindi cinema would be able to spot the familiar aspects threaded throughout the movie.
When Khan’s character recounts the entire plot of the movie and the villain’s sins through musical theater, during the song “Dastaan-e Om Shanti Om" in the final arc of the movie, it doesn’t seem drawn out. It’s both glorious and hilarious, becoming the perfect example of how the movie, in a meta way, doesn’t even seem to take itself seriously. Some might call it a little too dramatic to the point where it detracts from the experience, but part of the charm of the movie is that it can be a form of escapism. It doesn’t need to be believable for it to be entertaining.
Om Shanti Om is the perfect example of what a masala film could be. Masala films, which originated in the 1970s, are classic types of Bollywood movies that still happen to be made today. These movies are a mash-up of genres, grounded in familiar elements, such as comedy, romance, and musicals, and creating them into something new. This film in particular utilizes comedy and romance to create tension against the dramatic elements, especially as Khan’s character enters his revenge arc against the antagonist.
It’s One of the Most Iconic Indian Movies
Om Shanti Om not only was the first time that Deepika Padukone appeared in a Hindi movie, kick-starting a prolific career, but it was also the first time she co-starred with the legendary Shah Rukh Khan. It may not be up for debate that Khan is the biggest Bollywood star of his generation, but the two have starred in several movies together ever since, including 2023’s global action film Pathaan. Om Shanti Om marked the beginning of their collaborations together and was the highest-grossing Indian movie ever when it was released in 2007.
When Om Shanti Om came out, its soundtrack was also a massive hit. It’s no surprise why — there are plenty of songs in the movie that can get caught in one’s head easily. There is not a lack of dance scenes throughout the movie, too, somehow becoming perfectly woven in with the deeply intricate plot. Even with its predictable musical numbers and tropes, Om Shanti Om manages to create a story that keeps its viewers guessing and watching their jaws drop.
This may have been considered one of the best movies of the 2000s, but few movies have managed to match the scale of Om Shanti Om in the decades to come. It feels like a classic Bollywood movie in its heart and soul, and while the same actors are still working in the industry, the world may never see movies like this again coming out of the Hindi entertainment industry. That isn’t to say the content coming from the region isn’t bad — it just does not hit in the same way that movies like Om Shanti Om, from the 2000s and nineties, once did for viewers.