MovieChat Forums > Drona (2008) Discussion > Am I really one on IMDB of the few who l...

Am I really one on IMDB of the few who loved this movie?

posted 16 years ago by Souvik
20 replies | jump to latest

I loved Drona. I had my expectations set right.
I think the only Bollywood answer to LOR is Drona.

Am I the only one?

Well, let the bashings start as well :)
...and NO, I AM NOT A PART OF THIS FILM OR HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIPS OF ANY KIND WITH ANYONE REMOTELY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FILM (except for seeing it on screen of course) before people start accusing me of being one.
[I'm a proud movie lover. Take a look at my vote history below and maybe you'll realize that.]

My vote history : http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=26712582

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Souvik 16 years ago

Understand your sentiment... but....

I watched Godfather back when I was NOT a member of IMDB...
Thanks for reminding me though.
Have you rated EVERY movie that you ever saw on IMDB? I doubt it.

TDK SUCKS. Period.

Still, I rated it 7/20. Thats because I saw it AFTER I became a member.

Bhoothnath was a damn good movie IF you take it in Bollywood prospective. You cannot compare everything to Hollywood now can you?

and...

The Shinning is NOT the kind of Horror 'I' like... it never scared me. As for me there is nothing in it except Jack Nicholson. Thats why I gave it a 3.

Any other films that you would like to comment on?

BTY Have you ever heard of the phrase "Each man to his own taste of poison"?

I asked people whether I'm the only one who liked DRONA. Its my taste of poison (if you comprehend what that means).

So please be respectful and decent enough to respect other peoples tastes too and do not be an ignorant fool by making comments like these.

For your information:

'F' words do not make you macho. It rather makes people take you less seriously.
AND
I do not drink or do drugs. Hell, I don't even smoke.

My vote history : http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=26712582

[–] saurav-goel 16 years ago

Dude u rated "god tussi great ho" 10. you should have rated drona 20.

[–] Souvik 16 years ago

Dude u rated "god tussi great ho" 10. you should have rated drona 20.

I rated GTGH 7/10, not 10.

I agree I should have rated it somewhere around 4
But
Imagine if you hadn't watched the Original masterpiece (Bruce Almighty)would you have rated it so?
The idea was definitely far from original, but it was a good copy.

I have my expectations set right when watching a movie. I am well aware of the difference in Bollywood and Hollywood standards, hence when I rate a movie I keep in mind where it was made.

My vote history : http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=26712582

[–] sinncross 16 years ago

i gave drona a 6...
i dont think its nearly as bad as ppl make it out to be.. it has some good moments, and i definitely didnt feel like my money was wasted.

Movie Review Blog:
http://cruizd.blogspot.com

[–] eashwar-rao 16 years ago

Wow I think the director spent about 40 crores on this as well!

1. The movie is based on harry potter and wanted.
2. It could have been shot in India with no special costumes.
3. The script was terrible, to say the least.
4. I think a lot of people in Indian cinema need a reality check.

[–] RRHowell41 14 years ago

No this movie is NOT "based on" Harry Potter. Based on what would you say that? Dark screens? Some ordinary reality and some myth-reality?

The costumes are part of what makes this one.

I loved this movie, but think that it is not reaching its ideal global audience, and that there is probably not currently a big enough market in the Bollywood scene to justify the expense.

[–] Prajoski 16 years ago

Hey Souvik,

It seems we're the only 2 'fools' on Earth who actually appreciated DRONA.
I applaud the film's ambition to break Bollywood's norms by going all dark
and gloomy... the "Batman" to KRISH's "Superman", if you will. It reminds
me of the fantasy films of Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits, Baron Munchausen,
Brothers Grimm) which are often derided as too scary for children and too
whimsical for adults.

Even as I was enjoying the film at the cinema, I knew that it would bomb big
time, that it was ahead of its time in terms of genre and mood. It reminds of
the first time that I watched AKS and was overblown by it. It too was ahead of
its time in terms of genre and mood, and it too bombed big time. (And it too
starred a Bachchan.) But while DRONA falls short of its Hollywood inspirations
in terms of scope and subtext, AKS blows its counterpart (FALLEN) out of the
water by crossing new genres (noir/thriller) with old (horror/religion). Its
deep layers of subtext (social/psychological/spiritual) and its misunderstood
climax begs for repeat viewings. AKS is in my opinion the most ambitious
Bollywood film of the decade, and way ahead of its time. But I digress... :-)

I think Goldie Behl should be applauded for not going the 'safe' route after
his failed debut many years ago. Considering this is only his second film, he
shows a lot of promise as a director. I hope DRONA is revisited in the future
and is appreciated for what it is: a fantasy film for adults.

PK

[–] Souvik 16 years ago

Thanks PK. You echoed my thoughts. I guess this is what I was I was trying to say but didn't have the literally skills :)
Drona is way ahead of its time in Bollywood. Kudos to Goldie.

BTY: Just a thought.... Aamir khan is making a remake of MEMENTO.

I wonder whats going to happen to it if its made in the same manner (Reverse) as Memento!!!! ;) Would the general movie-goers of Bollywood actually understand ANYTHING? I seriously doubt it.

But I guess its upto Aamir to worry about that.

Cheers!

My vote history : http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=26712582

[–] Prajoski 15 years ago

MEMENTO is my second favourite Hollywood movie of all time
(after FIGHT CLUB), and the mere thought of Aamir Khan's GHAJINI
makes me salivate...

I do think that it's a copy of Memento only in plot rather than technique.
I don't quite see the Hindi audience ready for such an intricate cinematic
style that made the original so unique. I also doubt that they'll retain the
deeply profound plot twist of Memento: the hero deluding himself so he
can relive his vengeful mission over and over again.

I mean, could you imagine a Bollywood movie with an amnesiac hero hunting
for a phantom villain whom he had actually killed even before the movie
began. What kind of a revenge flick is that?!?! The thought of Aamir Khan
erasing his own past so he can have a life purpose would seem too pointless
for the simple Indian mind. I'm sure Ghajini will have a more traditional
(albeit thrilling) climax, one that will satisfy the mainstream Bollywood
filmgoer. Or who knows, it could go all offbeat and blow my mind away.

Either way, it's my most awaited Bollywood flick of 2008.

P R A J O S K I

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] kunalsahay 15 years ago

prajoski..though I myself have seen Memento several times and am absoloutely in love with it..it would serve the readers of this post(those who have not seen Memento) well if you warn them before you spoil the plot of the movie. :) ...

I think my mask of sanity is about to slip

[–] kdy_9 15 years ago

Looking at the rating & reviews given for this movie ..... i had to say we people are getting a bit too harsh here. I don't watch a lot of bollywood flicks , 'cause at most of the times, they really not just let you down, but kills you to very extent.

But to be honest (though i was bored at moments) all in all I liked the movie. It definitely isn't going to be a classic, but it was the kind of movie which u say is worth seeing one time or must see one time (shouldn't get carried away).

A lot of flaws, i had to admit , but concept .... , priyanka ....( as always ), and KK were awesoooooome . What i really liked abt the movie, it was focused and did not wasted any time on characters like drona's father (they could have shown his whole story just like any other bolly movie), did not waste much time in romance (it was just enough , just like hollywood i.e. a pinch of it ) , and strangely !!!!!!!! only the very first song was annoying .

Well, i don't know abt others but i think for this role there should have been a young actor (like Toby in spiderman) , but i can't get a name for such actor who can play roles for 16 - 18 yr. old in bollywood . REASON - how much old does Abhishek looks ? 28 maybe 30 . Now , no would have lived with his abusing aunt , irritating cousin or whatever for so long. Just after getting adult he would have left them. So, story was crying out loud to have a young ( not as young as harry ) but definitely a young actor.

So for me 7/10.

[–] rohonnag 15 years ago

i agree to the younger actor point, abhishek was too much of a over grown harry potter!!

also i rated it 1/10 coz this is the worst big budget bollywood film i have seen till date

the story is fine on paper, but the director sucked huge time!

please take a lesson from rakesh roshan in film making!

also from a script point of view things just randomly happen to drona, the petals, he glowing rectangles etc etc, whenever things go south he boo hoo cries to his dead ancestors and they hep him out!

wtf man!

horribly made film, 40 crores down the drain!

krissh is 100 times better and 1000 times more enjoyable!

the closest i have seen to this level of suckage was the film Brothers grimm by terry gillium

Why...So..Serious? Let's put a smile on that face of yours!

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] gaurav_shade 15 years ago

I think the reason- "it didn't take the safe route, it dared to break the norms" do not really substantiate the good quality of a movie. It has to be done in a "good" way in order to be deserving of recognition and appreciation.

Besides, I ask you, what norm did it break?
On the other hand, it has all the elements of a typical and average Bollywood movie-
The same old corny heroism as shown in other Bollywood action movies, the stone-age animation skills, the lame script with no emphasis on character-development, the untimely and sometimes unnecessary songs,
and even the actors do not feel as if they believe in the character which they are supposed to bring alive.

Drona was the lamest movie made in a long long time, period.

Besides, it didn't really break the norm, there have been quite a few good fantasy films in India-
Watch Hatim-tai by Jitendra or Ali baba and 40 chor, they are quite old but still 1000000000 times better than this piece of crap called Drona.

[–] Razor_2005 15 years ago

Souvik, in this country/industry it's blasphemous to have a different opinion from the 'crowd'.

Well, I didn't like Drona, for I am not a big fan of this genre. I still feel it had potential—the story idea was good—but the director, Goldie Behl, messed it up completely.