Movie: Zero of Shah Rukh Khan

Happened to watch the movie “Zero” which is a Shah Rukh Khan movie. At first look I loved it. It reminded me of why SRK’s movies are always good to watch and a treat anytime anywhere. Such movies are so entertaining. At the same time, I need to make some casual remarks over it:  

  1. Bauwa in Zero = Pappu in RaGa

By giving SRK’s dwarf character a name “Bauwa”, Zero makers have done the same evil spin to the lovely word “bauwa”; which Rahul Gandhi haters did to the cute name “Pappu”. These guys should be prosecuting for trying to assassinate an innocent name.  

 2. Stephen Hawking = Aafia Yusufzai Bhinder = Anushka Sharma making weird face

And where do you remember “Yusufzai” from? Clue: Malala “Yusafzai”. 

Somehow, the makers of Zero thought to make Aafia, the scientist’s character Anushka Sharma was playing, to be a female (and younger) replica of Stephen Hawking. She twists her mouth as she speaks and her flawless skin shines. She gnarls and tries to make her voice sound weird and audience is left feeling “yukk” instead of feeling sorry. What the hell, Zero? 

  3. Every character spoke the same ‘rowdy’ language

There is something about the dialogues and language used in Zero. Language is blunt, perhaps trying to fit into the impression of “Meerut” region of UP where the earlier part of movie is set in. Perhaps everyone in Meerut is same? But it is hard to digest that scientist Aafia (played by Anuskha Sharma) and Mumbai’s actress Babita Kumari (played by Katrina) also speak the same language. “Bhaag ja Bauwe” resonates into my ears; along with the twisted face of Anushka as she speaks it. God save me “Bauwe”. 

  4.  Tyrion Lannister’s impact over portrayal of dwarfs

It seems Game of Thrones character Tyrion Lannister has changed the way the world of silver screen looks at dwarfs forever. The over-simplification of dwarfs tells the following, for example:

a.   Dwarfs are always angry at God and often curse God; obviously for giving them short height

b.   Dwarfs think that they have right to do whatever crime they want to do and they won’t go to “hell”, because they are already living it

c.   Dwarfs have a refined sense of humor, just because they are dwarfs

d.   Dwarfs hate their fathers most; and due to some weird reason, they do not hate their (respective) mothers

  5.  Dark Shade and a confused storyline

Dark stories present a completely new ground and captivate audience’s attention in a gripping manner which other movies can never do. But is Zero a dark-humor movie? Is Zero a comedy? Is it a commercial masala film? No one can tell what it is. Because it tries to be everything; it fails to be any single thing. 

-     - Rahul Tiwary