Any feedback on this one?

Expect a good run in Canada as it's extensively shot in Canada and lots of people knew of shooting locations and went to see the stars/ shooting.


Showing at Cinelex Collisium Ottawa, AMC 22 Montral and 5-6 theatres in Toronto.

Kismat Disconnection

Elvis D'Silva | July 18, 2008 13:03 IST


Shahid Kapur and Vidya Balan in Kismat Konnection








On the surface, Kismat Konnection is about Raj Malhotra (Shahid Kapur), who is five years out of college and still coming to terms with the fact that he isn't any closer to delivering on the promise he exhibited through his years in academia. This best athlete/student/all-rounder is now a Toronto-based architect running from pillar to post trying to score his first job with his friend and partner Hiten Patel (Vishal Malhotra).

Raj's luck is so bad that the powers-that-be in situations like this could consider substituting his mug for the long-suffering black cat as the ultimate symbol of bad luck. Add to that the fact that his rival (Karnvir Bohra) is an ex-college mate, whose real-world contacts and drive allow him to thwart Raj at every step in his career. So far so glum. Until Priya (Vidya Balan) enters his life one fateful morning and alters the course of his much-promising, never-delivering life.

Like the subject of most romantic comedies, the two leads hate each other when their paths cross the first few times. So of course, the headstrong young man doesn't quite see that his luck changes whenever Priya is around, until a dubious oracle named Haseena Banu Jaan (Juhi Chawla [Images]) paints him a picture and sends him on his merry way in pursuit of the girl that passes for his good luck charm.

Shahid Kapur and Vidya Balan in Kismat KonnectionAfter he has spent the next few reels pursuing, and getting Priya (who happens to be a part-time activist working against the very mall whose construction contract he needs to win) to fall in line with his tall claims, the never-quite-focused leading man makes the mistake of actually falling in love with her. And that's when the real story of the film begins, in a manner of speaking.

Trying to discuss the pros and cons of this film as separates is a task so difficult it is well nigh impossible. The film looks good; cinematographer Binod Pradhan makes the colours pop and Toronto serves as an interesting backdrop to the various hi-jinks these characters get down to.

Apart from the title track, the music is nothing to write home about so ultimately, the film is dependent on its cast for salvation or damnation.

When he is not trying to infuse every scene with emotion through (over) expression, Shahid is easy on the eyes. But after a point, the flexed muscles and taut neck cause subconscious strain on the audience that is completely out of character for a supposedly breezy romp like this film. He could really stand to take to heart a few lessons from the less-is-more school of performance because he exhibits an easy physicality when he's not trying so hard.

Shahid Kapur and Vidya Balan in Kismat KonnectionVidya is woefully miscast as the chirpy yet feisty Priya. Neither the new haircut nor the questionable wardrobe does Ms Balan any favours and as a result, she looks stiff and uncomfortable nearly every time the camera is trained on her. She also lacks any real chemistry with her leading man.

Of the support cast, Juhi Chawla's turn as the quirky cupid figure of Haseena is a thankless job; Vishal Malhotra is adequate as Raj's long-suffering friend and Om Puri [Images] (as Sanjeev Gill, the man who holds Raj's career in the palm of his hands) sleepwalks his way through another role that makes absolutely no demands of him.

It is not easy making a movie, this much I've come to realise. It is harder still to make something light and frothy because fluff, like selling out, is hard work. So imagine how hard it must be to make a fluffy romance with a socially-conscious edge that is trying to draw the Jab We Met [Images] fans and make them play nice with the Lage Raho Munna Bhai die-hards.

Kismat Konnection succeeds in the places that probably weren't even given enough attention at the screenplay level. Either that, or the filmmakers took refuge in that age-old filmi falsehood -- 'we can fix it in post'. If a thought were to be spared for such trivialities, it would be clear that the Raj-Hiten relationship is far worthier than the one blossoming between Raj and Priya. If more thought had been spared, a situation like the one with the Russian moneylender could have been milked for great comic effect; as also the one with the cops, who turn up to break up the protest against the construction of the mall in place of the community centre. Also, the drama inherent in the plight of those that call the community centre home is dealt with too perfunctorily to actually earn any sympathy from the audience.

I suppose, as a one line pitch, this movie sounded really appealing -- a man with a really ugly string of luck is made whole by the arrival of a walking, talking, opinionated good luck charm, who just happens to be opposed to the very job he's working so hard to land.

Sadly, neither the film nor its leading pair delivers on the promise of that premise.

Rediff Rating:
1.5/5( might change in next one hour as other side of coin lol)

I haven't seen the film yet (didn't get a chance) but family and kids went to see it. They liked it a lot and want to see it again in theatre.

There are lots of scenes of Toronto and Niagara Falls tourist spots and hence will be of interest to Torontonians and surrounding areas.

Caught it yesterday. It's pretty good. Film is on the lines of LRMB (land developers vs seniors issues, cast Vidya Balan & Boman Irani) with a little more subtle romance and music. Lots of outdoor scenes Toronto and Niagara Falls.

I noticed just one inconsistency that perhaps was shot in India ?? In the beginning sequence of the film they were showing Shahid Kapoor's frustrations where everything is going wrong. They showed shower running dry in the midst of shower, in Toronto, and Shahid completing the shower using handy 500 mL bottled water (but it sure was funny, though). Well, shortage of water may be a common occurance in Bombay and other Indian cities, but it doesn't happen in Toronto.

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-Theatrical showing was aprox 150 min.
-End credits showed just DD symbol. No DTS.
-At times, there was directional sound.
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About 1 min before the end of end credits video, where end credit music video was being shown, theatre flood lights (yes, flood lights for cleaning and not just the normal theatre lighting) came ON. I was seriously thinking about mhafner's advice to ask for refund ??

I guess they only the flood lights came on, which is normal down here. Its mainly done because most people want to leave the cinema once the credits are on, the flood lights are there so people exit safely

Stopping the film before the film has fully ended is wrong. Most cinemas did the mistake with No Smoking and refunds were given as the song 'Phook De' was a pretty popular song and some cinemas stopped the film before the song was shown. But I guess the main matter is that people have paid the full price to see a film, they should see the full film.

Flood lights during the credits are accepted I guess

sengh_15, I woder if you and I are on the same wavelength. With floodlight, I mean day light bright. Much brighter than normal theatre lights that are lit during entry and exits. With normal theatre lights ON, you still can see the picture. With floodlight/ daylight, you see nothing on the screen. Floodlighting can't be normal for entry and exits.

Orite I get u now

But floodlights down here and not that bright that u cannot see the picture. The main purpose for them is the safety for people leaving the cinema

Saw on dvd! Same , tired, heck a boring affair imho.

I'll call this KISMAT MIS-KONNECTION FOR Shahid and Balan

Or just DIS-KONNECT it

for a freshly konnected couple, it is as lame, flat, boring as it could be. It is kind of film, that u forget next day what was the plot. Aziz Mirza barely made in chalte chalte but this one is surely the most boring affair coming from his kitty.

Aziz was just trying to remake Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman

And screwed it badly

Agreed! Some how film takes away a bit shine that leading couple had before! It is unfortunate that Juhi Chawla is doing EXTRA roles now!