Missing Shah Rukh & other reasons: Why Tees Maar Khan failed

Image: A scene from Tees Maar Khan

Why did Farah Khan go astray with Tees Maar Khan?
Rediff.com critic Sukanya Verma listed 5 reasons for TMZ being such a dud.

Five more reasons from another Rediff.com contributor:

Christmas releases have become, over the last few years, the domain of Aamir Khan: Taare Zameen Par, Ghajini and 3 Idiots were all super-successes. Perhaps Farah Khan should just have cast this Khan instead of her former lucky charm Shah Rukh Khan in her latest film Tees Maar Khan.

That humble suggestion aside, a few reasons we feel TMK didn't live up to expectations:

1. The lack of script

Farah has proven herself to be a killer writer, both Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om emerging as wonderfully absurd entertainers with great spirit, in a very different league from what passes for comedy in Bollywood.

This one, written by husband Shirish Kunder and his brother Ashmith, is a more pedestrian script, with very few great gags and much forgettable mediocrity.

It just doesn't make the cut as a Farah Khan film.

2. The lack of spoofing

Image: A scene from Tees Maar Khan

In Vittorio De Sica's After The Fox, the director took the opportunity to lampoon himself, fellow directors and actors galore, laughing at their images and insecurities.

In this official remake, Farah -- known for her great spoofs -- decided not to really take on Bollywood targets, and wasted an opportunity that she could have had a ball with.

3. The lack of Khan

Image: A scene from Tees Maar Khan

Akshay Kumar might be a star as big as anyone else in the industry, but the public seems tired of him doing lowbrow comedy in film after film. He's better than usual in TMK, but that just isn't enough.

Shah Rukh Khan, on the other hand, somehow matches Farah's loony energy perfectly, going out on a limb and yet staying cooler than ice.

This film, while more in Baadshah territory than an OSO zone, could surely have benefited from King Khan's presence.

4. The lack of Sheila

Image: A scene from Tees Maar Khan

Katrina Kaif was the hottest thing in Tees Maar Khan, the actress clearly now possessing one of the industry's most scorching bodies.

The Sheila Ki Jawaani song is legendary on the big screen.

But then that, the highlight of the film, comes very early on. You might not be able to take your eyes off Katrina in the film or the song, but there isn't enough of her. She steals every scene she's in, but just isn't around enough.

5. The lack of logic

Image: A scene from Tees Maar Khan

A Farah Khan film, however outrageous, has always been held together with some sort of coherent plot structure.

There is a method to all the madness, even if it's very filmi indeed.

Tees Maar Khan becomes a farce more like something by Farah's brother Sajid Khan or Priyadarshan. There isn't much of an attempt to make sense, just a series of gags -- and most of them unmemorable ones, sadly.

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