Fans willing to watch Rab Ne after 13 years

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi has got a Thumbs Up from the audience. The paying 'junta' has lapped up the films with both hands and the opening has been better than expected. Though it had earlier seemed that terror attack and relatively lesser hype for this Yash Raj production would be a deterrent towards the collections, the film's showing as the first day came to an end has been more or less positive. The film took a much better start than Chak De India [which had seen around 50% collections on the opening day] though it was below ~100% opening of Om Shanti Om [as expected, since it was a Diwali release and came with a much bigger hype]. However, there are two factors that should result in Aditya Chopra, Shahrukh Khan and Co. grinning from ear to ear:

a) The film saw house full sign all over towards the evening and night shows on Friday

b) 'Junta Janardhan', the ultimate power, has been unanimously gung-ho about the film. Of course, for some patrons, the film isn't as huge as they thought, but then it has been mainly because of the 'YRF-Adi-SRK coming together' expectations factor which has proven to be the stumbling block.

We met up some people coming out of theaters on Friday and this is what they had to say about the film:

Anupa Abraham (29, Software professional)

Really, it didn't quite matter to me if Rab Ne Bana De Jodi was directed by Aditya Chopra or Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Watching a film which has Shahrukh Khan in the lead is a good enough reason and I am glad that I saw the film on the first day itself. Yes, there were apprehensions since I didn't have much clue about what the film was all about, though I did have a hint around Shahrukh's character going through a makeover. In the end, I came home smiling because of the heartwarming feel of the film. Anushka is nice but well, I am a Shahrukh Khan fan and it was his presence that mattered.

Vibha Jindal (36, Housewife)

My friends dragged me for this. I was saving money for Ghajini but they all insisted that I join them for Rab Ne.... I am now troubled. Why? Because I really loved the film and now would be bringing my husband and two kids as well to watch the film over the weekend. It would turn out to be expensive now but never mind. Ghajini will certainly happen but it's good that I watched Rab Ne... as well. I had a disastrous experience with Yash Raj Films since I had to suffer Aaja Nachle and Laaga Chunari Mein Daag but this was a different ballgame altogether.

Shivani Burman (28, Call Center Manager)

I had to fight off two restrictions for watching Rab Ne.... I had to take a day off from office and moreover I am due for delivery in a fortnight. My husband ensured that I get the most comfortable sitting for the film. As it is the film is near 3 hours in duration if one includes the interval as well. Thank goodness for the couch facility in my neighbourhood multiplex. I felt like a very pregnant Preity Zinta from Salaam Namaste as I demanded nothing but the best throughout my movie watching. My husband may have been doing all the errands for me but I had a gala time with Rab Ne.... Anushka is good but Shahrukh is sooooo cute, especially in his 'geek' avtar.

Bimal Sharma (29, Real Estate Broker)

I wonder what prompted Yash Raj Films to release Rab Ne... in December. This one is a core Diwali film. If they would have released it in the festive season, the hype and response to this would have been unprecedented. It is a very good film, if not excellent. Also, it is way ahead of the likes of Golmaal Returns or for that matter even Fashion. As a movie buff, I watched both the films then but I know that if only Rab Ne... would have released then, I would seen this one first. I have freaked out earlier on DDLJ and though I wasn't too fond of Mohabbatein, this one is leagues ahead.

Gaurav Middha (26, Investment Banker)

Puhleeze, stop giving me 'gyaan' about this 'ordinary' v/s 'extraordinary' sh** that is being thrust by the film's PR machinery. At the end of the day, it is yet another regular feel good entertainer. I didn't quite feast on the entire concept of the film. I mean at the end of the day, all this entire make over thing and all is truly filmy. Real life mein aisa kuch possible nahi hota! And this is where the basic pretext of the film, i.e. it being about a common man, goes for a toss. I saw it a time pass flick with no expectations and on those grounds, I was okay about the entire affair.

Sahil Sabharwal (32, Travel Consultant)

After all the terror attack depression, I HAD to watch something on the big screen. I am a movie buff and was waiting to catch Rab Ne... Last few weeks have been particularly bad since there wasn't anything good to watch at multiplexes. Rab Ne.... has been quite an entertaining watch and the experience was enhanced since I went out with a bunch of 9 odd colleagues. There were a couple of them who aren't really the film buffs but we coaxed them into watching the film. Overall we had a great experience since there were number of 'taali-maar' moments, the kind that kept us all making most of the noise in the auditorium.

Kavya Joglekar (42, Boutique owner)

Anushka is such a nice pretty looking girl. I guess her girl next door persona is what added to the strength of Rab Ne... Moreover, I like the way she dances. Honestly, even though I don't really miss any Shahrukh Khan movies, I couldn't resist myself from admiring this new girl for her talent. She will certainly go quite some distance. She is wonderful.

Yachna Yadav (23, Engineering student)

I had gone with HUGE expectations and though I knew that the film wasn't set on as huge scale as majority of biggies starring Shahrukh Khan are, I still did expect a grand affair. In a way I am not too pleased with the film's outcome. It was nice but I didn't really get back my expectations worth. I hadn't liked the songs even earlier but had believed that on big screen they would make an impact. The entire parody song had good visuals but overall, it turned out to be just another film, though not THE film I was looking for. Ghajini, where are you?

Balasubramaniam Parmeshwaran (33, Businessman)

There is no reason why I am not going to watch Rab Ne... again! The combination of Yash Raj Films, Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan was long due and Rab Ne... is a film which is just the right comeback for the trio after Mohabbatein. At the least the three of them have genuinely tried to be different here. Often we have accused this team to have beaten around the same formula and it takes guts to take your movie to a small time setting when all this while they have found reasons to set their feet in Europe. 'Haule Haule' is pretty much the single most reason that I dragged my feet to theaters.

Shubhradeep Guha (38, Sales Director)

I have only one thing to say - 'Adi, please make more films'. No, I refuse to compare Rab Ne... with his earlier two films, why should I? I would rather watch it as a stand alone film. DDLJ didn't have a predecessor when it released. I have seen Rab Ne... and am sure that it would be counted as one of the better films coming from Yash Raj Films in the current century. Who know, just like DDLJ, 13 years from now I could be venturing into this multiplex again to watch the film? Ok, so it's a far fetched thought in today's '10-shows-a-day' scenario but well, I can still have a dream, right?