There is no denying the fact that Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Ra 1’ happens to be one of the most awaited projects in the year 2011. The movie has seen a lot of efforts from Shahrukh Khan who has been missing from the big screens after My Name Is Khan in February last year. Adding to the success quotient of the film is the fact that it is one of this year’s Diwali releases.
Analyst Komal Nahta of Film Information explains, “The film has kept Shah Rukh on his toes. It’s his most ambitious project so far and one of the most expensive films made in Bollywood. Heavy special effects and constant comparison with Robot have heightened expectations.”
Made under the banner of Red Chillies Entertainment, this sci-fi film will present SRK as G. One. Touted to be a superhero fantasy, SRK plays a normal guy living in London with his family. A twist in the plot turns him into a superhero.
The movie has been directed by Anubhav Sinha and produced by SRK himself. Apart from the superstar, the film has Arjun Rampal, Shahana Goswami and Kareena Kapoor
Coincidence or a planned strategy – Shah Rukh Khan's Ra.One seems to be hugely influenced by Rajnikanth's 'Robot'. The similarity between the two films goes beyond the resemblance in appearance of robots 'Chetti' and 'G.One'.
One look at the 'Ra.One' poster and you are instantly reminded of Rajnikanth's 'Robot' but the latest is that just like Rajni, SRK too has a double role in this super hero flick. And hang on! The similarity goes a step further. Just like Rajni's characters of a scientist and a robot, SRK too will play a scientist who creates robots 'G.One' and 'Ra.One'.
SRK plays the good robot 'G.One' while Arjun Rampal will be seen as the bad guy 'Ra.One'. Not just this, 'Ra.One' is portrayed as a robot that behaves like humans which is again a character of Rajni's 'Chetti'.
It can be recalled that SRK was director Shankar's first choice for 'Robot'. He approached Khan with the script but both fell out over creative differences. A year later, SRK announced his Ra.One with director Anubhav Sinha.
Looking at all the influences and similarities, it seems like 'Ra.One' is SRK's version of 'Robot'. We tried contacting the director but he was unavailable for comment. Now which robot performs better at the box office can only be certain when 'Ra.One' hits screens in Diwali this year.
In the wake of Rajni's blockbuster, King Khan called for a day-long meeting with the RA.One team, deciding to make it the first-ever interactive gaming flick.
The spectacular success of Rajnikanth's Robot has made Shah Rukh Khan and his team of RA.One sit up and become doubly alert about their pet project.
An SOS meeting was summoned at Mannat on Sunday. Those present at the meeting included director Anubhav Sinha, sound recordist Resul Pookutty and producer Shah Rukh.
After viewing the rushes, a number of vital strategic ideas were devised, following a heated debate, after which everyone let their hair down at a Bandra bar. The most startling resolution during the day-long meeting was to convert RA.One into a full-fledged gaming movie. Sound designer Resul Pookutty says, "The challenge with RA.One is to create a balance between the two distinctly different worlds of gaming and movies.
We met at Shah Rukh's home on Sunday and watched the film. And yes, we've come up with a number of strategies to make RA.One different from all other super-hero films."
Says a source, "The climax of the film will actually allow audiences to play the RA.One game in theatres as they watch the film. This kind of participative cinema has never been done before in any part of the world." We can't wait to push the right buttons.
It has also been decided that a super-hero film without the drama and emotions won't appeal to Indian audiences. Says the source, "Shah Rukh feels Robot worked so well because it combines special effects with emotions and drama. In RA.One he wants the spectacle and the emotions in equal measures." Shah Rukh has invited Martin Walsh, the editor of Rob Marshal's musical feature film Chicago, to edit RA.One. Says the source, "The choice was between the editor of Avatar and Chicago. Shah Rukh has chosen the latter because he feels Chicago is closer to the pulse of a Bollywood drama than Avatar."
RA.One is 80 per cent complete. The remaining 20 per cent would be completed only when Shah Rukh is sure that James Cameron's Avatar and not Shankar's Robot is given a run for its money. Beep, beep. Game Over.
