There are two ways of looking at Qayamat. You can either dismiss it as nothing more than a silly, and extremely botched-up remake of a standard Hollywood flick (let's say, without any inference intended, The Rock). Or, you can just sit back and have a laugh at its undisputed dizziness and obvious lack of originality. Still, it's more watchable than the juvenile Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. The film represents the characteristic creative dilemma of 21st century Hindi cinema—it doesn't want to invest in good, indigenous stories and story-tellers but in technical whizkids who can instantly deliver wannabe Hollywood imagery to our theatres. But this New Gen brigade isn't bold enough either to go all the way to Hollywood. That explains the urgency to throw in a bit of song 'n dance, mindless romance and pop patriotism a la Bollywood. Result: movies with no addresses. Like Qayamat.
In the film, the typically American notion of global terrorism gets a dose of our local, anti-Pakistan rhetoric. Arbaaz, Sanjay and Isha play the quintessential anti-national arms dealers with active ISI links. But the ingenious villains don't believe in just hijacking flights or planting bombs. Instead, they threaten to unleash a virus attack on Mumbai. Suniel is the good Muslim cop who steps in to lasso the evil men with some active help from a silent, lovelorn convict Ajay. Qayamat does have some good action and stylish cinematography. And it contributes to Indian cinema by bringing new words like biological warfare, virus and missiles into the Bollywood lexicon. Everything else seems hopelessly wrong. The love story of Ajay-Neha is particularly irrelevant. More so because Neha isn't just a bad actress, she has no sex appeal either. To then pitch herself as the Indian Bo Derek is nothing but sheer hubris. In fact, Qayamat, quite clearly, is an out-and-out macho film that doesn't need such feminine touches at all. Ajay as the brooding hero manages to impress. But it's time now that he gave his strong-and-silent persona a break. If at all, Qayamat will be remembered for one major breakthrough act—Chunkey Pandey as a scientist. Now that is a revelation!
US Top 5
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
2. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
3. Terminator 3
4. Legally Blonde 2
5. Finding Nemo
INDIAN Top 5
1. Qayamat
2. Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon
3. Chalte Chalte
4. Hawa
5. Saaya
Courtesy: Film Information
