MAGIC MASTER: Amitabh Bachchan, left, plays the genie of the lamp in Aladin, which also stars Riteish Deshmukh, right, and newcomer Jacqueline Fernandes in the lead roles

• ALADIN (6/10):
• BACKGROUND:

There have, however, been some brave filmmakers who have ventured into the genre of magic, mystery and superstition. Sadly, besides Krrish , fantasy flicks like Drona , Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic and even Aladin , despite being decent projects, have done below-average business at the box office. Sujoy Ghosh, the man who made the acclaimed Jhankar Beats , directs Aladin , which is his first big-budget project.

STORY:

Like the character in the fairy-tale classic,Aladin (Riteish Deshmukh) is a lonely, young orphan who yearns for a companion after the loss of his parents and grandfather. His life is pretty ordinary and boring until the arrival of a new college student, Jasmine (Jacqueline Fernandes), who gives him a special lamp for his birthday. Before you can even say "magic", Aladin rubs the lamp and meets Genius (Ami- tabh Bachchan), the lovable genie who will grant him three wishes. However, Aladin and Genius are unaware of the danger heading their way in the form of the Ringmaster (Sanjay Dutt).

DIRECTION:

Full marks to director Ghosh for courageously making this movie on a lavish scale, with special effects on a par with Hollywood standards. The story is sweet and pleasant, but does tend to drag, creating a few moments of boredom. Ghosh should have given more prominence to the battle of good versus evil instead of the romance.

PERFORMANCES:

One of the strongest points of this movie is the perfect casting. Deshmukh is simply superb in a tailor-made role that he pulls off with utmost ease. The Big B's role has shades of his character from Bhootnath and he is equally likeable. Stunning newcomer Fernandes makes a confident debut and is sure to go places in the industry, while Dutt has limited scope.

MUSIC:

The music, composed by Vishal Shekhar, has two sweet tracks - O Re Saawariya and the enchanting You May Be.

WHAT I LIKED:

The opulent sets, the special effects and Deshmukh.

VERDICT:

If you enjoy the fascinating world of magic and mystery, then Aladin will appeal to you. If you prefer serious, meaningful cinema, then do yourself a favour and stay away.