'OMG-Oh My God' turns out to be an engaging film which (thankfully) doesn't suffer from the first half-second half syndrome. It maintains good pace right through the narrative and keeps the viewer interested in knowing what would happen next.
While strong performances compensate for the play-like setting of the film due to set pieces all around, what one takes home are quite a few points to ponder that are thrown in. Now that's quite a deal for a film that could just have gone into a preachy zone in a matter of minutes.
The context is straight forward. Kanji bhai (Paresh Rawal) challenges the 'Act of God' when his shop gets destroyed in an earthquake. His fight it not centred on absence or presence of God faith or the lack of it, 'aastik' v/s 'naastik', or the right v/s wrong. All he wants is someone to pay for what went wrong on his life.
He doesn't mind whether it's the insurance company or the God; someone had to get the wrong in his life right. No wonder, and ironically, it is none less than God himself (Akshay Kumar) who guides him in this journey of his where he battles it out in Court.
From the very outset it is pretty well established that the film would take a light hearted approach. While the start is just right, the film only picks up further pace when Paresh Rawal takes his case to the Court.Introduction of God men of different shapes, sizes and virtues (Mithun Chakravorty, Govind Namdeo, Poonam Jhawer), the notices being received by them and the lawyer (Mahesh Manjrekar) coming into picture, everything keeps you interested. Thankfully, director Umesh Shukla makes his central protagonist reason it all out instead of just coming up with plain accusations.
Of course not all logic being shared acts as an eye opener of sorts but it does send you thinking all over again. Gallons of milk being thrown into the drain, commercialisation of religious spots where extra money is paid for shorter queues, the very concept of donation boxes, a random stone being considered as God - there is this and a lot more which is spoken about in not so subtle tone, though without trying to be offensive.
What turns out to be a tad abrupt though are a few spots in the narrative. Public sympathy turning `for' instead of `against' Paresh seems a little too quick.
His turning out to be their 'maseeha' has a filmy feel to it. A couple of arguments, especially the one shared with Tisca Chopra during her chat show, aren't fleshed out to the fullest. (Spoilers ahead) His subsequent winning of the case isn't very convincing, even though fair evidences are shared. And most importantly, the finale when he is projected as an alternate God comes out of nowhere. That idea is good but execution patchy.
In the middle of this all Akshay Kumar too plays an interesting cameo. While he is graceful as God, what is commendable is the fact that despite being a co-producer of the film, he lets Paresh Rawal hold centre-stage without trying to take over the proceedings.
In comparison even Mithun Chakravorty has a good screen time and he impresses a big deal with his mannerisms that are controlled yet highly effective. Govinda Namdeo is good as usual though Poonam doesn't have any role to play at all.
The man who plays the biggest role though is, expectedly, Paresh Rawal. Whether it is his arguments in the Court or at the chat show (with Tisca Chopra) or with God himself, he is just superb.
He never tries to project himself as someone overconfident who feels pride in taking on the case of God; instead he simply challenges the various beliefs and practices coming in due to commercialisation of religion.
'OMG - Oh My God' is a fantastic film. Even though it boasts of a complicated subject where everything from God, religion, faith and worship is challenged, the film never loses its way through it's duration. After all, a film like this was always walking a tight rope, what with more chances of a viewer going against it than for it.
However one has to credit the way it is spun together as well as convincingly enacted that instead of feeling offended, you end up getting into an introspective mode. Watch the film, it just might change the way you look at religion.
Rating: ****
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