Om Shanti Om

Upon its release, Om Shanti Om was the greatest box office triumph in Indian cinema history—and it’s easy to see why! Beginning in the burgeoning Mumbai film scene of the 1970s, the film follows a buffoonish extra played by Shah Rukh Khan (one of India’s biggest movie stars at the height of his fame) as he tries to make his way up in the industry and catch the eye of his superstar actress crush (Deepika Padukone in the role that launched her into megastardom). Through a convoluted reincarnation plot that has to be seen to be believed, Om Shanti Om makes its way to the present and features no less than 42 celebrities in its largest musical number. The film hilariously skewers the conventions of Bollywood spectacle and sentimentality while serving them up skillfully. Directed by acclaimed choreographer Farah Kahn, Om Shanti Om also features one of the most delightful credit sequences in cinema history. This rare 35mm print was loaned from the Chicago Film Society. In Hindi with English subtitles. (162 mins. + intermission, 35mm)

Heirloom Café will remain open during intermission for popcorn and beverage sales.

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IMAGE CAPTION
Om Shanti Om, courtesy of the filmmaker.