Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic

Rating : 5/10
Running Time : 145 Minutes
Release Date : 27th June ‘08
Director & Writer : Kunal Kohli ; Music : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Starring : Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Rishi Kapoor, Amisha Patel and the four kids (Akshat Chopra, Shriya Sharma, Ayushi Berman and Rachit Sidana as the Sikh boy)
Its one big cliché, the whole movie and if it were not for the cute sardar kid, the rating would’ve been lower by at least 2 points. Its way too predictable, right from the punishment, to what happens in the middle, and of course, the ending.

Rich, introverted industrialist (Saif) kills a couple in a road accident, court sentences him to take care of the couple’s four kids (two girls and two boys, one an adopted sikh boy, a nice touch) who range from 5 years to a sullen early teen types. When they move in, he obviously can’t cope, the kids play pranks on him etc and he decides to go for a nanny as his girlfriend (Amisha Patel) is a rich, ‘shopping is the solution to everything’ kind of person. Enter God (a smiling, beatific Rishi Kapoor), who sends one of his favorite angels (Rani), a ‘Maria of Sound of Music’ type character, to make them come together and then return to heaven. One of his preconditions is that she not use any of her magical powers but that is completely ignored… (and that bugs me throughout the film…I think it would’ve enhanced the story if she hadn’t)

In any case, some cute pranks (the bathroom being occupied), some nice touches (nice chat between the sardar boy and Saif in one scene), some nice animation (a hundred times better than Ganesha or Hanuman), one completely inappropriate song, with a bikini that was too short and a swimming pool underwater scene that was too long for a kids movie, some laughs and emotion towards the end. And whaddya know…its over…

Kids will enjoy it. Adults will find it very so-so. To baat saaf hai, deviyon aur sajjanno, agar aap bachon se sachmuch karte hain pyaar, aap picture se nahin karenge inkaar…