Director: Siddharth Anand
Starring: Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan and Javed Jaffrey
Few actresses in Bollywood are as beloved as Rani Mukerji. Ever since rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Mukerji has transformed into one of the finest actresses in the Indian film industry. Whether it’s star-crossed lovers, prostitutes or bold housekeepers, Mukerji has suggested she can portray various characters. Through her ability to portray characters that are compelling, she has created a legacy which has proven lasting. Mukerji’s greatest strength as an actress has always been her versatility. Mukerji’s strength as an actress is her courage to take risks. She is one of those actresses which has never been afraid of taking risks in her career by playing characters which aren’t commonly likeable. Despite reaching age of retirement, Mukerji has never lost her passion for making powerful entertainment. Throughout an enduring career, Mukerji has crafted many memorable movies which are definitely without a doubt absolutely worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Mukerji and adore all the movies which she has made in her career. However, “Ta Ra Rum Pum” stands out as her most underrated film. Released in 2007, Siddharth Anand’s movie offered a powerful portrait of racing drivers. Packed with bold production, engaging storytelling and strong acting, it’s a captivating race car drama. At the centre of it all is a fantastic performance by Rani Mukerji, who portrays a strong wife of a racing car driver. Although “Ta Ra Rum Pum” is a captivating racing drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It builds towards a predictable ending that lacks resolution. Nevertheless, it offers engrossing entertainment for fans of Rani Mukerji.
“Ta Ra Rum Pum” tells the story of a racing cars driver that strives to achieve stardom. Saif Ali Khan plays Rajveer Singh, a strong race driver with ambition. Rajveer shares a strong relationship with his wife Shona (Rani Mukerji), a woman he loves dearly. However, Rajveer’s dreams of becoming a successful race car driver are shattered when he faces injuries causing disaster. Injured in a serious accident, Rajveer struggles to take care of a family with commitment. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Rajveer wonders whether it’s truly possible for him to become a successful driver.
Siddharth Anand has often been fascinated with a romance genre. A brilliant Bollywood filmmaker, Anand has often made engaging movies about lovers which endure disaster. His iconic film “Salaam Namaste” provided a powerful portrait of lovers facing a price to pay. With “Ta Ra Rum Pum”, however, Anand directed his first ever race car movie. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the hardships endured by race car drivers but he succeeded tremendously. Using strong cinematography, Anand captures a racing driver embarking upon a journey to discover identity. Evoking Rob Cohen’s “The Fast and the Furious”, Anand expertly uses montages to capture a race car driver which is furious. For instance, montages enhance the racing scene. During this engaging scene, Rajveer engages in a tense racing competition that involves tension. Using stunning montages, Anand creates a portrait of racing which is compelling. Montages are tricky techniques. As Karan Johar’s “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” suggested, montages enhance Bollywood movies about broken marriages. However, it works immensely. Using captivating visuals, Anand captures tensions that racing drivers are facing.
Another strong aspect of “Ta Ra Rum Pum” that deserves appreciations is production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best race films which you will see. Inspired with “Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby”, Anand effectively uses costumes to capture the life of a famous race car driver. Throughout the movie, Rajveer’s costumes showcase his transformation into a strong race driver. For instance, costumes elevate the Ta Ra Rum Pum song. During this joyful scene, Rajveer expresses his love for family through a musical number. Through strong costumes, Anand crafts a portrait of racing that’s engaging. Moreover, the music score is magnificent. It gives the movie an intense atmosphere capturing the burden that race car drivers bear. Through strong production, Anand captures race drivers engaging in a competition.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Ta Ra Rum Pum” is a racing film which is engaging. The movie is beautifully written, and effectively uses dramatic monologues to capture the hardship of race car drivers. Anand successfully employs monologues to capture the tensions that race car drivers experience. For instance, the monologues elevate the family crisis scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Rajveer gives a tense monologue showcasing concern for family’s finance security. Through bold monologues, Anand creates a race car driver audiences can relate to. Monologues are tricky to use in films. As Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Black” claimed, monologues enhance films about blindness. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through a strong screenplay, Anand captures race car drivers that face a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Rani Mukerji delivers one of her best career performances as Shona. Mukerji achieved recognition for playing heroines in classic Bollywood romantic movies. With “Ta Ra Rum Pum”, however, she took on her most complex role. It isn’t simple to portray the wife of a race car driver but she succeeds immensely. This is the actresss unlike you have seen her before; intense, charismatic and emotional in her most tense role. With riveting expressions, she captures angst, bravery and grief of a woman married to a race car driver. It’s a brilliant performance from one of the most beloved actresses in Bollywood today.
While the movie is mainly a showcase for Rani Mukerji, the supporting cast is superb and worthy of appreciation. Saif Ali Khan is spectacular, capturing charismatic nature of a race car driver struggling to cope with intense pressure. Javed Jaffrey is superb, capturing the authoritative personality of a race car driver facing adversity. Lastly, Ali Haji merits appreciation. As a child caught in tension, he is unforgettable.
Although “Ta Ra Rum Pum” is a captivating race car drama, it isn’t a flawless movie. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks an engaging ending. It’s a predictable conclusion that fails to bring the movie to a satisfying resolution. Whereas this ending enhanced John G. Avildsen’s “Rocky”, it does not work well in this movie. Racing films thrive based on their conclusions, and in this regard “Ta Ra Rum Pum” falls short of expectations.
Nevertheless, fans of Rani Mukerji would absolutely enjoy “Ta Ra Rum Pum” and so would audiences seeking heartwarming entertainment. A riveting race car drama, it honours an actress with charisma in India.
Nearly 20 years following the release of a groundbreaking film about the hardships that a race car driver must face, it’s a bold reminder of a legendary actress that has carved a strong place in the industry by her abilities to portray compelling characters in memorable movies throughout her career that audiences embrace.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 