Yuvvraaj

Yuvvraaj
2008
3/5 stars


Deven Yuvvraaj (Salman Khan) is in love with Anushka (Katrina Kaif), but her father (Boman Irani) refuses to allow the match.  When Deven's estranged father dies leaving a fortune, Deven is sure that he will inherit and be able to marry Anushka.  However, his father disinherits both Deven and his younger brother Danny (Zayed Khan), in favor of their mentally challenged elder brother Gyanesh (Anil Kapoor).  Deven and Danny then become tentative partners in a game to scam Gyanesh out of the money.

In this family drama, the plot is mostly good, with uneven bits.  Both Khan's give credible, if not exceptional, performances.  Kapoor's performance is hindered by his part; his character is depicted as only very little resembling the autistic savant he is supposed to be, seeming at times to be fully functioning and at other times as challenged.  This really lessened Kapoor's sometimes strong performance, as well as the movie in general.  The songs are generally lovely, and the costumes--particularly in the musical numbers--are extravagant and impressive.  Overall, it's a visually pleasing film with a positive message, but only mediocre otherwise.

Baazigar

Baazigar
(translates as "gambler")
1993
4/5 stars

The less known about the plot, the better the viewing experience for this drama.  Briefly, Shah Rukh Khan plays a man who is courting two sisters (played by Shilpa Shetty and Kajol) under two different personas.  He has pressing reasons, which the viewer learns through well-told back story as the film progresses.

This often tense film delivers an impressive surprise early on, and keeps the viewer on edge through out.  Khan delivers an excellent performance, and Kajol and Shetty do well, also.  The music and choreography are only average, keeping the movie from a full five stars.  Otherwise, this is an impressive, suspenseful, and emotional film (reminiscent of Hitchcock) that is well worth watching.

Cast also includes: Master Sumeet, Johnny Lever, and Dalip Tahil.

Baghban

Baghban

(translates as "gardener")

2003

4/5 stars

Raj Malhotra (Amitabh Bachchan) and his beloved wife of 40 years, Pooja (Hema Malini), have given all they have emotionally and monetarily to their five sons, four natural and one adopted (played by Salman Khan).  When Raj retires, he has no money set aside and assumes that his children will help him as he has helped them.  Instead, his four natural sons resent his request and split up the loving couple with plans to rotate their parents between homes.  Raj and Pooja are heartbroken without each other, but have no way to change their circumstances until chance helps them out.

This sometimes overly sentimental movie is a sweet love story of a long-married couple.  It's also a discussion of respect and what is owed to one's parents.  Bachchan is a wonderful actor, as is Malini.  Their chemistry was excellent.  There are some truly beautiful songs, but little in the way of choreography.  Overall, it's film that requires some understanding of Indian culture to appreciate, but if one does, it makes for good viewing.

Emma

Emma
4 part mini-series
2009
5/5 stars

Based on Jane Austen's novel, this mini-series focuses on Emma Woodhouse (Romola Garai), vain, spoiled, and the belle of her small town, as she tries her hand at matchmaking with disastrous results.  As with the novel, this Emma is almost unlikable, and yet. . . there is still a goodness about her that Mr. Knightly(Jonny Lee Miller) and the reader/viewer are able to see.

This is one of my favorite Austen novels for it's wit and perspicacity.  I was delighted with how closely the series followed the book, deviating only in minor matters.  The producers also kept a good feel of Regency times; I had issues, again, with only minor matters.  Costumes, hairstyles, locations, and sets were all fantastic. The actors were well cast, and they all did a fine job.  Tamsin Greig was particularly good as Miss Bates, as was Michael Gambon's portrayal of Mr. Woodhouse. I truly enjoyed this mini-series and would recommend it for both fans of the book, and those unfamiliar with the novel.

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Namastey London

Namastey London
2007
3/5 stars

Jasmeet (Katrina Kaif) was raised in London and has turned into a wild young woman, rejecting her Indian roots and going by the appropriate name of "Jazz".  Her father (Rishi Kapoor) takes her on a trip through India, ending in his hometown in Punjab.  While there, he marries her (not willingly) to his best friend's son, Arjun (Ashkay Kumar).  When the couple returns to London, Jazz announces that she doesn't recognize the Indian marriage, and proceeds with her plans of becoming the fourth wife of her boss (Clive Standen).  Arjun, must either give in gracefully and lose his wife, or find a way to fight for his marriage by showing Jazz that true love can win.

The plot is cute and fun, and I enjoyed it. Kumar is a good actor and played both comedy and serious well.  I'm not fond of Kaif, and don't feel that she is a particularly good actress, but she was well suited for this role.  The supporting cast (especially Nina Wadia) are excellent.  The locations and cinematography were great.  However, I actively disliked the club music/dancing, and for me that lowered the movie from four stars to three.

This movie is available on Amazon Prime.

Victoria and Abdul

Victoria and Abdul
2017
3/5 stars

Victoria and Abdul is the "'mostly" true story of the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and a Muslim Indian, Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal).  Karim is sent from India as an emissary, and the Queen is taken with him and his easy personality, treats him with favor, and bestows honors on him.  Her family and attendants, especially her son Bertie (later to be Edward VII, played by Eddie Izzard), dislike him and his influence and try to discredit him with the Queen.

Dame Judi is fantastic in this role.  She plays ailing, grouchy, and old to perfection, then lights up the screen with grace, majesty and strength. It would not surprise me to see her win awards for this performance.

Fazal was also wonderful in his role as sweet, endearing, devoted to the Queen.  However, his part was not three-dimensional--he was too perfect, too servile.  The viewer was left wondering what made Abdul tick, and what his motives were.

In addition, the story (which covered the 15 years of Karim's service to the Queen) was short on plot.  It was, instead, a string of tableaux in which both featured, but without their relationship developing or maturing.  Furthermore, the portrayal of Queen Victoria as a liberal-thinking woman was, I think, colored more by wishful thinking than historical accuracy.

I did like the film, though.  It is cute, sweet, and at times, funny, with a positive message of tolerance and equality.  It was enjoyable to watch, but the lack of depth to the plot kept it from being fully immersive.  The cast (supporting cast included) were all excellent, as mentioned.  Overall, it's an fun light movie, but not one to rely upon historically.

This movie is available to rent on Amazon.

Yeh Dillagi

Yeh Dillagi
(translates as "this romance")
1994
3/5 stars

Sapna (Kajol), the chauffeur's daughter, goes to Mumbai to become a model so that she can earn money and be on equal footing with her father's rich employers.  She matures and gains confidence, and as a result turns the heads of both of the sons of the house: Vicky, unprincipaled playboy (Saif Ali Khan) and hardworking buisnessman Vijay (Akshay Kumar) Their mother (Reema Lagoo) is a stickler for social position, and refuses to allow either son to consider an alliance with the daughter of a servant.  They woo Sapna in their own way, and when one wins her love, he faces the difficulty of brotherly conflict and parental disapproval.

On the face of it, this romantic comedy (loosely based on Hollywood's Sabrina), is a love triangle that pits brotherly love against romantic love.  The story goes deeper than that, though, and becomes an evaluation of social snobbery.

Kumar, Kajol, Khan

It is a mostly fun film, but to my surprise contained two somewhat steamy scenes that didn't seem typical of a 1990's Bollywood movie, and detracted from the experience.  I also had a difficult time enjoying Lagoo's performance.  She's my favorite Bollywood mummy, and I'm not used to seeing her in an unsympathetic role.  The acting of the three main characters was good, and they had fine chemistry together.  The music was average, but there were some entertaining dance scenes.  Were it not for the two detractors mentioned above, this would be a 4 star movie, but as a result, I could only find it average.

This movie is available to rent on Google Play.