Veer-Zaara

Veer-Zaara
2004
5/5 stars

After 22 years in a Pakistani prison, Hindustani Veer Pretap Singh (Shah Rukh Khan) is assigned a  novice lawyer, Saamiya (Rani Mukerji), to review and represent his case.  Having remained silent for the years of his imprisonment, he opens up to Saamiya and tells her the story behind his arrest: the love story between him and a Pakistani woman, Zaara (Preity Zinta).

The plot of this romantic drama is gripping, moving, and mostly believable.  It portrays Pakistan-India relations sensitively.  The music is average and above, with some enjoyable choreography. This is a gorgeous movie, with both costumes and scenery that were breathtaking.  Khan and Zinta have excellent chemistry and were entirely convincing.  Mukerji played the uncertain but determined attorney well. Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini were cast as Khan's parents, with Kirron Kher as Zaara's mother; the three were, naturally, fantastic. The cast also includes Divya Dutta, Anupam Kher, Zohra Sehgal, and Manoj Bajpayee, all of whom gave solid performances.  Overall, this is a wonderfully written and acted film, and I highly recommend it.

Khan and Zinta

This movie is available on Amazon Prime.

Bachna Ae Haseeno

Bachna Ae Haseeno
(translates as: Watch Out, Ladies)
2008
4/5 stars


Raj (Ranbir Kapoor) thinks of himself as a lady killer, and seriously breaks the hearts of two young women: Mahi (Minissha Lamba) as a teen, and Radhika (Bipasha Basu) as a twenty-something. Shortly after devastating Radhika, Raj falls in love with Gayatri (Deepika Padukone), only to have his own heart broken. Seeing how it feels, he sets out to try to make amends with Mahi and Radhika.

I was surprised at how good this romantic comedy-drama was.  All four leads were convincing, the film work was good, and the story was strong.  The music ranged from really terrible to average.  (That first song nearly put me off the movie entirely.)  I enjoyed the overall movie enough to ignore the bad songs, though, and do recommend it.

Lamba, Padukone, Basu, Kapoor

Movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Om Jai Jagadish

Om Jai Jagadish
2002
4/5 stars


Widowed Saraswati (Waheeda Rehman) has three sons: Om (Anil Kapoor), Jai (Fardeen Khan) and Jagadish (Abhishek Bachchan); the family is devoted to each other.  Om, much older than his two brothers, is the wage earner and is supporting Jai and Jagadish as they go to college.  The movie follows the lives, romances, and dramas of the family over the course of a few years.

While melodramatic at times, this family drama is well written, interesting, and generally entertaining.  The music and dancing are average but energetic. Bachchan gave a lively, enjoyable performance. Kapoor didn't show a large range of emotions, but was mostly convincing.  Khan was the least credible, in a role that gave scope for much character growth.  Rehman played her role well.  The three female love interests were Mahima Chaudhry,  Urmila Matondkar, and Tara Sharma.  Matondkar played a disagreeable character, and did it well.  The other two ladies, while not outstanding, were solid.    If the viewer is willing to commit to nearly 3 hours, it's worth watching.

Albela

Albela
(translation: Unique)
2001
3/5 stars

Wealthy Sonia (Aishwarya Rai) hires tour guide Tony (Govinda) to help her find her mother's grave.  He is instantly smitten with her, but knows that she is out of his reach. Tony's best friend and neighbor, Neena (Namrata Shirodkar), has been in love with him for some time, but has never been bold enough to let him know.  Sonia, too, has an unhappy romance behind her, with Prem (Jackie Shroff), of whom her father (Saeed Jaffrey) disapproves.  How can all three of these love stories have a happy ending?

Govinda is cute and charming as ever, giving a good humorous performance.  Rai is not fully convincing, and she and Shroff do not have much chemistry.  Shirodkar, however, is believable, and she and Govinda work well with each other.  The music is average, with the choreography below average.   The plot of this film, while predictable, is enjoyable and entertaining.   This isn't a stellar movie, but it is fun to watch, especially for Govinda fans.

Rai and Govinda

This movie is available on YouTube.

Dil Se. . .

Dil Se. . . 
(translates as "from the heart")
1998
5/5 stars

Amar (Shah Rukh Khan) meets a young woman (Manisha Koirala as Meghna) on a train platform and is instantly smitten.  This infatuation turns to obsession, as he tries first to trace her, then to convince her to love him.  As his passion slowly consumes his reason, he becomes entangled in a terrorism plot designed to bring attention to the insurrection in Northeast India.

This thriller is riveting, intense, and, for the most part, realistic.  Khan and Koirala have good chemistry and are convincing in their roles.  With her infectious smile, Priety Zinta makes a debut that is most natural. The music is unique, and quite good, and some of the choreography most impressive.  Not typical of Bollywood, the film work is gritty and is appropriate for the feel of the film.  This gripping, emotional drama comes highly recommended.

Malaika Arora features in the item number "Chaiyya Chaiyya"

Kuch Naa Kaho

Kuch Naa Kaho
(translates as "don't say anything")
2003
4/5 stars

I think that the less one knows about this film, the better the viewing experience.  So, in short: Namrata (Aishwarya Rai), an abandoned wife, finds another chance at love with Raj (Abhishek Bachchan) but her past will make happiness impossible.

Cast also incudes Arbaaz Khan, Parth Dave, Satish Shah, Suhasini Mulay, Jaspal Bhatti, and Himani Shivpuri, among others.

This is an enjoyable romantic-comedy-drama, with a mostly well-written plot.  The music is average and less, with the exception of the title song.  Choreography is simplistic, due, I'm sure, to the fact that Bachchan is not the best dancer.  Rai is vivacious, sassy, and credible.  Bachchan is charming, funny, and believable.  Arbaaz Khan, in his negative role, is excellent.  Child actor Parth Dave is convincing, as well, and manages important scenes professionally.  The only problem with this film is that the ending is too quick and neat, lessening the impact of the overall drama. It's still one I would recommend, and will probably re-watch.

Bachchan and Rai

 

Dil Dhadakne Do

Dil Dhadakne Do
(Translates as: Let the Heart Beat)
2015
5/5 stars

 Ayesha (Priyanka Chopra) and Kabir (Ranveer Singh) join friends and family on a cruise to celebrate the 30th wedding anniversary of their parents Kamal (Anil Kapoor ) and Neelam (Shefali Shah). Kamal is overbearing, and both parents are strictly traditional, as well as worrying about what others think of their family.  In addition, their marriage is less than successful. During the voyage, the siblings both go against their parents wishes in matters of love, creating more discord in their family.

This is not a lighthearted movie, though it does contain some humor and romance.  It is, instead, a serious drama about family dynamics, expectations, and acceptance.  The plot is rich and well-written.  The music and choreography are average.  Kapoor gives a stellar performance as the tightly-strung, controlling father. I had previously only seen Chopra in the rom-com setting, and was pleasantly surprised by her ability to play a deeper role.  Both Singh and Shah are also convincing in their roles. Rahul Bose plays Ayesha's husband, and does a fine job with varying emotions. The movie also stars Anushka Sharma and Farhan Akhtar, and both give credible performances.   I was impressed by this underrated film and found it to be just about perfect--near enough to round up to five stars.  This is one I certainly recommend.

Cast also includes Aamir Khan, Zarina Wahab, Vikrant Massey and Ridhima Sud, among others.

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Shah, Singh, Kapoor, Chopra

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
(translates as "O heart, it is difficult")
2016
3/5 stars


After a chance meeting, Aryan (Ranbir Kapoor) and Alizeh (Anushka Sharma) become best friends. After a while, Aryan falls in love with Alizeh, but she remains in love with her ex-boyfriend. After an emotional split between the two friends, Aryan meets sophisticated poet Saba (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan). They begin a relationship, but Aryan has not gotten over Alizeh.

This story of unrequited love has a generally well-written, mostly credible plot.  It has the feel, though, of a Western film, much more than a Bollywood movie.  It is not a family film, as it contains adult situations.  Kapoor acted well, and Sharma was charming and natural; Bachchan was a little stiff at times.  The music was okay, though I don't have an opinion about the lyrics as the version I watched didn't have subtitles for the songs.  This could have been a excellent emotional drama, but unfortunately the last chapter (so to speak) was neither moving nor convincing and made the overall movie ultimately unsatisfying.

Cast also includes Fawad Khan, Lisa Hayden, and cameos by Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt.

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Mohabbatein

Mohabbatein
("Love Stories")
2000
4/5 stars

Narayan Shankar (Amitabh Bachchan) is the headmaster of an elite and prestigious boys school, Gurukul.  Shankar believes in honor, tradition, and discipline, and disapproves of anything that would take a students mind off of his work--especially love.  Into this atmosphere comes Raj Aryan (Shah Rukh Khan), the new music teacher, who believes in the power of love, and encourages his students to break Gurukul's traditions.  Three of the students, Sameer (Jugal Hansraj), Vicky (Uday Chopra), and Karan (Jimmy Sheirgill) fall in love and, as a result, risk expulsion.

The love intersts are played by Kim Sharma, Shamita Shetty, and Preeti Jhangiani.  The cast also includes Aishwarya Rai, Amrish Puri, Anupam Kher, Archana Puran Singh, Shefali Shah, and Helen.

While being mostly predictable, this is a fully entertaining film.  Bachchan and Khan give strong performances, for which both received awards.  The six young people were credible and mature in their roles.  The music was good and the choreography, though not exceptional, was enjoyable to watch.  The girls' costumes, however, were mostly sports bras and super-short minis, an outfit not attractive for any of them.  One other negative point was having to watch Khan fake playing the violin--it was painful to see at times.  Other than that, this is a feel-good movie that was a pleasure to experience.

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Rai and Khan

Gori Tere Pyaar Mein

Gori Tere Pyaar Mein
(translates as "Girl... In Your Love")
2013
3/5 stars

While reminiscing about his ex-girlfriend Dia (Kareena Kapoor), Sriram (Imran Khan) realizes that he is still in love with her.  They are polar opposites who separated over what social worker Dia saw as a lack of moral fiber in Sriram.  He locates her living in a small village and trying to get a bridge built for them.  To prove to Dia that he has changed and is worth her love, Sriram becomes involved.

The best thing about this movie is Khan: he is charming and natural, and fits the role perfectly.  Kapoor gives an average performance, appearing too stern at times.  The music, with the exception of two simply terrible songs, is average as well.  The story begins with much promise, but the character development and plot resolution was not convincing.  Overall, it's one that was mostly enjoyable, but nothing will be missed by not watching it.

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Kapoor and Khan

Race 3

Race 3
2018
2/5 stars


Shamsher Singh (Anil Kapoor), arms dealer, has three children: twins Sanjana (Daisy Shah) and Suraj (Saqib Saleem) , and step-son Sikander (Salman Khan).  The twins begrudge Sikander his share of their mother's fortune, as well as their father's partiality and set out to kill him.

Bobby Deol plays Sikander's friend Yash, and Jacqueline Fernandez plays Jessica, the love interest.

I was set to love this film, based on the great trailer.  Sadly, I was immensely disappointed.  The plot is so convoluted with twists and allegiance changes that it ceases making sense and becomes farcical.  The conversation is stilted and banal.  The music is simply terrible--bad enough that I fast-forwarded through the songs.  Ferdandez and Shah are dressed in the most trashy of clothing.  I'm giving the movie two stars because the film work, action scenes, and special effects were quite good.  Other than that, this movie is one to avoid.  Frankly, I suggest watching the trailer instead; you won't miss a thing.

P.S. This comes from a devoted Salman Khan fan.

Raazi

Raazi
("agree")
2018
4/5 stars



In 1971, Hidayat Khan (Rajit Kapur) is a double agent, spying for India on Pakistan, while his Pakistani friends think he is working for them.  When he learns that he is going to die from cancer, he arranges a marriage between his daughter Sehmat (Alia Bhatt) and Iqbal Syed (Vicky Kaushal), an officer in the Pakistani Army and son of a Brigadier (Shishir Sharma) so that she can spy for India as well.  After brief training by RAW, the 20 year-old Sehmat marries and begins a dangerous game of spying on her new family.

This mostly-believable thriller is well-written with a plot that is both emotional and intense.  Bhatt is convincing as Sehmat, both vulnerable and determined.  Kaushal is also credible as Iqbal, giving a strong performance. The film treats the Pakistani side of the conflict with sympathy.  Overall, this is a thriller that is sure to please.

Available with Amazon Prime.

Kaushal and Bhatt

Fan

Fan
2016
5/5 stars

Gaurav (Shah Rukh Khan) bears an uncanny likeness to Bollywood superstar Aryan Khanna (also played by Khan), and as a result he becomes obsessed with Aryan.  When Gaurav goes to Delhi to meet Aryan and is refused, he looses his mental balance and becomes determined to ruin Aryan.

The strength of this thriller is not the plot, though it is suspenseful and well-written, but the make-up.  Khan as Gaurav is made to look just enough like the real Khan while not looking like him.  Tough to explain, but it works perfectly.  Khan gives a great performance, as well, playing both parts superbly.  While this isn't a perfect film, the amazing cosmetic artistry pushes the movie into five stars.


This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
(translates as "you won't get this life again")
2011
4/5 stars

Three friends, Kabir (Abhay Deol), Imran (Farhan Akhtar), and Arjun (Hrithik Roshan) take a road trip to Spain as a bachelor treat before Kabir marries Natasha (Kalki Koechlin).  Along the way, all three men come to terms with fears, futures, and life in general.  (Katrina Kaif also stars as a friend met along the way.)

The plot of this comedy-drama is well scripted.  The chemistry between the three is realistic and all main actors give natural performances.  The music is good as well.  Unlike typical Bollywood family films, it does contain kissing and implied sex.  It is quite enjoyable, both serious and funny, and worth watching.

Roshan, Kaif, Akhtar, Koechlin, Deol

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
(translates as: sometimes there's happiness, sometimes there's sorrow)
2001
5/5 stars

Yash Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan) and his wife (played by Bachchan's real-life wife, Jaya Bachchan) have two sons they love dearly.  When the eldest, Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) marries Anjali (Kajol) against Yash's decision, Yash disowns him.  Ten years later, when the younger son Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) is an adult, he decides to try and reunite his family and enlists the help of Anjali's younger sister, Pooja (Kareena Kapoor).

Kajol and Khan

The plot of this drama was credible and moving.  The Bachchan's chemistry was perfect and natural, as was their acting.  Both Khan and Kajol, and Roshan and Kapoor also had good chemistry, as well as believable acting.  Kajol's enthusiasm and vivacity was especially wonderful.  The child actors for young Pooja (Malvika Raaj) and young Rohan (Kavish Majmudar) were particularly convincing.  The choreography was generally good, as Roshan is a fine dancer.  The music was also mostly good, with some songs being particularly catchy.  Truly, the only thing to dislike about the film is that sometimes Kapoor's outfits were so skimpy as to be painful to see.  Other than that, this is a stellar film about love, pride, and family, and was thoroughly enjoyable.

Cast also includes Rani Mukherji, Alok Nath, Johnny Lever, Jibraan Khan, and Farida Jalal.

Kajol, Roshan, Khan, Kapoor

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Hadh Kar Di Aapne

Hadh Kar Di Aapne
(translates as "you have crossed the limit")
2000
4/5 stars


In this comedy of errors, Raj (Govinda) is a private investigator hired to follow the wife of his friend, Sanjay (Nirmal Pandey), while she is on a European tour.  Sanjay's wife, Anjali (Ritu Shivpuri), persuades her friend, also named Anjali (Rani Mukerji), to pretend to be her on this tour.  Raj and Anjali fall in love on the tour, but believe that each is married to someone else.

The plot sounds complicated, but it truly makes sense when watching the film.  The oh-so-cute Govinda plays multiple roles (as his family members), which is truly humorous.  In the role as Raj, he is charming and funny, and gives his usual good performance.  Mukerji is a strong lead and holds her own, without being overshadowed by Govinda.  Johnny Lever plays a dual role, which is particularly effective.  The music is only average, and the choreography nearly non-existent.  At times, the film is too silly, but overall, it was fun to watch.

Govinda and Rani Mukerji

This movie is available on Amazon Prime and on YouTube:

Kaho Naa. . . Pyaar Hai

Kaho Na Pyaar Hai
(translates as "say you're in love")
2000
4/5 stars

In this romantic thriller, working class Rohit (Hrithik Roshan) and wealthy Sonia (Ameesha Patel) fall in love.  When Rohit is killed, everyone supposes it to be an accident.  Sonia goes to New Zealand where she meets Raj (also played by Roshan) who bears an uncanny resemblance to Rohit.  Returning to India, they discover that Rohit was murdered, and they try to uncover the killers.

The first half of the film is a cute romance with typical resistance from Sonia's father (Anupam Kher) and the couple's determination to find a way.  The second half of the film is a rather exciting drama while the two try to stay alive and unmask the bad guys.  Roshan and Patel both made their film debuts in this movie, and both showed a surprising maturity and poise in their acting.  Neither the music nor the choreography were special--just average Bollywood fare.  Despite that, this is a well-acted, quite enjoyable film.

This movie is available on YouTube:

Dhai Akshar Prem Ke

Dhai Akshar Prem Ke
("Two and a half letters of love")
2000
3/5 stars

Karan (Abhishek Bachchan) is on leave from the Army, anxious to see his girlfriend, Nisha (Sonali Bendre).  On the way home, he saves the life of Sahiba (Aishwarya Rai), and escorts her home where he is mistaken for her husband.  Unable to clear up the misunderstanding, he leaves, but Sahiba has fallen in love with him.

The plot, while sometimes unbelievable, is still attention-holding.  The supporting cast, including Amrish Puri, Anupam Kher, and Shakti Kapoor, were excellent.  Neither Bachchan nor Rai, though, expressed much emotion during the film, and they had little chemistry together.  The music was somewhat above average; the choreography was not exceptional, but was enthusiastically danced.  This would have been an above average film, had Rai and Bachchan been more lively.

This movie is available on You Tube:

Hichki

Hichki
("hiccup")
2018
5/5 stars

Naina (Rani Mukerji) has Tourette Syndrome, and the dream to become a teacher.  After repeatedly being turned down for teaching positions over the course of 5 years--all due to her Tourette Syndrome--she is hired to fill an urgently needed post.  Her class is made up of resistant, uncooperative underprivileged students, determined to drive her out.  Naina must find a way to teach them not only academics, but self-respect as well.

The feel-good plot is somewhat predictable, but that doesn't lessen the power of the film.  The issue of Tourette Syndrome is treated with respect.  The acting is superb, with Mukerji giving an incredible performance.  The students were also amazingly good.  Unlike typical Bollywood movies, there is little music, and no choreography, but the film doesn't suffer as a result.   The acting makes this an exceptional film, and with it's positive message, it's a winner.

This movie is available through Amazon Prime.

Chhote Sarkar

Chhote Sarkar
(translates as "small government")
1996
4/5 stars

Aman (Govinda) is mistaken for Rohit, the deceased fiance of Seema (Shilpa Shetty). Seema has become mentally unsound from grief, and her father (Kader Khan) persuades Aman to pretend to be Rohit to help Seema recover.  Aman falls in love with Seema, but after professing his love to her, is arrested for the murder of his uncle.  Aman, then sets out to discover the true facts about his uncle's death.

Govinda and Shilpa Shetty

Oh-so-cute Govinda plays both the serious and comedic roles well in this film.  He and Shetty have good chemistry, and Shetty is convincing in her part. The choreography is not extensive, Govinda not being the best dancer, but at times was quite cute.  The music, while obviously 1990s, ranges from average to above.  The plot is quite good, and delivers two clever surprises.  Overall, it's a suspense/comedy that is well-worth watching.

This movie is available on YouTube:

Humko Deewana Kar Gaye

Humko Deewana Kar Gaye
(translates as "You Made Me Crazy")
2008
3/5 stars

Kumar and Kaif

Aditya (Akshay Kumar), who is engaged to Sonia (Bipasha Basu), travels to Canada for his job.  While there, he makes the acquaintance of Jia (Katrina Kaif); they first become friends, then fall in love.  However, Jia is also engaged, to powerful and possessive industrialist, Karan (Anil Kapoor).  When a misunderstanding comes between Jia and Aditya, they both return to India to plan their separate weddings, while still in love with each other.

The plot is mostly predictable, but still generally enjoyable.  The music ranges from okay to good, but choreography is well below average; this is a shame as Kaif is an excellent dancer but had no chance to shine.  Kumar and Kaif had good chemistry together, and she wasn't as stiff as she has been in other movies.  Kapoor was simply perfect for his role.  The ending, to me, was rushed and somewhat weak.  All together, the movie was a nice time-pass, but not spectacular.

Cast also includes Helen, Bhagyashree, Mahesh Thakur, and Gurpreet Ghuggi.

Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic

Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic
(translation: A Little Love, A Little Magic)
2008
4/5 stars

Ranbeer (Saif Ali Khan), a recalcitrant workaholic, kills a couple in a car accident.  The judge gives the unusual ruling that the four children left orphaned by the accident are to live with him.  All five are miserable and pray for help.  God (Rishi Kapoor) hears their pleas and sends his favorite angel, Geeta (Rani Mukerji), to help them become a family.

This is a sweet movie that, with the exception of one song, is oriented to family viewers, and gives uplifting messages about loss, prayer, and God.  Khan is perfect for the role, gradually going from gruff and brooding to open and loving.  He and Mukerji have good chemistry.  She is her usual perky, cheerful self, and makes a delightful angel.  Kapoor is excellent in his minor role.  The children play their parts well.  The music is average, with very little choreography.  Overall, this film, while not perfect, is certainly a pleasure.   

Mukerji and Kapoor

Hum Tum

Hum Tum
(translation: "Me and You")
2004
4/5 stars

Steady and responsible Rhea (Rani Mukerji) and happy-go-lucky ladies' man Karan (Saif Ali Khan) meet as college students, and end up not liking each other.  A few years later, they meet again at Rhea's wedding preparation, and find each other a bit more tolerable.  In another few years, they meet after Rhea is widowed, and become fast friends.  Karan wants to find a husband for Rhea, but instaed falls in love with her himself, knowing she couldn't be happy with a man like him.

Loosely based on Hollywood's When Harry Met Sally, the plot is enjoyable and fun.  Khan and Mukerji have nice chemistry and act well together.  Both were believable in their roles, and aged and matured their characters nicely.  Rishi Kapoor has a minor role as Karan's father, and is fantastic.  The music is average, as is the choreography.  Overall, though, the film is an enjoyable romantic comedy with just enough drama to make it interesting.

Cast includes Kirron Kher, Rati Agnihotri, and a cameo by Abhishek Bachchan.

This film is available on Amazon Prime.

Socha Na Tha

Socha Na Tha
2005
4/5 stars


Viren (Abhay Deol) and Aditi (Ayesha Takia) are introduced as a potential match, but privately decide together that he will refuse her quickly because he has a secret girlfriend, Karen (Apoorva Jha). His refusal causes a serious problem between the two families, leading to hostilities. Viren and Aditi meet by coincidence later, and clandestinely become friends. When Viren finally gets approval to marry Karen, though, he discovers he is actually in love with Aditi.

This is a charming movie, with an entertaining plot and mostly good music. Deol, in his debut role, was natural and believable; Takia was graceful and credible, as well. Their on-screen chemistry was good. The location shots were lovely. While not a classic, it's certainly enjoyable and even rewatchable.

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love

Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love
2007
4/5 stars

This is an anthology of six love stories:
Ashutosh (John Abraham) and Tehzeeb (Vidya Balan) are very much in love, living happily until an accident robs her of her memory and of any knowledge of him.

 Raju (Govinda), a taxi driver, falls in instant love with the non-Hindustani woman Stephanie (Shannon Esra) who has come to India to stop her boyfriend's wedding.

 Vinay (Anil Kapoor) has been married to Seema (Juhi Chawla) for fifteen years, but finds himself tempted to stray with the much younger Anjali (Anjana Sukhani).

Shiven (Akshaye Khanna) is engaged to Gia (Ayesha Takia) in a love match, but suddenly finds that he cannot go through with the marriage.

Conman Rahul (Salman Khan), pretends to be the invented boyfriend of Item Girl Kamini (Priyanka Chopra), in order to help improve her image in the press.

 Finally, for comic relief, Ramdayal (Sohail Khan) is newly wedded to Phoolwati (Isha Koppikar), but disaster after disaster prevents them from consummating their marriage.

This is an ambitious film, but works surprisingly well.  The music is excellent, and the choreography quite good.  The variety of stories, and the way they weave in and out of each other, is nicely done and keeps the viewer's interest.  All the cast gave good performances; there were no weak links.  The critics generally disliked this movie, but I found it most enjoyable.  I will point out, though, that at 224 minutes long, one will need to make a commitment to watching the movie or break it into several nights, as I did.

Salman Khan and Priyanka Chopra

The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice
(TV Movie)

Bob Peck as Shylock

1996
4/5 stars


Antonio (Benjamin Whitrow) takes out a loan from money-lender Shylock (Bob Peck) for his friend Bassanio (Paul McGann), promising a pound of flesh if he can't repay. When disaster strikes and Antonio looses everything, Shylock is determined to make him pay in full. Bassanio's new wife, Portia (Haydn Gwynne), dons male garb and takes on the role as lawyer, to teach Shylock mercy.

Peck played Shylock well, and with much emotion, though his best speech was somewhat rushed.
McGann was an earnest Bassanio, but his unattractive costumes and terrible hair style were quite distracting.  Gwynne played Portia with grace, giving her famous speech in fine style.  The rest of the cast also acted naturally and elegantly.  The costumes and sets are those of Shakespeare's intended era of Venice, and for the most part, looked lovely.  Overall, though it left out some less important scenes, it was a fine performance and worth watching.



This movie is available to watch on YouTube:

Chandni

Chandni
(translation: "moonlight")
1989
4/5 stars

Rohit (Rishi Kapoor) meets Chandni (Sridevi) at a wedding and is instantly smitten.  He woos and wins her, but before they can be married he suffers an accident that leaves him paralyzed. Rohit pushes Chandni away, not wanting her to be tied to him.  Grief-stricken, she moves to Bombay, where she takes a job as secretary to Lalit (Vinod Khanna).  Lalit falls in love with her, and she agrees to marry him.  Before they are married, though, a recovered Rohit comes to find her, and Chandni must choose between him and Lalit.

This drama has a good plot that, while predictable, keeps the viewer's interest.  It not only spotlights Sridevi's stunning beauty, but her dancing as well.  In addition, she matures her character in a believable way.  Kapoor and Khanna both give good, often emotional, performances.  The music was quite good, as was the choreography.  Sridevi's costumes, especially the traditional ones, were gorgeous.  Overall, it's an engrossing film, and quite enjoyable.

Cast also includes Anupam Kher, Waheeda Rehman, and a cameo by Juhi Chawla.

This movie is available with Amazon Prime.

Kiss Me Kate

Kiss Me Kate
1953
4/5 stars


Divorced theater actors Fred (Howard Keel) and Lilli (Kathryn Grayson) team up again to play a musical version of Shakespeare's the Taming of the Shrew, igniting a full range of emotions between the two. The situation is not helped by Fred's flirtation with another actress, Lois (Ann Miller), and finally Lilli quits in mid play. In the meantime, Lois's boyfriend Bill (Tommy Rall) runs up a debt with gangsters, but signs Fred's name. Things grow more complicated when the gangsters (played by James Whitmore and Keenan Wynn) arrive to collect the money, and refuse to let Lilli leave. All the while, the play within a play is on-going as well, adding a further dimension to plot.

It may sound complicated, but the beauty of Dorothy Kingsley's screenplay (which was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award) is how well it flows, weaving all the subplots in and out, and finally tying them together.  Keel and Grayson are excellently matched, with both having superb singing voices.  Miller, as always, steals the spotlight with her vivacity and dancing skill--helped, of course, by Hermes Pan's excellent choreography.  Costumes and sets are cheerful and colorful and look great all around.  The star of the show, however, is Cole Porter: his clever lyrics and lovely music are the groundwork that the builds this fine film.

Ann Miller

What I dislike about this movie is that it highlights the Taming of the Shrew (a horrible play) in a positive, even idolizing, light.  The modern part of the plot follows the Taming some, showing male dominance and female subservience as the expected outcome between a man and a woman.  I realize the movie is only showing the societal norm for the 1950s, and as such can enjoy the rest of the film without being affected.

The bottom line is that Kiss Me Kate is a fun, lively movie, with a few flaws, but still good enough for a universal recommendation.

Grayson, Keel

Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon

Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon
(translates as "I am crazy about Prem")
2003
4/5 stars

Sanjana (Kareena Kapoor) falls deeply in reciprocated love with Prem (Hrithik Roshan), a wealthy NRI and the choice of her parents. Every one is ecstatic over the match until another Prem (Abhishek Bachchan) arrives and also falls in love with Sanjana. He is even more eligible, and he and Sanjana have much in common. Sanjana's mother (Himani Shivpuri) pushes for this match, instead. As in any love triangle, someone must come away hurt.

The plot is predictable, which doesn't lessen the enjoyment, but the resolution lacked the depth of emotion that it should have had.  Kapoor was vivacious and acted her part well.  Roshan's Prem was overly enthusiastic and outgoing, and that made it hard to warm to him at first; I don't know if this was Roshan overacting, or the fault of the script.  Bachchan played his gentle Prem well, and drew the audience to him.  The musical numbers were good, with one being particularly memorable.  The scenery was lovely, giving an excellent backdrop to the film.  Overall, it's a enjoyable time pass, though weak in parts.

This cast also includes Johnny Lever, Rema Lagoo, and Pankaj Kapur.

This movie is free with Amazon Prime.

Roshan, Bachchan, Kapoor