Kal Ho Naa Ho

Kal Ho Naa Ho
translates as Tomorrow May Never Come
2003
4/5 stars

Naina (Preity Zinta) and her family are at a low point in their collective lives until Aman (Shah Rukh Khan) moves next door and brings laughter back into their home.  Naina falls in love with Aman, who reveals that he is married.  Aman, knowing that Naina's best friend Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) is in love with her, tries to spark a romance between the two.  What they don't know, though, is that Aman is hiding an even deeper secret.

This romantic drama has a wonderful, moving plot.  All three main actors give convincing performances, and the supporting cast (down to the children) are impressive as well.  The musical numbers are beautiful, sometimes memorably so, with the exception of the mostly vulgar Club Nirvana scene, which keeps this movie from being five stars.  Overall, this tear-jerker delivers excellent entertainment and is well worth the three hours spent viewing.

Cast includes Jaya Bachchan, Dara Singh, Sushma Seth, and my favorite screen Mummy, Reema Lagoo.

This movie is available on Amazon Prime.

Shakespeare Wallah

Shakespeare Wallah
1965
5/5 stars

Lizzie Buckingham (Felicity Kendal) is the teen-aged daughter of a roving acting couple (played by her real life parents, Geoffrey Kendal and Laura Liddell) in India during the 1960s.  Lizzie falls in love with Sanju (Shashi Kapoor) who seems to reciprocate her feelings, but he is also having an affair with the jealous actress Manjula (Madhur Jaffrey).

Loosely based on the true life of the Kendal family, this second collaboration of Merchant, Ivory, and Jhabvala is perfection.  The cast is talented and natural, the plot believable and beautifully written, the film-work graceful and personal.  The Shakespeare references may be problematic for some, but regardless, I recommend this movie whole-heartedly.

Kendal and Kapoor

This movie is available on YouTube.

Jab We Met

Jab We Met
("When We Met")
2007
4/5 stars


Wealthy businessman Aditya (Shahid Kapoor), depressed over a broken relationship, walks out of his job and gets on the first train he sees, not caring where he goes.  Here he meets feisty Geet (Kareena Kapoor), who tries to chatter with him, despite his brush-off attempts.  When he walks off the train, she tries to retrieve him, and in the end the train leaves without them.  Aditya helps her return home, and finds himself attracted to Geet's childish enthusiasm.  Geet, however, already has a boyfriend with whom she plans to elope.

This comedy-drama is a delight.  The plot is both lighthearted and serious, and at times the viewer wonders how there will be a happy ending.  Kareena excels at her vivacious role, and Shahid is convincing throughout Aditya's gradual changes and emotions.  With the exception of the last one, which I actively disliked both song and dance, the music and choreography were good.  This romance is one that I would universally recommend.

The Householder

The Householder
1963
5/5 stars

Prem (Shashi Kapoor), an immature young teacher recently married, is not happy with his even younger wife, Indu (Leela Naidu). She doesn't do things the way his mother  does, is more outspoken than he would like, and neither of them have any idea of how to form a working relationship.  In a fit of childishness, Prem telegraphs for his mother (Durga Khote) to come, and what seems to spell doom for the marriage, instead works an amazing change.

Based on the novel Gharbar by the movie's screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, the Householder is a gentle, beautiful movie, with natural acting and a fully immersible plot. This Merchant Ivory Production was the pair's first collaboration, and yet it shows their now famous style fully formed from the beginning.  This character study is a charming drama well worth watching.

On a personal note: Oh my gosh, y'all, Shashi Kapoor was so adorable in this film!

This movie is available on YouTube:

Damn the Defiant!

Damn the Defiant!
(originally released as HMS Defiant)
1962
4/5 stars

Captain Crawford (Alec Guinness) of HMS Defiant takes on a new Lieutenant, Scott-Padget (Dirk Bogarde), who becomes hated by the crew and is the eventual cause of their mutiny under the leadership of seaman Vizard (Anthony Quayle).

Guinness is, naturally, fantastic as the well-respected Captain.  His emotions are obvious, giving a depth to the character.  Bogarde and Quayle are credible in their roles, displaying fine acting as well.  The plot is easy to follow, often exciting, and always interesting.  The viewer is left guessing as to what the ending will be.  Costumes and sets looked good, especially the Defiant.  My only problem with this film is the inexplicable weakness of Crawford in a few parts; he reacted in a way that no Captain of that era would have.  Otherwise, it's a good movie with lots of action and excellent acting.

Guinness and Bogarde

This movie is available to rent on Amazon.

Nagina

Nagina
1986
5/5 stars

Rajiv (Rishi Kapoor) returns home from studying abroad and encounters and falls in love with a mysterious woman, Rajni (played by the incomparable beauty, Sridevi).  He finally persuades his mother (Sushma Seth) to agree to the marriage.  They don't know that Rajni is harboring a dreadful secret, until the sage Bhairon Nath (Amrish Puri) reveals it.

This horror-drama is surprisingly good.  The plot is riveting, with many unexpected twists.  The actors are polished and believable, with the snakes being impressively controlled. (Though I will confess to some concern over the welfare of said serpents.)  The costumes are good, with Sridevi's being extravagantly beautiful.  The makeup was convincing, as well, from death pallor to turquoise eyes.  The songs and choreography were, while not exceptional, solid.  Overall, this creepy movie is highly entertaining.

(Cast also includes Prem Chopra and Guddi Maruti.)

On a side note: If you have ophidiophobia, don't watch this movie! I am not terrified of them, just moderately afraid, and I had snakes dreams three nights in a row afterwards.

Deewana Mastana

Deewana Mastana

1997
3/5 stars

In this comedy, two small time crooks, Raja (Anil Kapoor) and Ghafoor (Johnny Lever) get lucky and rob a payroll delivery.  They go to Bombay with their loot, and Raja immediately falls in love with psychiatrist Dr. Neha (Juhi Chawla), and pretends to be a rich American to woo her.  In the meantime, Bunnu (Govinda) comes to Dr. Neha for help with his many phobias; he, too, falls in love with her.  Raja and Bunnu then begin a vicious rivalry to win her.

The energetic and oh-so-cute Govinda, undoubtedly the star of the show, is a delight to watch.  His antics are well timed and nicely executed.  Johnny Lever won an award for his performance in this movie, but I felt it wasn't up to his usual standard.  Kapoor does a well enough job, but isn't a strong enough comedian to play opposite Govinda.  The music is nice, with average choreography.  The plot is fun, light, and occasionally silly, but though it does contain a twist, is not memorable.

Govinda (l) and Anil Kapoor (r)

Movie available on Amazon Prime and on YouTube:

Nishchaiy

Nishchaiy
1992
3/5 stars


Ravi Yadav (Vinod Khanna) works as a servant for a harsh man (played by Rajiv Verma) and his kind wife, Renuka (Moushumi Chatterjee), and takes care of his much younger brother, Rohan. Ravi is framed for crime and sentenced to twelve years in prison. Renuka promises she will take care of Rohan, and gives him to a friend (played by my favorite Mummy, Reema Lagoo) who adopts him, and renames him Vasu. When Ravi is released from prison, he seeks out Renuka, who has lost her memory and cannot tell him where Rohan/Vasu (Salman Khan) is now. In the meantime, Vasu grows up into a successful lawyer, falls in love with Payal (Karisma Kapoor), and dreams of being reunited with Ravi. Unfortunately, Vasu has made an important enemy, and his future happiness, if not his life, is at stake.

The best part of this melodrama is the light romance between Vasu and Payal.  The main plot, which should be  moving, is convoluted at times, and the acting not convincing.  Even Karisma Kapoor does not display the enthusiasm and energy of her later movies.  The songs are average, and the choreography unremarkable.  Reema Lagoo's beauty and elegance shine through, but otherwise this is a mediocre movie that does well enough for a time-pass, but is not memorable in the long run.

Saeed Jaffrey, Salman Khan, Reema Lagoo

Devdas

Aishwarya Rai

Devdas
2002
5/5 stars

In the early 1900's, Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) returns from school in England, and wishes to marry his childhood sweetheart Paro (Aishwarya Rai), who has loved him devotedly all the time he's been away.  His family objects, and he leaves Paro to debauch in a brothel,  where he meets Chandramuki (Madhuri Dixit) who falls in love with him.  The two women bond over their shared love of Devdas, but are powerless to help him as he slips into drunkenness.

Madhuri Dixit

Based on a 1917 novel by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay, the plot is tight and engrossing.  All three main actors are near perfection in their roles.  The supporting cast (which includes Jackie Shroff) are also solid.  The music is good and the dances breath-taking.  The extravagant costumes and sets are a feast for the eyes.  This is a serious drama that will keep the viewer entranced to the very end.

Heroes

Heroes
2008
4/5 stars

Two film school slackers, Ali (Vatsal Sheth) and Sameer (Sohail Khan), are required to make a movie to graduate.  They decide they'll make it on "why not to join the Indian Armed Forces".  To help with their movie, a war correspondent gives them three letters, each from a Killed In Action soldier, to deliver to the respective families.

One is for Kuljeet Kaur (Preity Zinta), widow of Balkar Singh (Salman Khan).  The second is for former Air Force pilot Vikram Shergill (Sunny Deol), from his Army officer brother, Dhananjay (played by Sunny's real-life brother, Bobby Deol).  The final letter is to be delivered to a Regiment commander, who in turn gives them one to take to Mr. and Mrs. Naqvi (played by Mithun Chakraborty and Prateeksha Lonkar) from their son Sahil  (Dino Morea).

Ali and Sameer find the delivery of these letters takes their film in a direction they never suspected.

The film starts well, but then when our slackers are introduced, becomes a disagreeable slapstick.  However, if you get past minutes 8 through 17 (fast forward is my recommendation), you are in for a solidly acted, well-written movie.  Most of the songs leave something to be desired, but the love song is quite nice.  It's obvious early on that this star-studded tear-jerker is a paean to Mother India, but that agenda doesn't lessen the power of the movie.  The viewer is left with both the blatant message "you don't have to be a soldier to love your country", and the satisfaction of a good film.

Preity Zinta and Salman Khan