Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Jab Tak Hai Jaan
2012
(translates as  "As Long As I Live")
4/5 stars

Major Samar Anand (Shah Rukh Khan), fearless when defusing bombs, hides grief over a lost love behind a severe and stand-offish personality and a strong disregard for his safety. Akira (Anushka Sharma), a young filmmaker, finds Samar's journal, and discovers his past romance with Meera (Katrina Kaif), ten years ago in London.

After making a documentary on Samar, Akira returns to London, but needs him to come there as well, to verify the legitimacy of her story.  Reluctantly he returns to the city of his heartbreak, and the unexpected brings Meera back into his life.

(Anupam Kher plays Meera's father.  Rishi Kapoor and his real-life wife, Neetu Singh, play Meera's mother and step-father.)

The first two hours of this film were excellent; the plot was immersive and the characters believable.  The make-up artists did a wonderful job making Khan look younger, but did not do so well aging Kaif.  The music was mostly great and the cinematography was perfect.  Khan and the vivacious Sharma had fantastic, natural chemistry together; Kaif was too stiff at times, however.  Unfortunately, around the start of the third hour, when Samar returns to London, the plot becomes less credible and the ending lacks emotional punch.  Despite that, it's a movie worth watching, just don't expect to be particularly moved by the ending.

Notebook

Notebook
2019
4/5 stars

Kabir (Zaheer Iqbal ), at loose ends since he quit the Army, agrees to become the teacher of an isolated Wular Public School with an enrollment of seven students.  He is failing dismally when he finds the diary of the previous teacher, Firdaus (Pranutan Bah).  At first, reading her diary gives him confidence to teach the children.  Later, however, he falls in love with her as he learns to know her inner self through the diary.  He leaves the school at the end of the year, still thinking of Firdaus.

In the meantime, Firdaus is teaching in a large city school, trying to conform to traditional ways of teaching while she waits for her marriage.  The unexpected happens, and Firdaus' wedding is cancelled; she returns to Wular Public School, and finds messages to her from Kabir.

This is a charming movie. Iqbal and Bah, both debut actors, are natural and believable.  The energetic and jubilant children are a pleasure to watch.  The music is only average and below, unfortunately, and does effect the whole.  The ending was particularly good.   With it's uncommon plot, engaging cast, focus on the importance of education, and beautiful cinematography it is an overall enjoyable experience.

Bharat

Bharat
2019
4/5 stars

This movie follows the life of Bharat (Salman Khan), from his childhood in the midst of the 1947 Partition of India, to age 70, as he and his best friend (Vilyati, played by Sunil Grover) mature, take jobs, and experience life-changing events.  Bharat proves himself as a hero throughout, without great feats of daring, simply as the average working man.

Katrina Kaif also stars, with Jackie Shroff, Disha Patani and Tabu in lesser roles.

The plot is made up of six slices of Bharat's life during pivotal moments in his history.  As a result of covering so much time, the story isn't profound or particularly emotional, but it is still engaging and engrossing throughout the 155 minute film.  Khan was convincing in all avatars, as was Grover.  Khan and Kaif have good chemistry, and she, too, gave a solid performance.  The child actors portraying young Bharat (Kabir Sajid) and young Vilyati (I couldn't find his name), were also believable. The music isn't exceptional, but is good, with the incidental music being effective.  Overall, it's an enjoyable, if not deep, movie that thoroughly entertains.

Khan and Kaif

Vivah

Vivah
(translation: "marriage")
2006
4/5 stars

Prem (Shahid Kapoor) and Poonam (Amrita Rao) are introduced as a possible match for each other, and find an instant connection.  A happy and emotionally charged engagement follows, but a tragedy strikes that could prevent their marrying.

(Anupam Kher, Alok Nath, and Seema Biswa also star.)

This movie about love, traditional values, and respect for women is so sweet that it should be repellent, and yet it has enough charm to still be enjoyable.  Veteran actors Kher, Nath, and Biswa give solid performances.  While Kapoor and Rao have good chemistry, their acting is mainly reduced to boyish charm from him and demure dignity from her.  The saris are stunning throughout the entire film, and there is some lovely scenery.  While the songs aren't extraordinary, they are still good; there is a lack of dancing, however.  Vivah is so full of innocence and goodness, that's it's almost a guilty pleasure to watch, but I will admit to being entertained by it.