Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai

Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai

(translates as "it's my friend's wedding")

2002

3/5 stars

Sanjay (Uday Chopra) and Anjali (Tulip Joshi, credited as Sanjana) have been best friends for twenty years.  When Anjali returns from a trip to America and announces that she is engaged to an American doctor (Rohit, played by Jimmy Sheirgill), Sanjay is stunned.  After his friend and flatmate, Ria (Bipasha Basu), awakens him to the fact that he is in love with Anjali, he determines to stop the wedding.

The movie has a predictable and light plot, with nice cinematography and average music.  Chopra and Sheirgill, while not fully lead material, are above average in this film, and have good chemistry together.  Sadly, neither had any with Joshi.  She is the weakest link in the movie, giving an unconvincing and unnatural performance, unlike Basu's generally strong one.  Overall, it's forgettable and I wouldn't particularly recommend it, especially to those new to the Indian Cinema experience.

Bhaskar Oru Rascal

 

Bhaskar Oru Rascal

"Bhaskar is a Rascal"

2018

4/5 stars

In this Tamil language film, Aakash (Master Raghavan)  lives with his father and grandfather.  His father, Bhaskar (Arvind Swamy), is a tough and unpolished man with questionable business practices, and Aakash is ashamed of him.  Aakash's best friend, Shivani (Baby Nainika), lives with her widowed mother, Anu (Amala Paul), and desperately wishes for a father figure.  To give Aakash a gentle mother and herself a protective father, Shivani is determined to bring the two together, despite Anu's distaste for Bhaskhar's rough ways.  When danger from Anu's past threatens, however, the two adults find themselves drawing closer.

The engaging plot has a nice twist, isn't always predictable, and is sometimes moving.  While the music is average, the action scenes look good, and the cinematography is lovely.  Swamy has a sort of bashful charm and a surprising amount of charisma, and is convincing throughout. Paul is credible, though not outstanding, and the supporting cast is generally solid.  The child actors, however, are fantastic -- believable and natural and super cute.  Overall Bhaskar Oru Rascal is an entertaining, if typical, example of Indian Cinema.  

Arvind Swamy, Baby Nainika, Amala Paul, Master Raghavan

Dil Hai Tumhaara

Dil Hai Tumhaara

(translates as "my heart is yours")

2002

3/5 stars

Shalu (Preity Zinta) is devoted to her sister, Nimmi (Mahima Chaudhry), but has a difficult relationship with her mother, Sarita (played by Rekha), who never seems to show her any affection.  Shalu meets Dev (Arjun Rampal) and, after a few misadventures, they fall in love.  Nimmi misinterprets Dev, thinking that he is in love with her, not Shalu.  Based on that, Sarita arranges for Dev and Nimmi to marry.  Shalu, wanting only her sister's happiness and desperate to win favor from her mother, stands aside and asks Dev to forget her.

(Jimmy Sheirgill and Alok Nath also star.)  

The movie is light, predictable, and forgettable, being obviously nothing more than a vehicle to show Zinta's extremely convincing acting and her usual delightful, bubbly self.  Chaudhry conveys her emotions well and mostly holds her own with Zinta. The striking Rekha is especially impressive, while Nath gives his signature benign performance.  Neither Rampal or Sheirgill are strong enough to balance Zinta, however, and they come across as weak and unconvincing.  The music is good, though, with "Dil Laga Liya Maine" being particularly memorable.  Unfortunately, good music and the excellent Zinta aren't enough to make this more than average due to the bland, sometimes ridiculous, plot.

Note: SCARY PUPPET ALERT!