Chandra Mukhi

Chandra Mukhi
(translates as "moon-faced beauty")
1993
3/5 stars

The lovely Sridevi plays Chandramukhi, a princess from another planet. She has fallen to Earth, and during that fall lost her magical-power-granting leaf. She meets Raja, a boy of around 10, who is being abused by his step-uncle. To help Raja, she uses the remains of her powers to age him so that he can defend himself. After this, she and the adult Raja (Salman Khan), go on an adventure to find her leaf.

This is a truly silly fantasy flick, but mostly enjoyable nonetheless. While the songs are average, the choreography is good and Sridevi is truly a fine dancer. Khan's part is odd in that, at times Raja seems to have matured as he aged (particularly when wooing Chandramuhki), and at others seems to still have the mentality of a child. This made the romancing feel a bit awkward, but nonetheless, Khan and Sridevi had good chemistry. Khan was charming, but overacted at times. On the whole, it is an absurd plot, but one can't help but like it anyway.

(movie not currently available)

Partner

Partner
2007
4/5 stars

Prem (Salman Khan) is a Love Guru, helping the less prepossessing men to marry the women they love. When Bhaskar Chaudhary (Govinda) comes to him for help to win the heart of his boss (played by Katrina Kaif), Prem accepts a near impossible challenge. Meanwhile, Prem himself falls in love with Naina (Lara Dutta), who resists all his attempts to woe her.

This is a sweet and funny movie. Khan is charming and plays his role well. Govinda is hilarious, and does an excellent job. The chemistry between the two is great. Kaif's character is rather one dimensional, whether the fault of the role or the actress is uncertain. Dutta is cute and personable as Khan's love interest. The music is good, with average choreography. Costumes and filmography are great.

This movie would be a 5 star one, but for the plot line with the Don. That either needed to be eliminated or expanded. It just didn't work well the way it was.

Otherwise, Partner is a fun movie, with laugh-out-loud moments that is worth watching more than once.

Kick (2014)

Kick
2014
4/5 stars

Devi (Salman Khan) is an adrenaline junkie and does every thing he can to get a kick. After breaking up with his girlfriend (Jacqueline Fernandez), he becomes a daring thief known as "Devil" who risks it all on high profile escapades. Randeep Hooda plays the police officer who has made it his personal goal to catch Devil.

There are times when this action packed film is a bit confusing (keeping up with locations, for instance) but that doesn't detract from the fun. Khan is wonderful in his role, as is Hooda. Though Fernandez is not as strong an actor as the other two, she acts naturally and believably. The songs (with the exception of "Hangover") and choreography are average, but the filmography is grand. Overall, this thriller will keep the viewer thoroughly entertained.

Movie available through Amazon Prime.

Karan Arjun

Karan Arjun
1995
4/5 stars

Durga Singh (Raakhee) has two sons, Karan (Salman Khan) and Arjun (Shah Rukh Khan) that are the joy of her life. When they are murdered, she prays to Kali to reincarnate them, and restore them too her, so that they can take vengeance on her enemy. 

This is both a poignant story of a mother's love and faith, and an action packed tale of revenge. The music and choreography are average, but the costumes are spectacular. The fight scenes are well staged and exciting. The supporting cast is quite good. Khan and Khan are both great in their roles, and it is fun to see the superstars act together. It's a solid movie overall, and will please fans of either Khan.

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan

Bajrangi Bhaijaan

Bajrangi Bhaijaan
(translates as "Brother Bajrangi")
2015
5/5 stars

Salman Khan plays Pawan, a devotee of Lord Hanuman. He finds a lost little girl (Harshaali Malhotra) who is mute. It is eventually revealed that she is Pakistani, and Pawan must risk his life and freedom to travel there and return her to her home.

Khan plays his gentle character perfectly, but Malhotra--even silent-- steals the show. Both actors relate well to each other, and their camaraderie feels genuine. The plot is touching, serious, and heartwarming. Overall, it's a fantastic movie.

Note: Cast includes Kareena Kapoor as the love interest, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the reporter.

Available through Amazon Prime:

Yoddha The Warrior

Yoddha The Warrior
2014
Did Not Finish

This movie tells the story of two lovers who died together in battle and are reincarnated and must fight the evil that killed them in their first lives.

The premise is good, and the movie starts well. The C.G.I. scenery looks great, and the costumes in the "historical" portion are impressive. Unfortunately, the movie suffers from over-acting and over-dramatics. I watched over half, and it became so silly that I couldn't finish.

Baaghi: A Rebel for Love

Baaghi: A Rebel for Love
1990
4/5 stars

In this tale of love and morality versus corruption, Salman Khan plays Saajan, a college student who falls in love with Kajol (Nagma), who has been kidnapped and forced into prostitution. Based on Khan's own idea, the story is sweet and moving, with good action scenes, and average music. Nagma gives a good performance in her first role, and Khan is his usual charming self. The viewer will be engaged until the end, hoping for a happy ending from a dire situation.

(not currently available for purchase)

Note: Cast also includes Kiran Kumar as the Colonel and Mohnish Behl as Jaggu.