Another film from the ever reliable Yash Raj camp, having earlier this year come out with the superb Bunty aur Babli which was met with lukewarm response from the masses due to its breaking the mould story line, Salaam Namaste tries to follow the same path but essentially is the age old story of two people who fall in love and the subsequent trials & tribulations of a relationship. We've seen this done to a plum in Chalte Chalte, DDLJ.
The film stars Saif & Preity Zinta if you already didn't know, but there is also a superb supporting cast namely in the great Arshad Warsi as the comedy relief, Saif's best mate, Ron. Saif plays a Chef, named Nick (Nikhil Arora really) and Preity is a local Radio DJ named Amber, they both have fled their homeland to settle down and live their lives independently of their families in Melbourne, Australia. This is one of my main gripes with the movie, as it tries so much to point out the positives of Australia and the multicultural aspect in infused with the desi populace highlighted throughout the city, but the beauty of Bollywood has always been that patriotic and proud notion of the actors being Indian and wearing their Indian hearts on their sleeves. Here the two main film leads seem to be running away from their heritage and this is made worse with the introduction of a overly stereotyped Indian who is trying to be an Indian crocodile dundee and states he "hates Indians".
But anyway you all didn't come to see Border, or LOC - Kargill, this isn't Indian Independence day or anything, but Kal Ho Na Ho managed to set an entire story outside of India (New York) yet still didn't slate the main leads Indian heritage.... So back to the story, both Nick & Amber over the time of the movie fall in love and decide to move in together rather then marry etc. They decide they'll take each day as it comes and just enjoy each other. This is the movies mains strengths it highlights the high's & low's of a relationship in an Indian context and covers topics usually to taboo in bollywood, such as sharing beds, contraceptives and abortions with a token hooker thrown in for the laughs !! The movie is a mixed comedy, serious drama and unlike Hum Tum steers more towards the seriousness of the couples problems, but like all true bollywood flicks, the ending will leave the audience satisfied and with a huge smile on their faces, I certainly did. Both actors do really well, Saif as usual playing the comedic role to a tee, and when called upon does the serious bit good too, I especially like his on screen friendship with Arshad Warsi great to watch. I never rated Preity Zinta as highly as the accolades she gets and again she hasn't done anything to prove me wrong, don't get me wrong, she plays her role well (young independent women) but again it could have been done better and she has a tendency to over-act especially in the emotional tear jerker scenes. Look out for a great Bollywood cameo at the end.
Overall like Hum Tum but with Zinta replacing the great Rani, and set in Australia, the trials and tribulations of a young couple who fall in love but find it hard to stay in love - worth a watch for sure
The film stars Saif & Preity Zinta if you already didn't know, but there is also a superb supporting cast namely in the great Arshad Warsi as the comedy relief, Saif's best mate, Ron. Saif plays a Chef, named Nick (Nikhil Arora really) and Preity is a local Radio DJ named Amber, they both have fled their homeland to settle down and live their lives independently of their families in Melbourne, Australia. This is one of my main gripes with the movie, as it tries so much to point out the positives of Australia and the multicultural aspect in infused with the desi populace highlighted throughout the city, but the beauty of Bollywood has always been that patriotic and proud notion of the actors being Indian and wearing their Indian hearts on their sleeves. Here the two main film leads seem to be running away from their heritage and this is made worse with the introduction of a overly stereotyped Indian who is trying to be an Indian crocodile dundee and states he "hates Indians".
But anyway you all didn't come to see Border, or LOC - Kargill, this isn't Indian Independence day or anything, but Kal Ho Na Ho managed to set an entire story outside of India (New York) yet still didn't slate the main leads Indian heritage.... So back to the story, both Nick & Amber over the time of the movie fall in love and decide to move in together rather then marry etc. They decide they'll take each day as it comes and just enjoy each other. This is the movies mains strengths it highlights the high's & low's of a relationship in an Indian context and covers topics usually to taboo in bollywood, such as sharing beds, contraceptives and abortions with a token hooker thrown in for the laughs !! The movie is a mixed comedy, serious drama and unlike Hum Tum steers more towards the seriousness of the couples problems, but like all true bollywood flicks, the ending will leave the audience satisfied and with a huge smile on their faces, I certainly did. Both actors do really well, Saif as usual playing the comedic role to a tee, and when called upon does the serious bit good too, I especially like his on screen friendship with Arshad Warsi great to watch. I never rated Preity Zinta as highly as the accolades she gets and again she hasn't done anything to prove me wrong, don't get me wrong, she plays her role well (young independent women) but again it could have been done better and she has a tendency to over-act especially in the emotional tear jerker scenes. Look out for a great Bollywood cameo at the end.
Overall like Hum Tum but with Zinta replacing the great Rani, and set in Australia, the trials and tribulations of a young couple who fall in love but find it hard to stay in love - worth a watch for sure