(I wrote this post about a year ago -- it's just taken a while to get around to posting it.)
Whenever one of my friends learns that I love Bollywood movies, they always seem to ask me, "What is it you love about them so much?"
And I never know how to answer that. I love the vibrant colors, but I still love the black and white movies. I love the focus on family, but I like some that don't have that. I love the big Yash Chopra sweep-you-off-your-feet emotions, but I also like the more reserved, introspective films. I love the singing and dancing, but I like some films without dancing, and some where the soundtracks are kind of forgettable. But, thinking about it the past few days, I didn't like as well the only Bollywood movie I've seen that had no music at all, and I do really enjoy the music and dancing. That's what first drew me to Bollywood, and that's what I watch over and over. So maybe that is a big part of the draw for me.
And guess what? This movie has thirteen songs!
We rented it from netflix, and we were a little confused at first when two discs came in the mail for it. Well, that's how long it is. We watched the first half on Saturday night and were enjoying it, but decided to stop there for the night anyway because it was late (for Dad, anyway). That's when I went on the internet and discovered that there were thirteen songs, and I said to myself, "I think this movie is a good thing."
Yogesh (Harman Baweja) is an NRI (non-resident Indian) with an MBA and a good job in Chicago. Back in India, his brother, the gormless Jitu Bhai, has wracked up an astonishing amount of debt, and he cannot pay it. An astrologer is consulted by Jitu Bhai's parents to help get them out of trouble. He tells them that Jitu Bhai is not fated to go to jail, and also that according to Yogesh's horoscope, he will be married in twenty days, and that on that day he will become wealthy.
They immediately con Yogesh back home to India and convince him that he needs to get married in order to save them from ruin. Yogesh reluctantly agrees, and as he is trying to recover from his jet-lag one night, he reads a book on the shelf about raashees (zodiac signs), and decides to meet only 12 of the 176 applicants to his matrimonial advert, one from each sign, in the hopes that he will fall in love with one of them.
All 12 girls are played by the same actress, Priyanka Chopra, because in a strange sort of romantic phenomena, he sees the same face in each girl. Other people apparently don't think they look alike, but Yogesh can only tell them apart by posture, style, and personality.
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So I enjoyed what I watched on Saturday and was looking forward to finishing the movie on Monday night. But when I finished it on Monday night, I found the film disappointing -- even though I thought the soundtrack was, if anything, stronger in the second half. It's just too long. If there were 6 zodiak signs, it could have been a good film, but 12 just makes it too scattered.
Priyanka did deliver impressively individualized performances for each of her roles, and as a showcase for her talent, the film works. On any other level, not so much. Harmen Baweja does a good job, too, but he seems to be seriously channeling Hrithik Roshan here. He has the same kind of persona and expressions and movements; he even looks like Hrithik. It's enjoyable enough -- I like Hrithik -- but it doesn't showcase him particularly.
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There is some kind of social commentary in the film, but it's tucked in at the end after everybody's gone to sleep, so while it's a good message, it's not super effective. It has to do with marrying off girls when they're still super young, but that's about all I remember about it.
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My recommendation? Watch the songs on youtube. You'll get the gist of the plot, it'll be much faster, and you won't really miss anything. Some of the songs are pretty fun, I think, and the distinction between Priyanka's characters is preserved, so they're kind of interesting that way, too. Enjoy!
Whenever one of my friends learns that I love Bollywood movies, they always seem to ask me, "What is it you love about them so much?"
And I never know how to answer that. I love the vibrant colors, but I still love the black and white movies. I love the focus on family, but I like some that don't have that. I love the big Yash Chopra sweep-you-off-your-feet emotions, but I also like the more reserved, introspective films. I love the singing and dancing, but I like some films without dancing, and some where the soundtracks are kind of forgettable. But, thinking about it the past few days, I didn't like as well the only Bollywood movie I've seen that had no music at all, and I do really enjoy the music and dancing. That's what first drew me to Bollywood, and that's what I watch over and over. So maybe that is a big part of the draw for me.
And guess what? This movie has thirteen songs!
We rented it from netflix, and we were a little confused at first when two discs came in the mail for it. Well, that's how long it is. We watched the first half on Saturday night and were enjoying it, but decided to stop there for the night anyway because it was late (for Dad, anyway). That's when I went on the internet and discovered that there were thirteen songs, and I said to myself, "I think this movie is a good thing."
Yogesh (Harman Baweja) is an NRI (non-resident Indian) with an MBA and a good job in Chicago. Back in India, his brother, the gormless Jitu Bhai, has wracked up an astonishing amount of debt, and he cannot pay it. An astrologer is consulted by Jitu Bhai's parents to help get them out of trouble. He tells them that Jitu Bhai is not fated to go to jail, and also that according to Yogesh's horoscope, he will be married in twenty days, and that on that day he will become wealthy.
They immediately con Yogesh back home to India and convince him that he needs to get married in order to save them from ruin. Yogesh reluctantly agrees, and as he is trying to recover from his jet-lag one night, he reads a book on the shelf about raashees (zodiac signs), and decides to meet only 12 of the 176 applicants to his matrimonial advert, one from each sign, in the hopes that he will fall in love with one of them.
All 12 girls are played by the same actress, Priyanka Chopra, because in a strange sort of romantic phenomena, he sees the same face in each girl. Other people apparently don't think they look alike, but Yogesh can only tell them apart by posture, style, and personality.
So I enjoyed what I watched on Saturday and was looking forward to finishing the movie on Monday night. But when I finished it on Monday night, I found the film disappointing -- even though I thought the soundtrack was, if anything, stronger in the second half. It's just too long. If there were 6 zodiak signs, it could have been a good film, but 12 just makes it too scattered.
Priyanka did deliver impressively individualized performances for each of her roles, and as a showcase for her talent, the film works. On any other level, not so much. Harmen Baweja does a good job, too, but he seems to be seriously channeling Hrithik Roshan here. He has the same kind of persona and expressions and movements; he even looks like Hrithik. It's enjoyable enough -- I like Hrithik -- but it doesn't showcase him particularly.
There is some kind of social commentary in the film, but it's tucked in at the end after everybody's gone to sleep, so while it's a good message, it's not super effective. It has to do with marrying off girls when they're still super young, but that's about all I remember about it.
My recommendation? Watch the songs on youtube. You'll get the gist of the plot, it'll be much faster, and you won't really miss anything. Some of the songs are pretty fun, I think, and the distinction between Priyanka's characters is preserved, so they're kind of interesting that way, too. Enjoy!
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