A Much-Needed Indulgence...Maine Pyar Kiya

Oh, what to do when you have five papers due and two exams to study for?

Pop in Maine Pyar Kiya, of course!



After all, what could be a better stress reliever than a babyfaced Salman and a ravishing Bhagyashree surrounded by an '80s infused Bollywood?

The answer is nothing, except maybe some chocolate...But watching Maine Pyar Kiya was similiar to that, too. It was like binge-eating a box of chocolate covered cherries--the bursts of syrupy sweetness just kept coming, and I kept shoveling 'em in with a big ol' smile on my face.

Bhagyashree reenacts the Like A Virgin video.

In what I'm convinced must have been one of Salman Khan's most adorable roles ever, MPK was yet another "forbidden" young love story of its era, one that I to keep wanting to lump together with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. It's interesting that the big breakthrough films of the 3 Khans had similar plots, particularly this one and QSQT. You know the cliche...two young lovers kept apart by their disapproving families...Sound familiar? One would think at least one of these would have been tossed aside as a copycat of the others, yet from someone who's seen all three, I can honestly say each one holds their very own and is well deserving of their individual successes as Hindi cinema classics.

Prem has posters of Micheal Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna!

The film was directed by Sooraj Barjatya, and if you disliked HAHK and hated Vivah (or vice versa), don't let that deter you from watching Maine Pyar Kiya. Unlike those two films, MPK is easy to follow and engaging from the very beginning. Also, its super enjoyable--think all the best elements of an 80s teen love story with Bollywood fairy dust sprinkled on top.

An accent from the 80s I still love--lipstick prints!!

It wouldn't be an 80s film without a party scene...

...Or Seema's bad perm!

Suman (Bhagyashree) and her father, Karan(Alok Nath) live in a modest country home. One day, Karan is offered a job abroad, and sends his daughter to live with his beloved friend, Kishan (Rajeev Verma), whom he has not seen or spoke to in years. Because of the depth of this friendship, however, Karan entrusts Suman's well-being to Kishan and sends her to live with his family without a second thought-he's convinced they will treat her like royalty.

While the family is nice enough to Suman, its Kishan's son Prem (Salman Khan) who goes out of his way to make her feel welcome, and the two become fast friends. Here's the first thing I liked about this movie--I felt like Prem was genuinely interested in being Suman's friend and not just trying to get with her. He was drawn to her because he could tell she was a kindred spirit, respecting her and showing her he cared before the romance began.

Of course, since Suman is a breathtaking beauty with a heart of gold, Prem eventually falls head over heels. And once he does, he's committed to being with her. The sacrifices Prem makes for Suman throughout the film made me love Salman Khan's character!



Sure, one could argue that Prem had his crabby moments--For example, after a fight at a party, Prem tells Suman to fix him a plate rather curtly, which she gladly does in submission. This attitude may be frustrating to some who hate this Hindi film cliche, and while I don't embrace it myself, for some reason I didn't sweat it in this film. You see, it was clear to me that Prem respected Suman so much--and that she treated him with honor because she wanted to, not because she was a woman and he was a man.

Hands down, this performance marked one of my favorites from Salman Khan (the others being HAHK and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam). He was so adorable here!Mostly for the reasons I've listed above. And...wait...in his final scene alone with Alok Nath and Bhagyashree, he proves he can really and truly act! And here I thought he was the worst overacter ever...



Bhagyashree. Do I need to say anymore than that(except maybe COME BACK BHAGYASHREE!!!)? She was awesome! First of all, her name even sounds cool, as most one-part movie star names do. Bhagyashree. Dharmendra. Kajol. Nargis. I've decided that if I ever make it big in Bollywood I'm going to go with a one-part name, and its not going to sound too feminine, either. But getting back to Bhagyashree...how can I describe her? She was something like Nargis--Grace, class, poise, and sensuality all wrapped into one. At times, her facial expressions even reminded me of Marilyn Monroe!

That's a wall covered in Salman Khan photographs, just so you know.

The film is NOT just sugarpie romance scenes like Vivah was, for the most part. There's a twist to this happy tale--You see, Kishan is a very sucessful businessman. In a quest to gain a part of Kishan's empire, his business partner devises a plan to get Prem to marry his daughter Seema. Along with Seema's brother, Jeevan (played by Mohnish Behl), the three make up a trio of scheming villains that bring out every trick in the book to try and keep Prem and Suman apart.

Though all three are far from nice, Mohnish Behl surprised me with his sleaziness as Jeevan. This guy played one of the nicest characters in HAHK and here he was, picking on poor Bhagyashree? But alas, he was perfect for the part, deliciously good at being bad. His dashing handsomeness made him seem all the more dangerous!



Other key players are Alok Nath as the loving father he can portray so well and Reema Lagoo (yay!) as Prem's mother. Rajeev Verma plays Kishan and Laximikant Berde has a small but non-irritating comedic supporting role. AND...

In true Barjatya fashion, there's a crucial animal in the film--a white pigeon that also wants Prem and Suman to be together. And let me tell you, HAHK's little dog Tuffy is no patch on this butt-kicking bird. He even plays a critical role in the climax that will have you LAUGHING OUT LOUD(I sure did!).



As far as the music is concerned, let's just put it this way--My favorite song in the film revolves around a pigeon and a love letter.Doesn't that just sound like a fairy tale? The pigeon carries the letter away to the handsome prince while the princess sings a melody in her nightgown. And the tune was super catchy, too! I've included the Youtube Video for those who want to reminisce BUT if you haven't seen the film, please, please wait! Its the surprising little details like these in MPK that won my heart because I didn't know they were coming.



Don't you just love the climax of this song with Bhagyashree's thick shiny black hair blowing in the wind and the city lights in the background?
There's nothing more I can say about this film except that I loved every minute of it. After my recent viewing of Aa Gale Lag Ja, I seem to be on a streak of guilty pleasures in Indian cinema that have me overusing my exclamation point key. But I'm not complaining, and I apologize if I sound like I'm overdoing it. I just can't help it--I really get that excited about this stuff (hence the blog)!



Would I be a glutton for punishment if I said I loved Maine Pyar Kiya more than Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge? Because guess what...I sure did!

Merry Christmas!...And, What the Heck, Let's Revisit HAHK and KANK

Merry Christmas, Everyone!And, yes, believe it or not, I really do want to talk about HAHK and KANK again!

Why?

Well, since I couldn't find any other Christmasy moments in Bollywood, I popped in KANK to capture this one. Then I started watching, cuz you can't just pop a SRK movie in and not start watching...

Pretty soon I found myself lost in the world of KANK. I know, you're probably shaking your head while reading this, saying, "Of all the movies she could repost on, why, oh why KANK?" Well, I'll tell you why. I realized while rewatching that there's a whole bunch of fun stuff to cover--and all I did was pretty much tackle the issue and the way Kjo addressed it in the film. While all of that's fine and dandy in terms of discussion, I missed out on a bunch of great screen shot opprotunities and star gazing--Because, let me tell you, the stars of this film look amazing.

I really love Bollywood movies that are set in India, before the whole NRI trend in the '90s. As I've said before, I find these movies comforting because they remind me of the films my aunties would watch when I was little. But I've also got to admit, I love the glitz and glamour of Bollywood in NYC, too. What could ever be painful about seeing gorgeous stars like Rani Mukerji dancing around a beautiful city that I already adore? My dad and his wife live smack dab in the heart of Manhattan, so I could be biased, and I find India just as beautiful (though in a different way), but my point is, the combination doesn't bother me one bit. I love guys in Abercrombie and Fitch. I love Shahrukh Khan. Why wouldn't I want to see Shahrukh Khan dressed in Abercrombie and Fitch? That doesn't mean I don't like him in pyjamas and a kurta...it just means I like having the best of both worlds!



Of course, Abhishek always looks great in my book. But seeing him in long trenchcoats, scarves, and suits didn't hurt either. I think I said in my first post that I was really impressed with him here, and the same holds true today. As a matter of fact, this is one of my favorite dramatic performances from him. The obvious question of the hour is why anybody would want to cheat on him, and I think the film makes the circumstances believable enough. Yep, he's a great husband, and he's really hot, but he and his wife have some major communication issues. Although, if this was my husband, I wouldn't be trying to "discuss" anything!



As you can see from the screenshots, Rani looked stunning in this film. And the makeup! Gosh, this woman is gorgeous, and with her amber eyes and carmel complexion, she can pull off almost any color.

I've heard some complaints about Preity's eye makeup being too heavy. I don't think that's the problem. I think the artist just did some kind of weird wing shape in the other corners that made her look older. I would have stuck with the smoky eye--a character like Rhea needs a smoky, kohl rimmed eye to match her "rockin'" wardrobe and career--but I would have blended the color out a bit more. Other than that, can Preity ever look bad? She totally pulled off the New Yorker look, I don't care what anybody says!;)



Let's not forget Amitabh Bachchan, whose looked smart and snappy (despite the whole "Sexy Sam" trashtalk). This was a much better look for him than the embarassing ponytail he sported in Cheeni Kum.

Now, onto the jodis of the film. There were so many great jodis in KANK! So, keeping in form with the recent jodi lists of the PPCC and Rum, I made my own jodi list for KANK. Which was your favorite?

1)Rani/Abhishek Jodi.If you're a die-hard Rani/Abhishek fan (like I am), you may be leary of watching a film where your beloved couple isn't exactly basking in marital bliss. But take heart...KANK still gives you that "Ranishek" fix you've been craving...they have a lot of screentime together, and look picture perfect in every shot! I was a little disheartened by the circumstances, but come on, its just a movie. I simply popped in Bunty Aur Babli immediately afterwards and skipped to the honeymoon song to end things on a happier note. Ahh, yep, that did the trick!



2)Shahrukh/Rani Jodi. If you're a fan of Rani/Abhishek, perhaps you weren't too keen on the Shahrukh/Rani jodi. Or maybe romances based on marital affairs are too unsettling for you to sit back and relax with. Whatever the case may be, "Tumhi Dekho Na" is so picturesque that it really created the backdrop I needed to believe the story. I'm not sure how it managed to do that on images alone--but it did. There was something about the colors, the changing seasons and the haunting melody that I found myself falling under their spell, even though I didn't want to. I thought Rani and Shahrukh accomplished what they were supposed to--they created a chemistry that was forbidden and yet enchanting enough that even I forgot about Abhishek...for a second.

3)Abhishek/Preity Jodi. There was something about watching this couple hug prior to "Where's the Party Tonight" that made you ache for them--and what they didn't know. You knew halfway into the film that there wasn't going to be anything going on between these two--they were completely trustworthy, and totally committed to their spouses. And they were so fun to watch on the dance floor! Both playful, energetic and spunky. I always imagine that the director of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom saw Preity and Abhishek in KANK and said, "I've got to give people more of these two! Sign them up for my next project!"



4)Abhishek/Amitabh Jodi. Of course, their dialouges together consisted mostly of the word "Dude", but still...I always get warm fuzzies whenever I see these two onscreen together. Especially on the dance floor! Without their jodi (and Kajol's cameo) "Rock 'n' Roll Soniye" would have been unbearable!



5)Amitabh/Kirron Jodi.Of course, I'm still waiting for someone to snatch up Big B and Kirron Kher for a new twist on a romantic comedy. This was the best jodi of the film! The relationship with Dev's mom (Kirron) and "Sexy Sam" was a great side story, and saved Amitabh's character from looking like nothing more than a dirty old man.




6)Everyone Jodi. Gosh, everyone just clicked with one another in some scenes. Especially when the four main characters shared screenspace--think the snappy confrontations at the ballet, at the "Rock n' Roll Soniye" party, and at the hospital. Those one liners--particularly Shahrukh's--were hilarious. And who could forget the intensity at the dinner scene in the second half? The contrast between Shahrukh and Amitabh's icy comments over the flaming candlelight was sheer brilliance.



7)Little Arjun/"Simran" . A cute "in" joke referencing DDLJ. Aww!




8)Me/Arjun Rampal/John Abraham. Oh, did you miss that part? ;)





So that sums up the KANK recap. Now, onto that other film with a famous acronym...

HAHK, or, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. I have to chuckle while I write this, because, gosh, this film is something else. It really is. On the one hand, its utterly ridiculous...the film stretches nearly four hours long, the plot doesn't kick in until the last hour and a half, and there's a lot of technical snafus. When I first saw this, I didn't quite "get it". My comments from readers assured me I wasn't alone. I decided to put HAHK way in the back of my DVD cabinet, proud for trying and glad that I at least liked some of the tunes.



Yes, that is a dog listed in the opening credits. I'm not kidding.

Anyways, for some reason, I decided to pop it in again last night. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was Daddy's Girl's recent post on Sooraj Barjatya's films, or the fact that I was one of the few bloggers who liked Vivah, or the upcoming holidays (I saw HAHK last Christmas, and I'm big on holiday repetition with films), but I just felt like watching it again.

And you know what? I got it. In fact, I loved it. Everything that confused me the first time around literally delighted me this time. A song about shoes? Awesome! Practical jokes? Funny! Family values instead of a plot? Aww! A dog as an active character? Bring it on!












I always said Vivah was a film I enjoyed because it felt like I was spending time with the characters as opposed to watching an actual movie. Because of this feeling, the weak plot never bothered me. I found every moment in that film touching and sweet, like my grandmother telling me the story of her courtship with my grandfather. I felt something similar with HAHK this time, although with this film I thought the emotional depth was even stronger. There was love all around in HAHK. Love between Nisha and Prem (Salman/Madhuri), love between Pooja and Rajesh, love between both families, Prem's love for his bhabhi...its just beautiful to watch. For example, there's a touching moment when Pooja's mother sings to Rajesh's father about how she is entrusting her most beloved treasure--her daughter--into his care. The two gaze at each other and sing, sharing a moment that is powered by their love for their children, and nothing more. How did I miss that the first time around?




Of course, the best part of the film is still the music and Salman/Madhuri. But that was one thing I mentioned even in my first review. It was the rest of the film that I didn't quite get, but now that I've pieced it all together, HAHK has shockingly become a Bitten By Bollywood classic. I'll probably watch it again every Christmas. It's not holiday themed by any means, but it gives me that same cozy feeling that I get when I'm decorating the Christmas tree, listening to carols and sipping hot cocoa. It may not be for everyone--it sure wasn't for me, at first--but it's become one of my comfort foods in Hindi cinema.

And there you have it--two films that have unexpectedly found their way into my heart this season! Maybe I need to lay off the eggnog...or maybe they're both a lot more charming than I had thought. Either way, I hope everyone is having a blessed holiday and I'm wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Finally...Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

Wow, I'm really, really sorry this post took so long to write! I realize I promised it weeks ago, but school has been a lot more intense this semester than I anticipated...I'm in a whirlwind of nursing exams and papers...my daughter's demanding all my attention and I just can't give it to her right now...all I know is, I need a good Bollywood movie in my life, stat!

And, speaking of a good Bollywood film...Luckily, before school began, I finally sat down to watch Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, the stirring romance starring Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Ajay Devgan.



HDDCS is like no other Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. Sure, it starts out a bit like Devdas, but takes such an unexpected turn after intermission that it didn't seem repetitive at all(I realize this was made before Devdas, but it was still nice to see SLB didn't make two films that were too much alike). It's so beautiful, unique, and romantic film that I'm sure I'd like it even more with subsequent viewings.

Nandini (Aishwayra Rai) is the favorite daughter of a well respected classical Indian musician, Pandit Darbar. Being Daddy's Little Girl, she's a bit spoiled, and has always gotten what she wanted. So when an Italian musician named Sameer (Salman Khan)comes to India to train with her father, Nandini throws a little hissy fit because she has to give up her room.

However, when Sameer and Nandini meet, sparks fly.






From their first meeting at the chandelier(one of my favorite scenes),their chemistry is undeniable. One thing is clear--Salman Khan is not afraid to touch Aishwarya Rai! Nor is he intimidated by her beauty. Yes, I know they were involved offscreen as well, and regardless of personal opinions on all of that drama, I still think they deserve full credit for their jodi in this film. Just check out the hauntingly seductive song, "Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan" (Please also note how hot Salman Khan looks in his outfit. He should dress like this more often, just my opinion).



Anyways, despite how cute Sameer and Nandini are, there's a little bit of a problem-- Sameer has some growing up to do. When Nandini slaps him (it wasn't hard, but she still should have kept her hands to herself), he literally leaves the wedding celebrations to go pout in his room.



Nandini tries to apologize, but he's just as stubborn as she was about giving up her room. She warns him that another man will fall in love with her at the party, but he chooses to sit and sulk instead. And this is first mistake.

Enter Ajay Devgan as Vanraj, the man who does exactly what Nandini warned Sameer against--he falls in love with her on first sight at the wedding. Prior to this film, I'd never seen Ajay onscreen and knew him best as Kajol's real life husband. To be honest, I was a little creeped out by him as he gazed at Nandini from afar. He was totally wrong for her, in my opinion--I was already sold on her ending up with Sameer, despite his immaturity. "Keep dreaming, buddy", I said aloud,"She's already taken!" Since I thought the chances of Vanraj actually winning Nandini over was slim to nil, I relaxed and actually forgot about him for awhile.



Yet as Sameer and Nandini's fate took a turn for the worst, and Vanraj kept popping up in intervals with a marriage proposal he conveyed to Nandini's parents, I realized (to my dismay) that this guy wasn't going anywhere. Sure enough--Sameer was sent packing by intermission and Vanraj married a stoic Nandini, whose heart clearly still belonged to the Italian musician.



As Nandini kept resisting the advances of her new husband, I began to soften to Vanraj. He wasn't so bad, I realized. After all, most men would have sent Nandini home after the first night. But not Vanraj. He just held on to the hope that her heart would change.

(***Some slight spoilers ahead***Sorry, I can't really complete this review without discussing them)

Here's where the film completely took me by surprise. When Vanraj discovers Nandini is in love with Sameer, he does what any husband would probably never do--he accompanies her on a trip to Italy to find her long lost love.

The second half of the film is even more brilliant than the first. For one, its funny--some of the scenes with Vanraj and Nandini on the hunt for Sameer are so ironic they're comical. And Nandini maintains a lost expression on her sad face--one is left to believe she'll literally die without Sameer.



But for me, the best part about the second half is Ajay Devgan. While I started out rooting for Nandini and Sameer, I slowly began to empathize with Vanraj, and then found myself falling in love with his unselfish devotion to his wife. By the end of the film, I realized he loved Nandini in a way Sameer couldn't even begin to understand.

For example, there's a scene where Vanraj and Nandini are waiting for the bus. Vanraj boards and takes a seat, thinking his wife is behind him. But Nandini is lost in her despair and doesn't even notice the bus has left, remaining at the bus stop as her husband rides on. Once Vanraj notices she isn't present, he naturally jumps off the bus, frantically running to locate her. He finds her at the bus stop in the exact same postition as she was when he left, a lost expression on her face. Instead of questioning her about it, he sits down calmly and pretends as if the whole incident never happened, so as not to upset her. Nandini snaps out of her reverie, unaware she's missed anything--and Vanraj casually lets her know the next bus is coming.

There's another scene where the couple go to eat at an Italian restaurant. Nandini sits and sulks, appearing almost ungrateful to her husband and clearly uninterested in eating. When the server asks her what she wants, she shrugs and points to a random item on the menu, sighing heavily. But when the plate arrives (and ends up being a whole octupus on a bed of lettuce), she looks practically sick to her stomach. Vanraj steps in, as a true gentleman, and offers her his own plate.



I couldn't believe how my devotion to the smoking coupling of Nandini and Sameer crumbled on its own shaky ground and allowed me to see the gem of a man Vanraj truly was. I almost felt as if I was Nandini, as if all of her changing emotions were my own. At the end, I literally felt as if the choice between Sameer and Vanraj was mine to make--I was that involved in the film. Hats off to Sanjay Leela Bhansali for making this happen!



Although I loved Sameer, he completely dropped the ball in his relationship with Nandini. He had ample opprotunity to talk to her father and ask for her hand--and let every one of them pass him by. Sameer's immaturity may have been cute in the beginning, but it just didn't hold water when things started to get rough. This is what separated him from Vanraj--he lacked the qualities of a real man who is in love and doesn't want to lose his woman. As a matter of fact, when Nandini's father discovers the truth about their affair, he orders Sameer never to see his daughter again--and Sameer accepts without much complaint. Nandini, on the other hand, was willing to put up a fight to be with Sameer, even straining the solid relationship she previously held with her father. This imbalance between the two helped to make up my mind about which man truly deserved to get the girl--it was Vanraj, hands down.



I'd heard Ajay Devgan was a good actor, but wow, he was superb as Vanraj. I have some of his other films such as "Halla Bol", "Kaal", and "U Me Aur Hum". I haven't gotten around to watching any of them yet, but it'll be interesting for me to compare them and truly form an opinion on him. So far so good--he made an excellent first impression!

I really liked Aishwarya here. Bratty, smug, spoiled, playful...she fits all the shades to Nandini's personality like a glove. I do think she's grown as a performer in many ways since this film, but for the most part, this role couldn't have been more suited for her.



And what is going on with me and Salman Khan? Kuch kuch hota hai, I swear! The guy's growing on me, especially as in this film as the goofy-yet hot-Sameer. I dig this ditzy quality on him, in the same way I liked him as Suraj in the less popular
Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam. Yes, there were moments in the film where his expressions felt really forced (not that I'm any expert, but his reaction when he found out Nandini was in Italy was almost a joke), but overall I loved Sameer's idiosyncrasies.



Some of the other supporting cast members added just the right touch to already amazing film. Nandini's parents epitimized my vision of a healthy marriage (for the most part). They were full of giggles and praise for each other--check out this screen shot of them cracking up hysterically, in bed!



Did I mention that I wish Zohra Sehgal was my grandmother? Every time she's in a film, no matter how small the role, she manages to make me smile. Zohra has a great scene in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam where she starts to tell Sameer and Nandini the story of her marriage--and catches them being naughty! It's one of the cutest scenes in the entire film.



As in Devdas ("Do you love me?" "Or you could ask me if I breathe"), Sanjay Leela Bhansali has given me yet another line that I can't wait to incorporate into my own life. I love, love, love spicy food and always get flack from those who can't handle it. When Sameer makes a smart remark about Nandini's spicy food, she has a quick response:




As if I needed one more reason to love this film!



© 2008 Nida Nazir
Bitten By Bollywood