I saw Salaam-e-Ishq again today...
Feb. 11th, 2007 11:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieFor some weird reason, the movie theater I went to decided to chop off the very beginning of the movie (probably to save time). While I can live without seeing the censor's certificate and even the movie's title, it was rather odd to go straight into the song already in progress. Plus, missing precious minutes of John and Vidya cuteness should be considered a certifiable offense.
Also, our print died during climax and they had to restart it. Heh. I was probably less upset about either of these because:
a. I will have a DVD soon
b. The audience was fun (at one critical point, a little kid piped up, imitating Govinda's "I love you" ROFL)
c. I still love the movie entirely too much not to be giddy to see it in any form.
1. Oh, God, how much do I love the title number? I just kep gaping. This, in a nutshell, why I love Bollywood. It can be cheesy, flawed, everything. But then a good Bolly movie has these moments of pure distillation of feeling which just makes you giddy.
2. Has Salman ever looked hotter? I am not sure. Maybe it's the character: the trickster-charmer. Or maybe it's suits (that last suit? YUM. So much better than short shorts :D) I keep wondering why he had a Jesus fetish: a cross and 'Jesus jeans.' I don't mind but I wonder if India has the same Christian exoticism fetish the way Japan does. I have decided that on this watch, his and Priyanka's story is my favorite. It's just so off-kilter, so funny, so romantic despite itself. I especially love his proposal scene. Where it switches back and forth from games and truth. And then, at the end when he finds out that yes, she would prefer being a heroine to being with him, and he says that even if not love, at least he got answers to his questions, and he does a very Kurosagi-ish, hug-not-hug, as he says he forgot the most important thing, his wine-glass that is behind her. And says 'congratulations' and walks off.
I really do think the casting for this movie is spot on. It has to be because it's not like it goes into in-depth exploration of anyone, with six stories to cover. Salman and Priyanka's very strong chemistry (I think in some ways Priyanka is the anti-Aish, much as I like Aish. She has excellent chemistry with everyone I've seen her with, and Salman has had chemistry with every single leading lady I've seen him with) and movie-star charisma are indespensable to their story.
And I love the final proposal, because you can tell how totally delighted he is, but yes, it goes back and forth in teasing give-and-take. She'll never be bored and will always have drama, which is what she loves.
The references to Mohabattein (with accompanying image!) and Don and KHNH and MHN and K3G? Still make me giggle like mad.
3. Oh, the John and Vidya story still kills me. John Abraham on his knees, weeping, is one of the things that makes any movie experience worthwhile :D The Maximum City book I mentioned earlier had the author say that Hrithik was almost 'uncomfortably handsome' but that is also the feeling I get with John Abraham. It's like 'are my eyes playing tricks on me? He cannot really look like this?' Bipasha is a lucky gal :D Seriously and less hormonally, I really like the various parallels. Like the lost and puzzled way Vidya looks at that jewelry item (as if 'what is it?'), that he just gave her earlier for an anniversary gift and that she was so giddy about. The one thing I especially noted was that when Vidya accepts his offer to start their life anew (and he is on his knees again, the way he was during the marriage proposal years earlier), this time she is the one who kisses his tears, the way he kissed her tears years ago in Lahore when she said yes.
And the thing that I love the most about their postcript is that they seem to have regained that playfulness they had at the beginning of the movie, the one they lost with her accident. Because angsty passionate love is awesome and all, but the thing I loved the most, in some ways, was the fact that they were shown as so happy and compatible, but in a delightful teasing way, not cloying fashion.
I really love Vidya. So far I've seen her in four movies and she was an utter warm delight in each one. Can't wait to see more of her.
4. The Govinda and Shannon story is still just as adorable as ever. I don't really have too much to say about it, but I really love how, Bolly-style, he is so selfless and that is really what she falls in love with, as he is such a contrast to her selfish boyfriend. And throwing flowers at each other? Probably the cutest scene in the whole movie.
5. It's official. My version cut out Akshaye's fantasy sequence of seeing Ayesha. The other 'cut out' sequences mentioned we have, so I assume it's the theater being creative again (is it at the beginning of the post intermission section)? Oh well.
6. Anil and Juhi story that was the least interesting the first time around really bores the second time around. Anil does an amazing acting job (I think I'll seek more Anil movies now) but the story just doesn't grab me. Still, now I know where it is, it's a great time for bathroom/snack break, so I'll consider it a further act of thoughtfulness on part of NA.
Anyway, a delight.
Also, our print died during climax and they had to restart it. Heh. I was probably less upset about either of these because:
a. I will have a DVD soon
b. The audience was fun (at one critical point, a little kid piped up, imitating Govinda's "I love you" ROFL)
c. I still love the movie entirely too much not to be giddy to see it in any form.
1. Oh, God, how much do I love the title number? I just kep gaping. This, in a nutshell, why I love Bollywood. It can be cheesy, flawed, everything. But then a good Bolly movie has these moments of pure distillation of feeling which just makes you giddy.
2. Has Salman ever looked hotter? I am not sure. Maybe it's the character: the trickster-charmer. Or maybe it's suits (that last suit? YUM. So much better than short shorts :D) I keep wondering why he had a Jesus fetish: a cross and 'Jesus jeans.' I don't mind but I wonder if India has the same Christian exoticism fetish the way Japan does. I have decided that on this watch, his and Priyanka's story is my favorite. It's just so off-kilter, so funny, so romantic despite itself. I especially love his proposal scene. Where it switches back and forth from games and truth. And then, at the end when he finds out that yes, she would prefer being a heroine to being with him, and he says that even if not love, at least he got answers to his questions, and he does a very Kurosagi-ish, hug-not-hug, as he says he forgot the most important thing, his wine-glass that is behind her. And says 'congratulations' and walks off.
I really do think the casting for this movie is spot on. It has to be because it's not like it goes into in-depth exploration of anyone, with six stories to cover. Salman and Priyanka's very strong chemistry (I think in some ways Priyanka is the anti-Aish, much as I like Aish. She has excellent chemistry with everyone I've seen her with, and Salman has had chemistry with every single leading lady I've seen him with) and movie-star charisma are indespensable to their story.
And I love the final proposal, because you can tell how totally delighted he is, but yes, it goes back and forth in teasing give-and-take. She'll never be bored and will always have drama, which is what she loves.
The references to Mohabattein (with accompanying image!) and Don and KHNH and MHN and K3G? Still make me giggle like mad.
3. Oh, the John and Vidya story still kills me. John Abraham on his knees, weeping, is one of the things that makes any movie experience worthwhile :D The Maximum City book I mentioned earlier had the author say that Hrithik was almost 'uncomfortably handsome' but that is also the feeling I get with John Abraham. It's like 'are my eyes playing tricks on me? He cannot really look like this?' Bipasha is a lucky gal :D Seriously and less hormonally, I really like the various parallels. Like the lost and puzzled way Vidya looks at that jewelry item (as if 'what is it?'), that he just gave her earlier for an anniversary gift and that she was so giddy about. The one thing I especially noted was that when Vidya accepts his offer to start their life anew (and he is on his knees again, the way he was during the marriage proposal years earlier), this time she is the one who kisses his tears, the way he kissed her tears years ago in Lahore when she said yes.
And the thing that I love the most about their postcript is that they seem to have regained that playfulness they had at the beginning of the movie, the one they lost with her accident. Because angsty passionate love is awesome and all, but the thing I loved the most, in some ways, was the fact that they were shown as so happy and compatible, but in a delightful teasing way, not cloying fashion.
I really love Vidya. So far I've seen her in four movies and she was an utter warm delight in each one. Can't wait to see more of her.
4. The Govinda and Shannon story is still just as adorable as ever. I don't really have too much to say about it, but I really love how, Bolly-style, he is so selfless and that is really what she falls in love with, as he is such a contrast to her selfish boyfriend. And throwing flowers at each other? Probably the cutest scene in the whole movie.
5. It's official. My version cut out Akshaye's fantasy sequence of seeing Ayesha. The other 'cut out' sequences mentioned we have, so I assume it's the theater being creative again (is it at the beginning of the post intermission section)? Oh well.
6. Anil and Juhi story that was the least interesting the first time around really bores the second time around. Anil does an amazing acting job (I think I'll seek more Anil movies now) but the story just doesn't grab me. Still, now I know where it is, it's a great time for bathroom/snack break, so I'll consider it a further act of thoughtfulness on part of NA.
Anyway, a delight.
