Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna(2006)

Star Power: Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, Kirron Kher, Arjun Rampal

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 7 chilies

Music: 4 out of 7 chilies

Choreography: 5 out of 7 chilies

Synopsis:

Dev Saran(Shahrukh Khan) is a rising soccer star living in New York with his wife, Rhea(Preity Zinta), a hardworking fashion magazine employee. His mother (Kirron Kher) is catering a wedding, and when Dev goes to meet her, he has a chance encounter with the bride, Maya(Rani Mukherji). The two connect, but when Dev leaves he is hit by a car while glancing back at her, leaving Dev unable to play. Four years later, we see that Dev has become embittered by the loss of his career, while Rhea is rising in the fashion world. Maya and her husband Rishi (Abhishek Bachchan) are also having problems, as she finds excuses to pull away from him. Dev and Maya meet again, (under rather unusual circumstances) and become friends, trying to help each other work out their problems, but gradually their friendship becomes something more...

Comments:

This movie has some problems, not least of which is the fact that the uneven storyline doesn't really live up to the incredible star power invested in it. The tone seems pretty erratic, with broad comedy moments and upbeat fluffy songs followed almost immediately by bitter recriminations and emotional scenes. I think they were trying to give the film a bolder, more realistic feel, addressing marital strife, but instead they mostly just end up sending mixed messages. The characters seem inconsistent as well. For example, Amitabh Bachchan plays Samarjit, (aka Sexy Sam) Rishi's father and a lighthearted, comedic confirmed flirt and womanizer from his very first scene in the film. However, halfway through the movie he suddenly transitions into the role of the wise advising father figure, acting like a moral authority over the two couple's problems. The songs were just average, in my view, as was the choreography - good background music, but not really anything that will stick with you. It wasn't really what I hope for in a good Bollywood movie, and I couldn't really sympathize enough with the leads to feel taken on the emotional ride you feel they were striving for.

Veer-Zaara (2004)

Star Power: Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukerji, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini

Overall Rating: 7 out of 7 chilies

Music: 7 out of 7 chilies

Choreography: 7 out of 7 chilies

Synopsis:

When aspiring lawyer Saamiya Siddiqui (Rani Mukerji) visits Indian prisoner 786 (whose real name is Squadron Leader Veer Pratap Singh (Shahrukh Khan)) in a Pakistani jail to offer to fight his case, at first he turns her down, but gradually he opens up and begins to relate the strange series of events that led up to his imprisonment. 22 years earlier, a young Pakistani girl called Zaara Haayat Khan (Preity Zinta) is traveling to India to fulfill her governess' dying wish to have her ashes scattered in her native country when her bus overturns. Veer is part of the Indian Air Force team that saves her and later accompanies her in scattering her governess' ashes. In return he asks to take her on a trip to his home village. Veer gradually falls in love with her, unaware that she is already engaged...

Comments:

A really great modern movie and a good starting place for anyone looking for an intro to Bollywood. A cast full of big-name stars and a list of songs which are almost all very catchy and sweet. This is one of Amitabh Bachchan's better later performances, in my opinion, as Veer's quirky loveable father and his onscreen moments with Hema Malini, especially in the song "Lodi", steal the show. Good chemistry between Shahrukh and Preity as well, and the ending will leave you smiling and crying all at the same time.