Jul 26, 2003 09:00 PM
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(Updated Jul 26, 2003 09:07 PM)
I literally had to drag my husband to see this movie when it came to the local theater since he does not like Bollywood films. I must say, even he enjoyed it. He freely admitted it. The story is well written, the camera work is excellent, the songs are beautiful, and the acting is superb. I watched it again a few weeks ago, because I think a film like this is worth a second glance.
Cast: The film stars Aamir Khan as Akash Malhotra. Akash is a fun loving guy who is looking for Miss Right Now instead of Miss Right. He has a rule of having relationships no longer than two weeks. He meets Shalini(Preity Zinta)at a club. He is attracted by her beauty, and she has a finance named Rohit(Ayub Khan)who makes Akash back off by punching him in the eye! Aamir does an excellent job as always. He blends humor with vulnerability. Plus, if he can be 35+ and still look great in red leather pants, I salute him.
Next, there is Saif Ali Khan as Sameer. I think Saif Ali Khan is a good actor as well. He plays the romantic minded guy who is looking for love, but not realizing what love really is. I think his search for love is why he seems to get taken advantage of by women. He eventually falls for Pooja(Sonali Kulkarni)whom he originally met for an arranged marriage. He is cute, but they tried to how him shirtless. He has too much of a tummy for that. If they wanted to showcase one of the friends in this film shirtless, it should be Akshaye Khanna since he has the best body of the three.
Akshaye Khanna is Siddarth or Sid. He is the quiet, more thoughtful one of the three friends. He is an artist, so you can often see him quietly sketching while his two buddies make fools of themselves. I think Akshaye Khanna is another fantastic actor. He was so believable. Plus, I think he has such and innocent face and expressive eyes. You want to adopt him. Sid falls for an older woman named Tara(Dimple Kapadia)even though he knows she has a lot of personal problems. They have art in common, and he feels he can trust her. Seems the quiet one knows what love really is.
Plot: The plot is the best part of the film for me, which is not really the case in most Bollywood films. The three friends spend all of their free time together. They do almost everything together, but each man has a different perspective. The film begins with Sid rushing Tara to the hospital with liver problems. He knows she is going to die. He calls Sameer to come to stay with him while he waits. He finds out Akash is in town as well, but he is sure Akash will not some since they had a big fight about Tara before Akash left for Australia on business. When Sameer arrives without Akash, he and Sid sit in the hospital waiting room and catch up.
Sameer tells Sid that he is getting married, and so is Akash. Sid cannot believe that Akash is getting married, so Sameer tells him the whole story of Akash and Shalini. Then Sameer tells Sid about his own love story. We also see how Sid came to fall in love with Tara. I like how the story is split up into how each guy found love in a different way. Also, I think one of the most touching scenes is when Tara is upset on her birthday and starts being self-destructive to herself, and Sid takes her out to a restaurant with Akash and Sameer where they sing to her. Akash also dances with her while music is playing. I could go on about the plot, but I do not want to ruin all the film’s surprises. You must see for yourself!
Conclusion: I loved this film for what it was. Yes, there was a love story and songs. This film was unlike most Bollywood blockbusters, because it focused more on the relationship between the men. Also, the characters were modern. The women were not these sweet, innocent girls who are sitting around waiting for their prince. They also have a story which is explored quite nicely in the film. True love is amazing, but bonds with your best friends are amazing too.
