Hum Tum

Directed by: Kunal Kohli

Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Kirron Kher, Rishi Kapoor, Rati Agnihotri

Released: 2004

Verdict: destroy every copy – horrible – bad – whatever – flawed but enjoyable - good – great – amazing

It surprised me greatly how much I enjoyed this film on a second viewing after not being impressed by it the first time around. Usually this isn´t the case, rather you find yourself underwhelmed (or even embarrassed) by something that made you cheer, but watching it yet again ruins the magic, reveals the flaws, until you brush it aside with apologetic smile. I suppose the knowledge of what to expect actually helped the movie in my eyes, because previously I have been looking for something epic and genius (yep, another film over-praised) – and that just isn´t there.

The story is not that complicated so you wouldn´t be able to guess who ends up with whom in first five minutes. As soon as you see flamboyant, free-minded womanizer like Karan (Saif) and serious, sophisticated and elegant Rhea (Rani), you get the drift. They are to hate each other at the beginning and throughout the film he will realize she is not snooty and she will find out he is not useless. And they will fall in love. And you are right. From sight-seeing in Amsterdam, through brief meeting in New York we actually cover several years to find Rhea getting married to Sameer (Abhishek Bachchan in a short cameo), while Karan seems not to have changed at all. And another time shift – a year later: our leads find themselves in Paris. Karan unchanged, Rhea a widow, even quieter, more melancholic and introverted than before.

But indeed they finally find a way to each other, indeed they meet a few obstacles in form of confusion over their own feelings and inability to express them, and indeed they finally walk away from us with arms wrapped around each other. Kunal Kohli in the director´s chair however makes sure to give you a feeling of good cinema, and not just another mediocre fest. It is all about the presentation, the form – and actors, who all give a beautiful performance, although that changes nothing in Saif winning a National award for the film being a ridiculous turn of events. Rani looks utterly beautiful and her outfits are all stunning from wedding attire to a pink saree she´s wearing near the end.

I was extremely delighted to see Rati Agnihotri (as Saif´s unreasonably young mother – there is only 10 years between them, but oh well, it´s Bollywood aka Sexistville), even more so since she did have some very nice scenes, and I was even happier when Rishi Kapoor appeared (as Saif´s father), and actually squeeled when he and Rati shared a frame for a few moments. Kirron Kher pulls off yet another loving and funny mum, not failing to charm. Her whacky, loud Maa characters can certainly get tiring, but if you manage to keep her films apart and don´t watch them too soon one after another, it does strike the right chord.

So – why wasn´t I smitten the first time I watched Hum Tum? I expected seriously too much. As nice as the film is, it is no incredible piece of art or iconic romance. It doesn´t really stand out from the crowd, even though it belong to the better part of it. It is rather slow, and at times it drags. Saif doesn´t look his best. And the animated bits with two positively evil looking adolescents/children (?) are annoying and uttering some of the most clichéd dialogues. They are supposedly trying to tell us in what stage the relationship between Karan and Rhea is, but in fact they come off as completely unrelated. And not funny. And in the end they are two animated children. Who „fall in love“ with each other. Eww. Perhaps the animated little devils could have been growing up throughout the film? 

Tawaif

Directed by: B. R. Chopra

Starring: Rishi Kapoor, Rati Agnihotri, Poonam Dhillon

Released: 1985

Verdict: destroy every copy – horrible – bad – whatever – flawed but enjoyable - good – great – amazing

Since few days ago it was Rishi Kapoor´s 60^th birthday I decided that I should review a film that actually made me change my opinion about him. Originally I knew him as the fat and awkward guy who romanced girlshalf (and quarter) his own age, and if anything I found him ridiculous. But then he grew onto me in his father roles, and finally I thought it was about time to watch some more 80s and chose Tawaif with Rishi in the lead role. Attracted primarily by the title (I have a thing for Bollywood tawaifs/prostitutes/courtesans), I was presented with a very nice film. And Rishi was suddenly cute instead of ridiculous.

Dawood, a young man in possession of a one room apartment in a friendly neighbourhood and working for a publishing company, meets a beautiful young girl Kayanat, an aspiring writer. She is naturally overjoyed when Dawood introduces her and her novel to the publisher and all seem to be going well both for Kayanat´s career and Dawood´s love life, as he soon enough finds completely enchanted by her. However then one night Dawood opens to the door only to have a tawaif forced into his house by her pimp escaping from the police. All the protests are in vain and Dawood, in fear for his life, has to take the woman, named Sultana, in and that for quite some time. For the matters to go even worse his neighbours find out about her existence the very next day, and assume Dawood got married in secret. And to avoid embarrassment both him and Sultana decide to go with the flow, letting the neighbourhood to celebrate their fictional marriage while they sleep in a room divided in half by curtains. As the time passes, Sultana becomes favourite of everybody around – except Dawood, who is still pining after Kayanat....

Rishi is quite adorable as poor but honest Dawood. Indeed suddenly I was able to see why he used to be so popular when younger. Far from being exactly good looking, he had cuteness written all over him, not to mention his comic timing was wonderful, and there are quite a few scenes in the film where he can prove that to you. His initial disgust over Sultana and frustration over not being capable to romance Kayanat are a source of some good humour when they clash with Sultana´s quick adaptation to her new role of his wife. 

Rati Agnihotri makes Sultana a beautiful, interesting tawaif character. She does not have the depth of Chandramukhi from Devdas or Gulabji from Pyaasa, but she combines excellently the vulnerability of a woman for sale and rather unladylike behaviour taught by "her world". As weird as it may sound I found her a "fun" prostitute (sounds even weirder now that it´s written down). I did not like though how the film made it sound as if a tawaif wasn´t a woman, but some low species unworthy of breathing air (I sense some strong Pakeezah inspiration here). Rati is the showstealer, even though Rishi acts very well as already mentioned, and Poonam Dhillon in the supporting role of Kayanat does her job with sincerity too. 

The finale though, was kinda hilarious instead of touching. So the whole community somehow makes their way into a brothel of all places to claim Sultana, not one of them suffers of prejudice against her profession. The pure naivity and cheeziness of it made me laugh, but I am almost never against heart-warming (even if unrealistic) endings.