Son of Sardaar

Directed by: Ahswni Dhir

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Juhi Chawla

Released: 2012

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

Son of Sardaar is fun. Light-hearted, uncomplicated, straight-forward and most importantly family friendly. It is possibly the only big masala film of 2012 that has no sexual innuendos, no double meaning hints, no gay jokes or raunchy dance numbers. It is silly, oh yes, the amount of silly is quite considerable, and it definitely makes clear yet again that Bollywood action is more and more going South (where gravity means nothing and physics wanders around unemployed) and hence not believable in any way – which in this case ads to the „family friendly“ I have already mentioned, because the „violence“ shown is so over the top you just cannot take it seriously. The major weakness is the very beginning, that may turn many people off, as it is rather cringe worthy. Taking a jump of Big Ben and dancing among a horde of white women in desi clothing (my ears would hurt at how much voices would raise on social websites against such cultural appropriation – and they would be right) and fighting off white goons a minute later made even me considering if I should even bother. But once Salman Khan´s useless cameo is over, things do get better. A lot.

The story has roots in an age old enmity between two rich Punjabi families, who for generations have been slaughtering one another and taking revenges and so started an unending cycle of bloodshed. Until a wife of a recently murdered one decided she has had enough, took her children and fled from India. She saved herself and children, but complicated lives of the other family, of which various members took various oaths: to never eat ice-cream, to never have a cold drink, and to never marry – until the last offspring of the hated family was not killed by their hands. But how to fulfill such promises if the person in question is nowhere to be found? And so there are is no ice-cream or cold drinks for some, and no shaadi for others. For over twenty years.

Then one day out hero Jassi is distracted from his pathetic dancing with white girls in London by a letter summoning him to Punjab because of some inherited land, and Jassi flies down to India with an intention to sell it and then peacefully return. While on his way he meets feisty no-nonsense girl Sukhmit and falls for her immediately. What luck she travels to the same place as he does. And even greater luck awaits it seems: after he looses her on the train station, he runs into Billu, who invites him home, and it turns out Sukhmit is his cousin. But don´t be fooled. The luck is not about finding Sukhmit. It lies in Jassi being within the walls of Billu´s house. For he is the one they want to kill, and they soon find that out. But to harm a guest in any way is just not done. They have to wait for him to step out. And Jassi, completely shocked upon learning the truth by chance, does everything that might delay his leaving.

What surprised me was a simplicity of the plot and settings. Apart from the train traveling at the beginning and some wild chasing near the end everything happens in one place. The plot is also very straightforward, and the filmmakers managed to keep it interesting for most of the film. True enough, some of the scenes could have been shorter, because you do get the idea of what is going on, and after some point you grow a bit impatient and want things to move forward – had film lasted 2 hours only, it would have helped. The songs are put into the film well, but sadly none really captured my interest – and the Po Po song is definitely a product of some really ill mind.

All the involved actors prove they have a great comic timing and talent. Ajay pleasantly surprised me, because I expected him to be an unbeatable machine without a trace of fear, and while he definitely shows that when necessary he will give everyone a lesson, his Jassi was more of an average guy wanting nothing but everyone to get along. Sanjay Dutt too is very good, my only complaint is: why did he have to look so bad? The styling was just horrible – and made me question who would wait for over 20 years to marry him? Especially if the bride herself is the beauteous Juhi Chawla? 

Now, Juhi in this film you either like or hate. And it is really up to how you decide. Indeed, I felt like I was put before a choice. Because I could say she was a delight to watch, a sweetheart and a cutie, who deserved more screenspace and I would mean it. And at the same time I could say she was over the top and took it to the annoying level, and it would still be kinda true. But I was happy to see her in a mainstream film after so long, so I largely go with the first. Sonakshi is the weakest of the four leads, which is no insult to her, since all are seasoned actors who have proved themselves numerous times in the past, at the same time Sonakshi definitely sells you Sukhmit as a real character, and that goes to her credit. Although yeah, she looks like Ajay´s daughter throughout.

And so I ended up nearly loving Son of Sardaar and cannot understand all the hate it got.

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya

Directed by: Sohail Khan

Starring: Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Kajol, Dharmendra

Released: 1998

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

Who wouldn´t immediately think about the iconic song from Mugal-E-Azam upon hearing this film´s title, right? Well, there are no palaces and princes in this one. It is pretty much all Salman Khan in his pre-lazy period rocking the screen. Nice colours, nice music, nice story, I really found Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, directed by the youngest of three Khan brothers, supported by the fame of the eldest and giving job to the middle one, an endearing venture. In a way it reminded me of DDLJ, mainly because the plot is driven by an idea of young man butting into the girl´s family, trying to win their affection, and to top it the girl yet again is none other than Kajol, but it is really just a similarity and no rip-off I believe.

Muskaan (Kajol) is an orphan, living in a village with her still dashing uncle (Dharam Paaji) and elder, somehow grumpy brother Vishal (Arbaaz), who really doesn´t talk much, neither he likes others to talk much. Other characters we get introduced to are Muskaan´s friend Ujala, who has more than a crush on Vishal (he seems to be completely oblivious and uninterested, even after she throws some uber-sexy dance in his way) and a home cook, who has no role really, but I believe he deserves a mention for the proud presentation of some really weird wardrobe.

Indeed.

The same awful thing is to be used as a punishment for the hero.

Vishal is greatly concerned for Muskaan, she being his everything. And so he keeps rejecting all the marriage proposals and beats the heck out of everybody who even dares to look at her. For all his love and caring, obviously, Muskaan feels rather suffocated in her small uneventful world and so pleads with her brother to be allowed to study in a big city. Reluctantly Vishal agrees and even more reluctantly he drops her to the college – where to his utmost horror young people smoke and – shock shock - DATE!!!! Oh, had he only known his perfectly normal sister may – GASP! - fall in love with a guy her age and choice, he would never have let her go there! But fortunately for Muskaan he cannot see into the future and so she can enjoy a little of life.

Soon enough her friend Suraj (Salman) falls in love with her and wins her affection in return. Unfortunately her big brother, with an empathic ability of a frozen Alsatian dog after a brain transplantation, says a big no no and Muskaan is promptly taken home. But Suraj is not ready to give up on her, and so he finds himself on a quest of sneaking into her home and trying to win everyone over. And he nearly succeeds – but Vishal bumps into a hairy guy looking as stoned as himself, and decides this dude he has known for a few days is the right one for his sister. That is may not be the best decision ever, you can already guess....

"I hairy. You hairy. I stoned. You sleazy. I give sister. You take sister. Deal?"

Salman and Kajol make a lovely couple. She is delightful as meek, yet loyal Muskaan, but is rather sidelined in the second part of the film, I felt. That is Salman´s show, and he is pure hilarious. Suraj is a perfect combination of a young man very much serious about his love, at the same time he is still a bit of a mischievous child, and Salman captured both the sides of his character beautifully. His comic talent was in the top form. We cannot really shower praises on his brother though. After impressive debut in Daraar, it turned out he is actually not at all a good actor, and the creepy/stoned/unfeeling character is actually how he comes off on screen 99% of the time. Dharam Paaji has a role which is rather useless, but hey, he is Dharam Paaji, mature and handsome, and he gets to kick some butt too.

Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya is a light, fun ride with good cinematography and catchy tunes,and among other little pleasure offering also a hilarious fight among stars of the olden days and younger, then contemporary, stars of the big screen. 

Dil Ka Kya Kasoor

Directed by: Lawrence D´Souza

Starring: Prithvi, Divya Bharti, Suresh Oberoi

Released: 1992

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

I could very easily have „I love me some 90s“ written on my forehead and it would be true. There is something about that period and movies that came out of it, that fascinates me. There is something in those movies that makes them work for me. Mistakes that are so painfully obvious, do not irritate me – at least as long as the film manages to offer me an experience, if it makes me feel something. Because that is what 90s Bollywood is about for me. Making you feel. If Dil Ka Kya Kasoor was made today, with the same flaws it has, in the same tone, it would probably be extremely cringeworthy. But as an early 90s movie it works. At least to an extent. It is not among the best films though. But I did cry at the end, and had maybe too many feelings to handle for a little while, and so, in spite of everything, I need to present it in a more favourable light (although I´m sure people who understand human body and medicine would have a lot to say on this movie...)

Divya Baby. This review is actually just an excuse to rave about her.

While the first hour pretends to be the been there/seen that teenage romance, it is anything but. Shalu (Divya) is known to be a very unpleasant and arrogant rich girl in her college, and the only one not scared of her is Mr. Scholarship from Dreamland of Just and Honest as well as Well-behaved – and Poor (Prithvi, whom I´ve never heard of before and who looks a bit like young Hrithik Roshan). Shalu promptly falls in love, as he is strumming his guitar and singing on stage – one of the songs she herself has written and published under a pseudonym. She doesn´t have the guts to tell him, and after a talk with her brother, who sensibly advices her to wait until Mr. Perfect manages to find himself a good job and reach something, she agrees, but decides to give her beloved a career boost. Under her pen name she writes songs for him, from her own money she pays for his shows and publicity. Thanks to her he becomes a pop star (who for whatever reason makes headlines on film magazines and is even keeping two Filmfare awards at his night table). He has become someone. Shalu can get married! Or no?

The story takes a rather unexpected twist when the hero gets married to another girl! He is not dating her, he is not even engaged, he is downright proper married and soon with baby on the way. And not even Yash Chopra was brave enough to tear apart a couple expecting a child, so you can guess there and then this may not really have a happy ending. In fact we are for some really depressing and even unusually gruelsome stuff.

While the story is interesting, the film suffers a lot from bad editing and did not age well (something not many films from that time managed to avoid). Of course, everything modern and cool in it actually WAS modern and cool back then, so in the end I just shrugged my shoulders and asked "Film Ka Kya Kasoor". In spite of that sometimes I just couldn´t help but laugh silently at the horribleness of fashion - and oh my, those stage performances!!! I guess nothing will make the dying girl you never loved more happy than you singing a mournful song with brides and skeletons dancing all around on the set intentionally made to look like a cemetery. The logic of the ending – or rather lack of it - I´d rather not go into.

There are only two notable performers in the movie, and Prithvi is not one of them. The hero had looks, but did not overflow with talent, and most importantly felt extremely thanda. He was completely overshadowed by his heroine and Suresh Oberoi. Shalu´s elder brother (because a man in his forties just cannot be an 18-years-old girl´s father) and his suffering was almost too overwhelming. Plus the man has one of the best voices in Bollywood. 

But ultimately Dil Ka Kya Kasoor is worth watching for Divya. She is the heart and soul of the film, and apart from several minor gestures, this is her most mature performance I have seen, probably her best. Two, three films of hers I´ve seen before showed me she had screen-presence and was beautiful (oh she was gorgeous!), and I did see she had potential, Dil Ka Kya Kasoor showed her to me as a good actress, who could easily become a great one. Shalu´s girlish dreaming, her hurting heart, her resignation as well as the utter happiness she gets upon a mere sight of the man she loves, all that was hurting me as a viewer as much as it was hurting the characters on screen. But it was not to be. Divya Bharti is locked within that short timeframe of early 90s for us. She belongs to it just as frilly dresses and big colourful plastic jewelery belong to her. Her death turned her from an aspiring superstar into a tragic Princess, almost a stuff of legends. Within few weeks it will be twenty years since she has passed. And yet immortal, captured by camera lenses, dressed in a ridiculous outfit and with overwhelming innocence in her eyes.