Movies

Vibrant, colorful, hilarious and lively, this movie was a sheer joy to watch. A refreshing take on an old classic. But be warned, this movie will not appeal to everybody - especially those who don't go to watch it with an open mind. Aishwarya Rai looks the best she ever has and turns in a confident performance in her first English speaking role - not always an easy transition. Martin Henderson is handsome and charming and the supporting cast too. But Nitin Ganatra as the comic bride seeking American is the show stealer in his over the top performance as Mr.Kohli. Gurinder Chadha has attempted what few would dare to take on and she's pulled it off. It's a comic tale of love and romance. Thoroughly enjoyable!

This English-language Bollywood film is typical of the genre. It's a silly little romantic comedy that wins us over by refusing for a moment to take itself seriously. The hallmark of the Bollywood film is the ridiculously over-the-top song and dance number. This film's silliest incorporates the elements of a helicopter ride through the Grand Canyon, a ridiculously large gospel choir and California surfers joining in by swaying their surfboards as two young lovers stroll along the beach. It's similar in tone to Cleavon Little riding past the Count Basie Orchestra in BLAZING SADDLES. One wonders how they film these things without cracking up. The outtakes during the credits answer the question: they can't.

Well, God help me, I enjoyed it. Director Gurinder Chadha's follow-up to smash hit "Bend it Like Beckham" is enjoyable nonsense, an earnestly acted mess of vibrant Bollywood musical sequences (sometimes set to English-language songs) and romantic pap. It doesn't seem to take itself seriously at all, which instantly puts it ahead of most nonsense. Eh, it's pointless to go on any further. It's rubbish, really, I'm not quite sure why I sat through it but bizarrely it manages to be a lot of fun. Chadha is a solid enough director to keep things more or less interesting, and the musical sequences are pulled off with aplomb. Naveen Andrews is good here as well.6/10