09-30-2014, 07:05 PM
I grabbed this at the library because it mentioned having lots of songs. I didn’t dare read the plot description, as it usually gives away the whole story.
I didn’t even realize the star was Salman Khan, who I generally despise because of his fondness for killing endangered species, his apparent use of steroids that made him grotesquely top-heavy, and his stalking of Ash after she broke up with him. But this is a very young Salman Khan, with a truly magnetic screen presence. Opposite him is Madhuri Dixit (I’ll leave it to DM to provide the pronunciation key for that), who is even more mesmerizing on screen. She may be the most facially expressive dancer in the history of Bollywood. Together they’re a treasure to watch, fighting, flirting, playing practical jokes on each other, and of course slowly falling in love.
The movie has 15 songs and runs almost 3.5 hours. It was criticized upon release for being too long, with too many songs, and with too little action. But it went on to define “blockbuster” in Indian cinema, and is reputedly the biggest moneymaker of all time.
The story is about a wedding, and how it brings two families together. Salman and Madhuri are actually the brother and sister (respectively) of the groom and bride. The film is filled with traditions and ceremonies and games, all associated with the wedding. We see the preparations, the wedding itself, and the aftermath, along with some additional drama.
The movie is slow at times. I started to fast-forward early on a couple times, but never got very far. There’s just so many bloody songs, and the traditions are fascinating. So I stuck with it and found it very worthwhile. Just be aware it moves slow in places.
The movie had a huge impact on Bollywood, which at that point was deeply into action and violence. This shifted it back to quiet stories involving Indian culture. Also, it transformed weddings in India. After its release, no wedding was complete without some of its songs, its games, its traditions (such as stealing the groom’s shoes and demanding a ransom for their return). Also, there was a huge demand for the purple sari that Madhuri wore in one fantastic dance number.
Then there’s Tuffy, the wonder-dog. Step aside, Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. This is one smart canine!
![[Image: tuffy.jpg?w=652]](https://khoonbharimaang.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/tuffy.jpg?w=652)
Adding to the appeal is the genuine connection between Tuffy and Madhuri. You can see how they adore each other (a far cry from some movies where the actor picks up “his cat” like it’s a lamp, and the cat clearly wants to get far away). In fact, shortly after filming, Madhuri adopted Tuffy in real life. And though I can provide no evidence for this, they lived happily ever after.
Here is one of the wedding traditions, featuring Madhuri in her purple sari:
[youtube]2V56f0xZNqw[/youtube]
I didn’t even realize the star was Salman Khan, who I generally despise because of his fondness for killing endangered species, his apparent use of steroids that made him grotesquely top-heavy, and his stalking of Ash after she broke up with him. But this is a very young Salman Khan, with a truly magnetic screen presence. Opposite him is Madhuri Dixit (I’ll leave it to DM to provide the pronunciation key for that), who is even more mesmerizing on screen. She may be the most facially expressive dancer in the history of Bollywood. Together they’re a treasure to watch, fighting, flirting, playing practical jokes on each other, and of course slowly falling in love.
The movie has 15 songs and runs almost 3.5 hours. It was criticized upon release for being too long, with too many songs, and with too little action. But it went on to define “blockbuster” in Indian cinema, and is reputedly the biggest moneymaker of all time.
The story is about a wedding, and how it brings two families together. Salman and Madhuri are actually the brother and sister (respectively) of the groom and bride. The film is filled with traditions and ceremonies and games, all associated with the wedding. We see the preparations, the wedding itself, and the aftermath, along with some additional drama.
The movie is slow at times. I started to fast-forward early on a couple times, but never got very far. There’s just so many bloody songs, and the traditions are fascinating. So I stuck with it and found it very worthwhile. Just be aware it moves slow in places.
The movie had a huge impact on Bollywood, which at that point was deeply into action and violence. This shifted it back to quiet stories involving Indian culture. Also, it transformed weddings in India. After its release, no wedding was complete without some of its songs, its games, its traditions (such as stealing the groom’s shoes and demanding a ransom for their return). Also, there was a huge demand for the purple sari that Madhuri wore in one fantastic dance number.
Then there’s Tuffy, the wonder-dog. Step aside, Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. This is one smart canine!
Adding to the appeal is the genuine connection between Tuffy and Madhuri. You can see how they adore each other (a far cry from some movies where the actor picks up “his cat” like it’s a lamp, and the cat clearly wants to get far away). In fact, shortly after filming, Madhuri adopted Tuffy in real life. And though I can provide no evidence for this, they lived happily ever after.
Here is one of the wedding traditions, featuring Madhuri in her purple sari:
[youtube]2V56f0xZNqw[/youtube]
