kukki
Age: 124
Total Posts: 114
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The premier production house has been churning out films [and hits!] with amazing regularity. Never before has any production house attained this kind of uninterrupted success. No wonder, the brand Yash Raj Films is revered, valued and admired.
Yash Raj has introduced a number of talents over the decades. This time, they've entrusted the directorial reins to yet another apprentice -- Siddharth Raj Anand.
On face-value, SALAAM | NAMASTE may resemble Yash Raj's 2004 hit HUM TUM. Besides Saif Ali Khan and Siddharth, its co-writer, even the setting is urbane. But HUM TUM and SALAAM | NAMASTE are as diverse as chalk and cheese.
HUM TUM had an innovative story to tell, but SALAAM | NAMASTE walks into a new alley altogether: Live-in relationships.
The concept of living together without taking the sacred vows of matrimony is not alien by any standards in real life. In reel life, yes, not many film-makers in Bollywood have delved into the intimate relationship shared by two consenting adults. In that respect, SALAAM | NAMASTE does make an effort to push the envelope.
It's a myth that Indian audiences have still not come of age and continue to be orthodox about certain issues. But debutante director Siddharth Raj Anand handles the subject with utmost maturity, serving the pill in a saccharine sweet format. And that's one of the vital reasons why the viewer doesn't really raise an eyebrow or feel aghast while watching the flick.
SALAAM | NAMASTE works also because the characters of Nick and Ambar are so true to life and identifiable and their portrayals by Saif and Preity, respectively so tremendous that you can't help but relate to the issue. The icing on the cake is, without a shred of doubt, Vishal-Shekhar's pleasant musical score.
In a nutshell, it's a big salaam to Yash Raj and Siddharth Raj Anand for presenting a flick that dares to be different, without hurting the sensibilities of an Indian moviegoer!
Nikhil aka Nick [Saif Ali Khan] has moved from India to Melbourne. He is a chef by profession. It lets him lead exactly the kind of commitment-free, laidback lifestyle that he has always wanted.
Nick's sleeping habit leads him to get on the wrong side of an RJ, whose show he doesn't turn up for. Enter Ambar [Preity Zinta], the peppy and vivacious host of a show at the 'Salaam Namaste' radio station. Ambar decides that Nick needs to learn a few basic lessons about life… and punctuality.
Opposites attract, love blossoms and the unlikely pair decide to share a house. They live together, but as friends, in different rooms. They're in a relationship, but not in the real sense. They seem to want the same things, but it seems that they have very little in common. Where can a relationship go after the initial flush? Is marriage an option?
Frankly speaking, SALAAM | NAMASTE combines the best of two worlds: The cinema of Aditya Chopra-Karan Johar and the dynamism of venturing into areas that are risky, hitherto not ventured into.
SALAAM | NAMASTE is similar to the successful SAATHIYA and HUM TUM in the sense that it looks at the delicate bonding between two youngsters, starting with inkaar, leading to ikraar. But it charters a new path gradually… Siddharth Raj Anand, who has also penned the script, focuses on light moments in the first 40 minutes or so, making you comfortable with the goings-on and situations, with the characters, and then comes to the point.
The screenplay is very cleverly penned. At first, SALAAM | NAMASTE looks like a yuppie film with two people in their 20s balancing their personal and professional lives in faraway Melbourne, but you gradually get entangled with their lives as they decide to live under the same roof.
The film boasts of a number of striking sequences:
The entire track from the radio station till the sequence when Saif and Preity get to know each other's true identity.
The sequences at their new home, with both trying to adjust to one another.
The intermission point, when Preity's pregnancy becomes the bone of contention.
The pace slows down in the post-interval portions because the story becomes serious. The rift between the two is sensibly portrayed and sensitively handled. The sequence when Saif feels the stomach of a pregnant Preity as also the scene at the restaurant when Saif's colleague talks about the kid are truly emotional. But the 'Paune Barah Baje' song looks inappropriate and showing a full-blown pregnant Preity dancing on difficult steps look weird.
But the film gathers speed yet again towards the final 20 minutes and right from Saif's confession on radio to the finale, its magic.
Siddharth Raj Anand is a director to watch! As a storyteller, the cinema he presents is very progressive and his style of narrating the story may resemble his peers, but the way the director handles the complex story is what makes him stand out from the crowd. The storytelling is very simple, but to the point. Just because it happens to be a love story, the debutante has refrained from packing the film with countless songs. Nor has he tried to make a hard effort to poke fingers in your eyes and make the proceedings overtly emotional.
Vishal-Shekhar's music is soulful and easy on the ears. The title track as well as 'My Heart Goes Mmmmm' stands out, you can't stop humming the tunes when Nick and Ambar dance on screen. The emotional 'Tu Jahan Main Wahan' depicts the emotional turmoil beautifully. The choreography of the first two tracks [Ahmed Khan] is very trendy. Cinematography [Sunil Patel] is fantastic. The lensman does complete justice to the eye-filling locales of Melbourne. Dialogues are wonderful.
Saif Ali Khan proves that he's amongst the brightest names on Indian screen. First HUM TUM, then PARINEETA and now SALAAM | NAMASTE, Saif delivers a spirited performance that stays with you even after the show has ended. He is outstanding in both emotional and light moments. The actor has worked hard on his looks and physique and looks smashing all through.
After KYA KEHNA, Preity Zinta accepts the challenge of portraying an unwed mother yet again in SALAAM | NAMASTE. The actor is terrific, delivering her most accomplished performance to date. Her lip locks with Saif will catch a lot of people unaware, but that's the sign of a thorough professional.
Arshad Warsi is super-efficient, while Javed Jaffrey is sure to bring the house down. Both the actors contribute so much to their sequences. Jugal Hansraj is likeable. Abhishek Bachchan makes an appearance in the end and the masses are sure to like him. Kunal Vijaykar is first-rate. Maria, Arshad's wife, also makes a cameo with their son Zeke.
On the whole, SALAAM | NAMASTE is an immensely likeable film that should appeal to all ages, mainly its target audience -- the youth. At the box-office, this feel-good entertainer has all it takes to emerge victorious!
****
kukki
Age: 124
7096 days old here
Total Posts: 114
Points: 0
Location:
India, India
Salaam Namaste: Great fun
Lindsay Pereira | September 09, 2005 17:33 IST
Ambar Malhotra (Preity Zinta) left Bangalore and nagging parents to come and study medicine in Melbourne, Australia. She wanted to escape marriage and the idea of handling awkward proposals. Now, she works part-time as a radio jockey at a station called 'Salaam Namaste', where she interviews Indians living in Australia.
Nikhil Arora (Saif Ali Khan) is an architect-turned-head chef who works at a restaurant called Nick of Time, in Melbourne. We are told he always loved cooking, preferring it to playing with friends outside. Now, he does what he loves doing, and the fact that he's also paid for it doesn't hurt him in the least.
Special: Salaam Namaste
Ambar is sensible and punctual, which is everything Nick is not. She works hard, is serious about everything she does, and loves her radio show. He loves cooking, partying with friends and living a life free of commitments. When invited to a radio interview with Ambar, he oversleeps, misses the show, and manages to annoy her. She uses her show to exact revenge. They manage to meet, eventually, and soon realise, after a night of partying at a friend's wedding, that they are attracted to each other despite their many differences.
Nick asks Ambar to move in with him, to see if this relationship can stay afloat. She decides to give him a chance, and agrees. They pick an apartment, and then, the fun begins.
Salaam Namaste, directorial debut of Siddharth Raj Anand, is about what happens when Nick and Ambar decide to live-in together. They don't want to rush into anything. They like taking things slowly, and are both occupied with their individual careers. However, as is wont to happen, the situation suddenly demands they take their relationship seriously. They are thrust into an unexpected development, which threatens the little nest they have built together.
There are a whole lot of laughs, and lots of tender moments between the two, but things soon turn sour. Nick begins to realise that relationships aren't always about romantic dinners and walks along the beach. When pushed into a corner, Nick has to choose between his concept of freedom, and his love for Ambar. She, on the other hand, is forced to completely re-evaluate her idea of what marriage and commitment ought to be.
What the film teaches us is that falling in love is easy, but sticking to a commitment isn't. Before the first half, the audience is left wondering whether Nick and Ambar will manage to get over their differences and take their relationship for what it is, whether good or bad. Will Nick manage to get over his bachelor's lifestyle and handle marriage?
As a romantic comedy, this works very well. There's a lot of romance, and a lot of comedy. Saif and Preity are both perfect for comic roles, and their timing proves it throughout the film. Preity manages to handle all situations thrown at her, and makes for a very efficient radio jockey, while Saif even manages to make a convincing chef. Other stars also have an opportunity to shine here, especially Arshad Warsi -- who plays Saif's best friend -- and Javed Jafferi, who plays a landlord wary of Indian tenants. Jafferi's role is, in fact, one of the film's highlights. He manages a strange accent perfectly, and his talent is undeniable.
The other faces include Tania Zaetta, Jugal Hansraj, Ravi Khote, Kunal Vijaykar and Kavita Kapoor. For a debut, this is not bad, and Siddharth Raj Anand deserves a round of applause.
Sunil Patel, the director of photography, also does a commendable job, portraying the city of Melbourne in all its beauty. The Australian extras also deserve a few claps, for managing to do what they do as extras. And yes, Abbas Tyrewala's dialogues hit the mark.
The only downside is the music, by Vishal and Shekhar, which is a bit of a letdown. There aren't too many songs, luckily, so this doesn't affect the film drastically. Also, thanks to the choreography, the music takes a bit of a backseat, which is a good thing.
Still, for an afternoon of laughs, some excellent performances by Saif, Preity and Jafferi, and a well-shot tour of Melbourne, you can't go wrong with Salaam Namaste.
