[From motaleb223’s flickr photostream]
Alrighty, folks. I have taken knitting photos, and they will be posted in good time, but the reason for not posting is that I have been obsessed (think of that in all caps, like I’m shouting it at you and waving my arms around like an idiot) with Bollywood films, and, more specifically, Hrithik Roshan films (though through the aforementioned film, I have come to appreciate Shah Rukh Khan in a new way). Thanks to the Tsarina for fueling this, though it would have happened in good time through a number of poorer quality films.
Anyhow, that is to say that I don’t speak more than two words of Hindi and so it is necessary to really read the subtitles when I’m watching the movie, so I can’t knit simultaneously. Thankfully I have a long car ride to the house of a knitter coming up tomorrow, so I should finish that Christmas knitting that never got done (by this point people know that you get gifts from me when you get them, and not getting them on the correct day is not a sign that I don’t care).
Also keep in mind that I am an American, and so my review is intended for a solidly American audience, as I don’t understand Indian culture fully, and am not meaning to offend anyone.
Here goes.
First off, I loved this film, even if my DVD player decided that I didn’t need all the subtitles, and that I could read them three seconds late and still know what was going on.
I loved that Rohan was hot, then fat, then hot. I love Shah Rukh Khan’s eyebrows (this has nothing to do with the story or quality of acting, but they are spectacular). I loved how ostentatious the Raichand family home was. I loved how everyone cried for absolutely everything. In fact, I am going to refer to this as the Crying Movie for the time being, as it helps me remember. No, seriously. According to the subtitles, the title translates to “Through Smiles, Through Tears,” and I think that’s pretty appropriate. It’s alternately goofy and dramatically tear-wrenching, and the last, oh, 45 minutes involves everybody crying about pretty much everything. I think this is a movie for girls only (I got the inkling that this was so when it was SRK in a wet shirt in the dream dance sequence. Dayum.). And also, men are much more attractive when crying. No, really! Especially Hrithik.
I don’t know if this is an accurate representation of the respective lives of people in India’s high society and Chandni Chowk, but I was really fascinated by the differences in demeanor and opinions of each. I really appreciated Anjali’s family after the coldness of Rahul’s. I was also pleased by the contrast between the pastel’s of Yash’s birthday party and the lively colors of Anjali’s father’s party.
And then there was that horrid bit with Pooja in England, and OHMYGOD she became the Most Irritating Person on the Planet, and then suddenly she was not and Rohan fell in love with her (inexplicably at first, because she’s still really friggin’ irritating), and then everything is fine, but I won’t tell you how, because I don’t want to give it away.
And then everybody cries a lot, and did you know that Hrithik Roshan looks very Indian when all dressed up in wedding clothes? Which is to say very nice. I could watch him dance all day.
Later on, I’ll show off some knitting. I’ve been busy.
knitters = angry mob 
Oh, my. This is going to be a heavy obsession. I can feel it (though I am very excited at the prospect of learning Hindi!)
Hee. Resistance IS futile, isn’t it. 😉
Actually the title translates more accurately as “Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sorrow.” And yes, an increasing comprehension of Hindi is an occupational hazard. The other day I discovered that my Netflix copy of Khuda Gawah had no subtitles. None. And I watched it anyway. And I was frightened to realize how much of the actual dialogue and lyrics I absolutely understood. Sometimes I even catch myself speaking short bursts of Hindi. Scary.
Kareena Kapoor is SO irritating in this movie that it was almost a shock to discover that she can be quite marvelous – as when she plays opposite SRK in “Asoka,” which BTW is some of his best work IMO. As is also “Veer-Zaara.”
KKKG may well be Kajol’s best work to date, with the possible exception of “Fanaa.” And then there’s Sridevi. Check out her big pre-wedding number in “Chandni” (you’ll recognize it as having been echoed by Kajol in the pre-wedding number in KKKG). Almost worth the heavy price of putting up with middle-period Rishi Kapoor as the hero.
True. I saw Ghajini, which is the Indian version of Memento, and now I’m not at all interested in seeing Memento, as I imagine it lacks something, being dance-scene free.
I’m going to have to add this one to my Netflix queue – I’ve never seen it before. Shah Rukh Khan and his eyebrows are quite the sex symbol in India- hence the wet shirted dance number… he grows on you in a weird way after a few movies. I really love movies with Aishwarya Rai as the main female lead.. you should check out a few of her movies as most of them have pretty good budgets and lots of fancy dance scenes and costume changes (which in my opinion is the main reason to watch Bollywood in the first place).