Mar 13, 2007 05:13 PM
2904 Views
Salaam-E-Ishq
Saw the film first day first show: a first in my life! Unfortunately, the film is a damp squib, and despite a fabulous star cast falls much short of expectations.
The film revolves around six couples - a committment-phobia suffering rich young man(Akshaye Khanna) and his beau(Ayesha Takia); an over-the-hill bored with life, but seeking excitement through an extra marital affair, corporate honcho(Anil Kapoor) and his pretty wife(Juhi Chawla); a perpetually in accident and low-middle class couple(John Abraham and Vidya); a taxi driver looking for true love(Govinda) ferrying his beautiful foreign passenger all over India in order to search her lost NRI boyfriend; an item girl(Priyanka Chopra) posing with her false boyfriend(Salman) in order to get a decent(read Karan Johar) break in the industry; and, a horny Jatt(Sohail Khan) hoping to consummate his marriage(Isha Koppikar) amidst much mishap.
It is rumored that Nikhil Advani flinched the idea from Reema Kagti(who is making her own couples-related film Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.). It looks that Advani could only copy the basic idea and not how each story would progress. Because that is the basic problem with the film - three hours later, nothing seems to have moved and we are still left with the same: a sobbing John(what a frightful sight it is!), a confused Akshaye, Govinda driving to yet another town to find his passenger’s lost lover, so on and so forth! Worse, some scenes are so soporifically stretched that one wants to beat up the editor from his slumber.
Which, I feel is the biggest problem with the film - shorten the length, it can work. There are a few flashes of directorial brilliance; for example, when the young girl introduces herself to Anil Kapoor as ‘I am Anjali’, immediately he replies, without thinking, ‘I am married’. Of course, Anil adds his own bit to the character to make it suitably etched. Similarly, Anil and Juhi’s ‘confontration’ scene is beautifully controlled, compact and crisp. In the same vein, Anil and Priyanka’s meeting up at the bar in the middle of the night to talk about their respective lives is a sensitively handled scene.
Juhi looks awesome and her performance is flawless. In the film Priyanka remarks to Anil - ‘Your wife is beautiful’. A smart alec watching the film in the theater murmured - ‘Kyun nahi Priyanka, tere se pahle woh Miss India bani thi!’
Of the other assortment, Sohail and Isha have the briefest role, but the maximum to raise the chuckles. Priyanka and Salman didnt really have to ‘act’ - they played a natural extension of their selves. And Akshaye and Ayesha were as ever great!
In terms of characters, the most boring couple are John-Vidya, followed closely by Govinda and his firang beauty.
The music is a big bore - and halters the already slow pace of the film.
Theater Drama
There was a major technical glitch at the multiplex. It broke off near the climax. The reel had unspooled itself, explained the harried executives there, when the ‘five minute’ break extended to more than thirty minutes. The restlessness grew, and so did the demands for refund. Also, the next show viewers were demanding to be seated. The thirty minutes extended to more than an hour - and the patience had worn off. I wouldnt have minded to stay back and complete the film - however bad it may be, but evidently no one else had any more inclination to sit through it, esp. after the indefinite break.
The consequence? We got our full money back.
I have yet to see the last fifteen-twenty minutes of the film - but for that to sit through the first three hours is even beyond my patience.
The final word: When the film stopped and the reason given, another smart alec remarked - ‘Itni boring film hai ke machine bhi dikhaate dikhaate thak gayi!’
Overall- Below Expectations!
