Urban Chic. Review on Salaam Namaste

Aditya Chopra is a reclusive gentleman. But the way he is churning out these well packaged entertainers under the Yash Raj banner, it might not be possible for him to keep himself invisible further from the media spotlight. Currently in Bollywood you have these two distinct styles of movie making. If RGV represents the edgier, on the face, sharper style, then Aditya Chopra stamps all his creation with this mellow, soft and gentle caress that makes audience see his movies with rose tinted glasses.

Salaam Namaste, the latest from Yash Raj Films is packaged with elan by first time director Siddharth Raj Anand. I am assuming Aditya Chopra guided him all the way till the last fold is wrapped and the ribbon is tied with a flourish.

Story

The story revolves around two ambitious young people who take a call to live together and check each other out. The lady in question is a medical student moonlighting as a Radio jockey, while the gentleman is an architect who has switched careers to become a full time Chef. Both stay alone in Melbourne, Australia while family ties are safely kept at length in India. Preity Zinta (Amber) and Saif Ali Khan (Nick) fits their roles to the T. The drama happens when Amber inadvertently gets pregnant and Nick is unable to accept the situation. It creates havoc in his MTV enjoy lifestyle and the prospect of changing diapers in the near future make him act like a complete jerk. However in the end he realizes his mistake and all ends happily with Nick proposing Amber in the Delivery room.

Performances

Both the lead actors did a credible job to make their characters believable and likeable. Saif keep on hitting the right notes with a character tailor made to suit his current cool metrosexual persona. Preity just have to be herself in the first half and act suitably hurt and pained in the second half. She did have good practice for this role when she did “Kya Kehna” some time back. But it is the supporting cast enacting quirky characters which helps the movie immensely. Leading the pack is Javed Jaffri as the landlord in a Crocodile Dundee meet Laloo Prasad role. He mouths gems like goods morning, eggjactly, etc in a poker face to raise the desired laughs. Then we have Arshad Warsi playing Ron who transforms from this woman crazy bachelor to this hen pecked husband effortlessly. He is the perfect foil to Saif’s character and their banter throughout the movie is thouroughly enjoyable. Debu Nair and Mr Deka are two more characters who liven up the proceedings because of their heavily accentuated mannerisms. Jugal Hansraj is also there as the proverbial good friend and provides the jealousy angle. Abhishek Bachhan as the bumbling doctor in the end is the icing to the array of such characters.

Music

Vishal Sekhar does a Shankar Ehshaan Loy with the music of this movie. They tone down their experimental and rock influences to prepare a more commercially viable sound for Aditya Chopra. Surprise of surprises. It works. The title song specially vibrates with energy and attitude. My dil goes Hmmm and Whats going on are also good on the ears. Btw Four Non blondes must be preparing their graves if they heard Vishal Sekhar’s take on that and seen the cute way it was picturised on screen.

Bottomline

The movie’s script is loosely based on the Hugh Grant, Julianne Moore starrer comedy Nine Months. However credit to the scriptwriter and the director that apart from the climax, they have indianised the same quite efficiently adding liberal doses of their own originality. The movie most probably will rake in the moolah. Everyone associated with the movie will feel happy and content with the success achieved. It is end of day a feel good movie which always goes down well with our stress filled lifestyle.

However I expect more from Yash Raj banner. As an insignificant member of their vast audience I would only ask Aditya Chopra to ponder on some niggling advice:

Make one movie from the heart.

Commercial success be dammed.

Designer clothes be dammed.

Your father used to do that.