Review : Another feather in Shahrukh's cap.
This has got to be one of his most unique performances -- with the trademark mushyness we all love so much. His performance is (as-it-was-expected-to-be) flawless. Preity Zinta and Rani did a very good job too.... I like the whole Preity-with-long-hair look, it really suits her. I didn't think Preity would be an amazing match for Shahrukh at first, but once again, Yash Chopra has proved me wrong.
PLOT SUMMARY (SPOILERS INSIDE... PLEASE SKIP OVER IF NECESSARY)
Zaara (Preity Zinta) is a happy and bubbly girl from Pakistan. Veer Prataap Singh (Shahrukh Khan) is a Rescue Airforce pilot from India.
Zaara is extremely spoilt.. she gets looked after by her mother (yes she's the mother from main-hoon-na and from devdas... I forgot her name - kiron kher?) and her old servant Bebe. Her mother and father are arranging her marriage, but Zaara really doesn't want to get married. She declares that she is fine in her parents house, and laughs that she won't ever change, in the song Hum To Bhai Jaisain Hai...
But one day, Bebe suddenly dies. Before passing away, she tells Zaara her last wish. Bebe had been born in Pakistan, and had left Pakistan when she was sixteen years old in order to serve Zaara's family. Bebe wanted her ashes to lie in India before she could finally atain peace. So, when Bebe dies, Zaara faithfully takes a train to India.
After the train ride, she takes a bus... but unfortunately the bus gets into an accident. Enter Veer... a rescue pilot in India. He rescues each passenger one by one, and for some reason, he can't take his eyes off the accident's-last-victim, Zaara. Zaara gets extremely ''freaked out'' when she realizes that she's dropped her bag (which has Bebe's ashes in it) and demands Veer to go back down and get it.
Veer does so, getting very annoyed in the process, but he feels ashamed when the helicopter finally lands, and Zaara tells her the reason why he had to risk his life (rescuers do it every day) to rescue a bag. Veer, as a sort of apology, travels with Zaara to help her get to the river where Bebe wanted her to immerse the ashes. While doing so, he shows her around his country -- in the song Aesa Des Yeh Mera.
Veer becomes more and more in love with Zaara as the trip progresses, and in the end, when Zaara asks if there's anything she can do to repay his kindness, he asks for one more day with her. In that day, Veer brings her to his hometown, and introduces her to his aunt and uncle (whom he calls mother and father). (His uncle is actually Amitabh Bachan! I don't know who the aunt was though.... anyways they did an amazing job.)
The viewers can see that the couple is very loving towards each other, towards Veer, towards the village townspeople and now, to Zaara. The family and Zaara celebrate Lodi together, where Veer falls even more in love with the beautiful Zaara.
Before Zaara leaves, Veer talks to his father, who advises him to ask Zaara for her hand in marriage. Unknown to both of them however, Zaara already has a fiancée.
Soon, it's time for Zaara to leave and Veer drops her off to the train-station. There, her fiancée Raza comes to pick her up, and Veer is of course depressed.
Zaara, when she reaches home, can't get Veer out of her head, and sees him everywhere in the song Main Yahaan Hoon Yahaan...(it's a beautiful song, you should really download it)
Then, to summarize: Shaboo, Zaara's friend calls Veer in India to say that she knows that Zaara is in love with him, and that her wedding is coming soon. Shaboo asks Veer to take Zaara away.
Veer comes to Pakistan, knowing that his employment as Squadron Leader Veer Prataap Singh will probably be ruined, and arrives at Shaboo's house.
Zaara's dad almost dies from humuliation, and Zaara's mother pleads for Veer to give Zaara back to him, becase Zaara's dad probably won't be able to survive one more shock. Veer complies sadly but respectfully, he goes back on the bus to India.
SPOILERS -- NOW!!!!!!!!!
HOWEVER, before the bus leaves, some police officers arrest Veer and accuse him of being Ragesh Roshan, a notorious spy. When Veer's in the detention center, Raza comes in (not surprising) and says that either he accepts a life-time in jail, or he will give Zaara hell in marriage.
Veer, in his love, accepts the life-time in jail.... and we are brought back to the present day, twenty two years later, where a rather dirty yet adorable Veer is telling the story to Saamiya Sidaque (Rani Mukherji) who wants to plead his case. Saamiya knows that if she could only bring Zaara to the court, Veer's life in jail would end, and he would be free. But Veer insists on her not mentioning Zaara -- because he is sure that Raza has not forgotten the promise.
Saamiya goes to Veer's hometown instead, hoping that she may meet Veer's parents. Veer's parents have died long ago -- but Saamiya finds somebody else tending to Veer's village. And I don't have to continue... it's pretty obvious who it is.
Think, the only MAIN MAIN CHARACTER who admired, respected, and loved Veer (especially) and his parents for tending over the village is?
There's only one flaw in the entire three hour movie, and that's the final court scene. I agree, the song ''Tere Liye'' is very beautiful when Veer finally sees... oh I can't say her name :P. But the song isn't enough to replace the amazing drama which could have occurred when the court officials recognized ____ as the final witness. Otherwise, the movie is amazing, one of Shahrukh's best and mushyest. (Don't you just love my choice in vocabulary)
As for the music... wow. Just wow. Make sure you get the translation of Tere Liye and Main Yahaan Hoon Yahaan -- it's absolutely worth it.
Lodi is a cute song which I'm thinking of doing a dance to (with ten other people of course) and Hum To Bhain Jaisain Hai fully illustrates Preity's beauty.
The only flaw in costume is Zaara's makeup in only a COUPLE of scenes. I don't like some of it at times. You know the poster where Zaara's looking down and is wearing a black dress, while Sharukh is looking into her eyes? Preity's eyes look a bit to.. .unreal there, it makes her look much older than necessary. Shahrukh's makeup was well done though.... he looks amazing
Please contact me if you want more information about this beautiful movie. I ORDER YOU TO SEE IT!!! NOW!!!
