Sooooooo beautiful. This is the most visually gorgeous Bollywood film I've seen yet. The building, the landscapes, the clothing, the lit-up floor, the dancing, the flowers....
Which might be why the post-intermission seems so jarring and dull, when they go to "Italy" (really Hungary, I am pleased to learn, because that location certainly didn't look like any of the Italian cities I've visited). Is it supposed to seem like that? Maybe it's to enforce the contrast between the breezy, brilliant, swirling love we assume Nandini and Sameer have, and the more solid, stable, serving love that Nandini and Vanraj have.
I'm growing increasingly fond of the stock fesity female character. It appeals to the Jane Austen fan in me, I think.
The author of Bollywood Boy talks about how Salman Khan loves to show off his upper body. I counted at least four shirtless scenes in this movie, one of which being unbelievably superfluous: when the women of the house challenge the men to name one thing men can do that women can't, the men gather in a huddle then yell "This!" while ripping off their shirts. Whatever.
Shirtlessness aside, I still do not get what the big deal about Salman Khan is. Is it not possible to really understand an actor's skills if you don't understand what he's saying? Maybe that's it. (But I get why Aamir Khan is considered a substantial actor, and I get why Shah Rukh Khan is beloved, even if I fall to his charms only against my better judgement.)
An interesting fun fact for you. In the 50's and 60's in India, there was a well-known and respected art film director called Bimal Roy. Bimal Roy hailed from Calcutta but moved to Bombay later. In the 50's, Roberto Rossellini(the famous Italian director, married once upon a time to Ingrid Bergman, and father of Isabella Rossellini was invited to Calcutta by Bimal Roy to see a documentary. While Rossellini was there, he fell in love with BR's wife's niece, Sonali, who was not only married to someone and had a son with him, but was also pregnant with his second child. So Rossellini and Sonali eloped, leaving the first born in Calcutta. Bimal Roy, at the insistence of his wife, put a call to the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to try and stop the two from leaving the country but fortunately or unfortunately, the two escaped. Sonali had her second child in Italy, divorced her husband, bacame Rossellini's third wife and lived happily ever after. Except for her son who grew up believing he was Rossellini's son, Isabella's step brother and half-Italian. He only got to know about it when he was around 20 years old. His name is Gil Rossellini and Salman Khan's character's background is based on him - hence the Italian connection and the last name Rossellini. Like a Bollywood story, right?
Paagal Subtitle(tumblr): celebrating creativity, typos, and expert image-and-word juxtaposition in subtitles in Indian cinema. Please to be adding your favorites by clicking submit!
Bong Along: a blog on vintage Bengali movies co-written by Indie Quill and me (and perhaps a few very friendly appearances by other friends as well).
Masala Zindabad: the podcast by Indie Quill and me, often featuring other writers and fans as guests. Masala Zindabad is an affectionate and thoughtful look at the broad range of themes that define Bollywood and make Bollywood defy definition. Available at iTunes.
The Cultural Gutter : my work on Indian cinema at a site dedicated to thoughtful writing about disreputable art.
Order of the Skeleton Suit: the Agents of M.O.S.S. are a shadowy confederation of like-minded writers, broadcasters, creators, and jetsetters who have banded together in a bold mission to bring international intrigue and pop entertainment to the masses. Can anyone stand in the way of their diabolical schemes?
Text (c) 2005–2016, Beth Watkins. The ideas and opinions expressed in this site are mine alone unless otherwise attributed. They do not necessarily represent the views of my employer or of any other organization or website with which I may be associated.
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An interesting fun fact for you. In the 50's and 60's in India, there was a well-known and respected art film director called Bimal Roy. Bimal Roy hailed from Calcutta but moved to Bombay later. In the 50's, Roberto Rossellini(the famous Italian director, married once upon a time to Ingrid Bergman, and father of Isabella Rossellini was invited to Calcutta by Bimal Roy to see a documentary. While Rossellini was there, he fell in love with BR's wife's niece, Sonali, who was not only married to someone and had a son with him, but was also pregnant with his second child.
So Rossellini and Sonali eloped, leaving the first born in Calcutta. Bimal Roy, at the insistence of his wife, put a call to the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to try and stop the two from leaving the country but fortunately or unfortunately, the two escaped. Sonali had her second child in Italy, divorced her husband, bacame Rossellini's third wife and lived happily ever after. Except for her son who grew up believing he was Rossellini's son, Isabella's step brother and half-Italian. He only got to know about it when he was around 20 years old. His name is Gil Rossellini and Salman Khan's character's background is based on him - hence the Italian connection and the last name Rossellini.
Like a Bollywood story, right?
Salman Khan has finally broken the Silence and spoken out for his fans regarding the truth about the media and recent controversies surrounding him.
Do check out his official blog duskadum.blogspot.com
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