Saawariya Review
Chris and I watched Saawariya the other day and I had intended to write a review but I got distracted. Here's the thing about Bollywood, especially mainstream Bollywood, it can be overwrought and melodramatic. This is why I like it but sometimes it's just too much. I will happily fast forward through the neverending longing looks and the closeups of tear stained cheeks if I have to but sometimes it just bothers me. It bothered me with Saawariya. On one hand, the movie is gorgeous. Some critic has surely called it a "visual feast" because it really is. It looks a bit like Pan's Labyrinth and Moulin Rouge mated and had little Bollywood movie babies. It's stunning. The actors are gorgeous and talented. Ranbir Kapoor is absolutely adorable in that take him home to mom kind of way. Sonam Kapoor is very beautiful too and together they make a really cute couple. Ahhh but this story is a tragic one and they will spend a great deal of the movie in tears. Don't expect a very happy ending either. Salman Khan and Rani make appearances and Rani is particularly good as the wise, but flawed prostitute Gulabji. Like I said, I can handle a bit of melodrama but at some point it just became excrutiating. I could barely watch any longer. At just over two hours (short by Bollywood standards) it was just too long and I would have forgiven that had there been more song and dance numbers but there really weren't. Much of that time was spent on the emotional development which had grown quite stagnant. Overall it was a pleasant movie to watch and I would love to own the soundtrack because the songs were pretty good but it's not a movie I would watch again. Nor would I recommend it to anyone except a die hard Bollywood fan. But yes it was very pretty.