The Path of Love!

I went to see Watchmen at the midnight opening this weekend. It was very good, and I recommend it. I think I would like to see it again (which is, well let's face it, not unusual for me, but still...). Good music, a wonderful adaptation as far as they go, and well performed by the actors. I actually felt more about the characters in the movie--they seemed more human (imagine that, actors seeming more human than characters on a page--I think it's because they turned up the hotness factor on everyone!) Anyway, that is all I will say about it for now, because I want to get on to more important matters, and that is Bollywood!

As you can already see, I talk about this constantly. The poor people around me must listen to me prattle on. Oh well. I just watched a film that I have not seen for about a year, and that is Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, with who else but my favorite, Aamir Khan. I liked it a bunch more the second time around, and I know that it is on many people's top 5 list of his films. However, this leads me to a post that I was going to do earlier, but didn't have time. This is my post about Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (I've heard it translated as "We Are Traveller's on the Path of Love", although I'm not positive as to how acurate this is...although it makes sense).

Anyone who knows anything about Hindi cinema knows that most films of this industry have a love story (in my opinion, they're usually pretty good, although they do veer dangerously into "cheese" territory sometimes). This story is about Rahul, a young man who has to give up his education because his sister and brother-in-law just died in a car accident, and he has to take care of their three children and the factory that they left behind. He enlists the help of a runaway heiress, Vyjantin(Juhi Chawla) with the children, and of course they fall in love! It's a loose remake of Houseboat with Cary Grant, and if you've seen Raising Helen (shudder), it's kind of the same idea.

From 1993, it is my second favorite of his films. I've read rumors that he helped write it, but again, they're just rumors. I believe this film was his fifth film with Juhi Chawla (they made seven together if my counting is correct), and they are simply fabulous in it. They were quite a popular pairing, after they both made breakout performances in the 1988 Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Think along the lines of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, or some other really popular pairing. Hum Hain...is in my opinion their best film together because the writing and the set design, the story and their performances all just click together beautifully. They do not live in the super rich houses of later Bollywood (see virtually all big blockbuster films today), although they are rich enough to employ a servant. However there is the ever present lurking of poverty in all that Rahul does. Also, the low budget for the film and the set design give the story a simplicity and realism that, despite the complexity of the twists the plot takes, grounds the film in a certain sense of reality (at least, in relation to films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham).

The hilarity of this film cannot be underestimated, especially if you are unused to Bollywood humor (it takes a while to get comedies such as Andaz Apna Apna for some people I think). Note especially the long time it takes for Rahul to discover that the kids are hiding Vyjanti in his house because he is just clueless...it's not like they're hiding her well! See also the scene where everyone somehow ends up in Rahul's house in the middle of the night chasing each other. It's classic! Lots of great musical numbers, and a happy ending make this movie nearly perfect in my opinion. I could watch it over and over again continuously.

Also, one little note...I love Aamir Khan, obviously, but the person who really makes this movie is Juhi Chawla. She's just so cute in it! Her expressions, her comedic timing, is all so wonderful that I think that she steals the show in this film. She also has to speak two different languages in it (which may or may not be impressive to you, as I believe this is common in most parts of the world except America...but I'm impressed because I'm American and can thus only speak one language fluently), and according to some web posters that I have read, she does a good job of it. Anyway, it's hard to find (although there are sites you can get it on), but I highly recommend this movie! Mostly, the feeling it leaves you with is one of pure, undiluted happiness!

P.S. Check out the three or four scenes in which giant egg fights ensue!