HUM TUM....Another Bollywood Humdrum!
Creativity has almost become defunct now in Bollywood. Not that I had any hopes from it in terms of challenging cinema. But should admit of late the quality of films being dished out to the "discerning audience" is at it's nadir. With the glorious exception of Ram Gopal Verma's films I don't look forward to the release of any Hindi film. Not that I am an aficionado of Tamil films either. Again Mani Ratnam,Kamal Hassan and Shankar being the exceptions. But as I mentioned elsewhere the trash ratio of Collywood is lower compared to Bollywood. IMNSHO an average Hollywood film is comparable to the best dished out here. Well alright guess I am a stuck up snob when it comes to films but hey that doesn't make my observation any wrong. Now coming to Hum Tum where I was dragged on to it by my friend and his inamorata to the Woodlands theatre . It was 8 yrs since I last went to the theatre...
...cut to the present...
About the Movie: *if* I have to write abt the story (?) it would take me less than two lines. So I am gonna desist from doing it. (Ya thank your respective Gods). It is "loosely" based on When Harry Met Sally (WHMS) and did not do justice to the film at all. Ok let me first say what was in the movie. Saif in his stereotyped flirtatious role. He still seems to be carrying on that image from his "Yeh Dillagi" (If my memory serves me right) days. And looks way too old in this movie to pull it off. Ppl do age in 10 yrs you know. Though he does seem comfortable in the later part of the movie. Initially as a “college” student….well (shrugs). Rani looks gorgeous if her make up man has been kind to her or *if* you have been lucky to doze off in between. Sorry even she isn’t worth the 60 bucks the ticket I spent for! ;(
The rest of the cast does not warrant any special attention. Ah yeah. The Story. Saif comes from a rich family (boy! Were you “surprised???) whose parents are estranged (ample foundation for sentiments to come later) with an ultra cool dad. (the new synonym for clichéd is Bollywood!) Rani is as usual from a rich family too with a Punjabi mother (Atleast I am not sure..hey this is not a movie review..these are my interpretations not facts) and the story is how they “hate each other initially and then fall in love” (yawn!!!!!) Add doses of sentiments..family values…man woman bonding (Bollywood style!) ,designer clothes,forced humor,shameless lifting from a Hollywood film and not doing it justice fully and what have you? “Hum tum”! Some of the visuals are pretty good ofcourse…Paris and Amsterdam…but hey me want some “reality” and more importantly “originality”!!
How is it different from WHMS? In every way possible. The two reasons why WHMS became popular was :
1) Woman faking orgasms
2) Platonic friendship: myth or reality?
About the first naturally have no idea or empirical facts to back up (as yet ;)). Abt the second have loads to say. But that’s got to be another day. The movie was a classic because it was more in sync with the American life. The screenplay was much better and brilliant acting by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan added to the positives of the movie. Now naturally one cannot make a replica of WHMS in hindi…where “sex” is still taboo (Hawaas and Murder fans plz excuse!) and whatever does p-l-a-t-o-n-i-c mean anyway??? So Hum Tum is the “best” they can dish out. And insult the intelligence of the viewers (Did you forget abt the “snob” part?) And THAT ladies and Gentleman is THAT.
...cut to the present...
About the Movie: *if* I have to write abt the story (?) it would take me less than two lines. So I am gonna desist from doing it. (Ya thank your respective Gods). It is "loosely" based on When Harry Met Sally (WHMS) and did not do justice to the film at all. Ok let me first say what was in the movie. Saif in his stereotyped flirtatious role. He still seems to be carrying on that image from his "Yeh Dillagi" (If my memory serves me right) days. And looks way too old in this movie to pull it off. Ppl do age in 10 yrs you know. Though he does seem comfortable in the later part of the movie. Initially as a “college” student….well (shrugs). Rani looks gorgeous if her make up man has been kind to her or *if* you have been lucky to doze off in between. Sorry even she isn’t worth the 60 bucks the ticket I spent for! ;(
The rest of the cast does not warrant any special attention. Ah yeah. The Story. Saif comes from a rich family (boy! Were you “surprised???) whose parents are estranged (ample foundation for sentiments to come later) with an ultra cool dad. (the new synonym for clichéd is Bollywood!) Rani is as usual from a rich family too with a Punjabi mother (Atleast I am not sure..hey this is not a movie review..these are my interpretations not facts) and the story is how they “hate each other initially and then fall in love” (yawn!!!!!) Add doses of sentiments..family values…man woman bonding (Bollywood style!) ,designer clothes,forced humor,shameless lifting from a Hollywood film and not doing it justice fully and what have you? “Hum tum”! Some of the visuals are pretty good ofcourse…Paris and Amsterdam…but hey me want some “reality” and more importantly “originality”!!
How is it different from WHMS? In every way possible. The two reasons why WHMS became popular was :
1) Woman faking orgasms
2) Platonic friendship: myth or reality?
About the first naturally have no idea or empirical facts to back up (as yet ;)). Abt the second have loads to say. But that’s got to be another day. The movie was a classic because it was more in sync with the American life. The screenplay was much better and brilliant acting by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan added to the positives of the movie. Now naturally one cannot make a replica of WHMS in hindi…where “sex” is still taboo (Hawaas and Murder fans plz excuse!) and whatever does p-l-a-t-o-n-i-c mean anyway??? So Hum Tum is the “best” they can dish out. And insult the intelligence of the viewers (Did you forget abt the “snob” part?) And THAT ladies and Gentleman is THAT.
posted by The Man Who Wasnt There | 5/30/2004 06:28:00 PM
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