KHUSHI (PG) 2003
SYNOPSIS:
May contain
spoilers...
Karan (Fardeen Khan) who resides in Kolkata, wants to study abroad and has his eyes set on the US shores. But due to certain circumstances he has to settle for the bright lights and big city closer to home; Mumbai University. Meanwhile in Garwal, Khushi (Kareena Kapoor) who reigns from a conservative Punjabi family is trying to convince her father (Amrish Puri) that her destination is education and not marriage. After much persuasion Kareena sets off for her studies at Mumbai University.
Bollywood romance directed by S.J. Suryah
Starring: Fardeen Khan & Kareena Kapoor
Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics: Sameer
In Hindi, with English subtitles
OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
Australian Distributor: www.mgdistribution.com.au
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HEROIC-CINEMA REVIEW:
One of the interesting things about delving into a
new film culture is seeing how they approach different genres. One
of the disappointing things is finding out that maybe that culture's
treatment of those genres is not to your tastes.
So, while I stand by my enthusiasm for Bollywood dramas and
epics, it's going to be cold day in Calcutta before I line up for
another Bollywood teen comedy.
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How bad was bad? Pretty bad. We're talking mugging on a scale that
makes Macauly Culkin look like Sir Lawrence Olivier. Fardeen Kharan
and Kareena Kapoor pull so many rubbery "Doh!" and
"What the?!" facial expressions that their eyes are in
danger of permanently bugging out. Add that to the fact that they're
both as irritating as all get out and you at least feel that they
deserve each other.
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A highlight of most Bollywood films is the music - not a highlight
here. Not enough dance grooves, way too many rawkin' guitars. The
whole thing smacks of Pepsi New Generation - not sure why, maybe it
was the big posters of Ricky Martin and J-Lo that formed the
backdrop of one dance sequence, or maybe it was the audience dressed
uniformly in red and blue and seated on the white tile flor in a
perfect Pepsi logo formation?
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Another usual highlight is the script and the snappy scene length -
bzzzt. This one strains for ideas. Scenes fall flat but then refuse
to die, instead they just sort of lie there expiring until you find
yourself wishing for the ability to put them out of their misery.
The romantic plot (and I use the term loosely) runs out of direction
after the interval, so the rest of the film meanders through a
series of barely related skits before it hits its predictable but
long overdue conclusion.
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I better find something to like. The dance sequences are
spectacular, and one is actually pretty funny as the squabbling
couple run into about 10 identical versions of themselves in
different settings. Some of the locations are great, particularly a
house which backs on to a waterfall. There are a few neat gags from
the narrator, and Khushi's dad is an appealing character sporting
the best mo in movies since the governor in Tears of the Black
Tiger.
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Apart from that though, Khushi is a bit
shtinki.
Go see Saathiya or Kaante
instead.
Rating: 3 Pepsi Generation Bollywood
kids out of 10
Reviewed by Mark Morrison
OTHER REVIEWS:
Review at Planet Bollywood
Review at Indianinfo
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