When in a mood for something unchallenging, I decided to watch another older Shah Rukh Khan romantic movie. Premise behind the movie is as such. Young cheerful woman Taani (played by Anushka Sharma) just get to be married through love marriage, but groom and his guests die in a last moment in traffic accident, leaving her as almost-widow already. Her father due to shock under the events lands in hospital and eventually dies. Before his death, he convinces his daughter and his beloved student Suri (Shah Rukh Khan) to marry each other. Taani agrees, but obviously under circumstances it is hard to consider it fully wilful choice. Suri marries her just day later from Taani’s planned wedding and takes her to Amritsar. Taani closes herself and loose her joyfulness, living through death of her beloved, her father and then moving to different city with total stranger as her husband during such short time.
True premise behind the movie is introduced only after that initial setup. Taani tries to be honest with Suri, telling him that although she is grateful for what he did for her, she won’t be able to love him. She also, closed behind doors of beautiful house, decides to fight her sullen mood and joins dance school to at least try rejuvenate her joy of life a little. Suri, normally boring bureaucrat in energy company, takes on a persona of boisterous and loud Raj in order to get closer to Taani. He uses only thinly Clark Kent-esque disguise of shaved mustache, geled hair, shades and tight clothes.
From here the movie follows quite predictable turns until inevitable conclusion of love. Premise is quite absurd and stretch believability, so in order to enjoy the movie at all we need to accept disguise. It could be quite hard though because distinctive face of Shah Rukh Khan. But when we will accept it, we got warm fast food of a story. Maybe it won’t provide any intellectual nutrients, but at least will be pleasurable to consume.
What could be expected out of Chopra dynasty movie, it is shot beautifully, but biggest part in it play its setting. Amritsar with colorful narrow streets, old ornate architecture, rooftops, salwar kameezes and Sikh turbans mixed with modernity elements like cars and cables. Obligatory shots of Golden Temple are not missed as well. Music and songs are catchy and infuse Punjabi bhangra sounds with modern tunes quite effortlessly.
Speaking of songs, “Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte” jumped on me unexpectedly. I wondered when was the time when Hindi cinema became so self-referential. Here we have references to various eras of Hindi cinema and cameos from contemporary actresses and Shah Rukh partners from different movies like Kajol (obviously), Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta and others. Beyond that, we also have tune from Dhoom series playing out during bike chase scene. I had to check, but it came out this movie came out just one year after “Om Shanti Om”, so probably Hindi filmmakers were still in a mood for such meta storytelling.
One thing that I wonder is if it’s another example of Aditya Chopra wanting to have it both ways, selling traditional morals in modern guise. Maybe I read too much into it, but DDLJ is recognized as doing exactly that so I wouldn’t be surprised. Here we have benevolent patriarch who just wants good for her daugher, but force her daugher to marry Suri. Even if she later claims she agreed, but she agreed under soft pressure, as it was her father’s dying wish. Putting the father to death, put him off-hook, in a way. Probably is quite significant that her original wedding supposed to be of “love marriage” and Suri was her father’s long time favorite and he wanted to marry him to his daughter for a long time in the first place. There’s of course level of plausible deniability, because the movie doesn’t claims anything outwardly.
What I liked was that despite that hints of traditional obedience, they tried to fit in character of Taani agency. Whole point of her attending dance school was to find something of her own (which probably makes little problematic that her husband joins it under disguise, but maybe I overthink it again). She also doesn’t give a slack Raj and doesn’t allow him to behave inappropriately with her. Then there’s also her chase scene where she takes the lead in ‘action’ scene.
Overall it is pleasant watch if you decide to halt your critical eye and just enjoy moods and vibes. If you like 1990’ Hindi cinema, its 2000’ extension should also please you.