![]() ![]() ![]() Where 'Saawariya' (which translates roughly into "Beloved" in English) unquestionably succeeds is in imagining its fantastical and romantic universe. Their story is so formulaic, and Mukerji so strong, that I couldn't help but wonder how much more emotionally arresting the movie might have been had Gulabji been Raj's love interest instead of Sakina. I quite enjoyed the main supporting characters (both Mukerji as Gulabji, and Sehgal as "Lillipop," are delightful), but there is perhaps too much of them, to the detriment of the comparatively bland Raj and Sakina. What dampens the fun is the plodding middle section, which veers too far from the main Raj-Sakina-Imaan love triangle. The film is essentially a musical (though, given its 138-minute runtime, there is actually far less song and dance than you might expect), so the hyper-reality and baroque dialogue are appropriate. On a tonal level, 'Saawariya' has some problems. Cloaked in a shady past and initially resisting his advances, Sakina eventually gives in to Raj's relentless pursuit, even when she admits that her heart still rests with the sailor Imaan (Salman Khan), who may be a spy - and who Sakina knew for only two days before promising to meet him again one year after they met. Raj's real adventure begins when he meets a captivating, but strangely melancholy young carpet weaver, Sakina (Sonam Kapoor). Tough-talking, but innocent, she will introduce us to aspiring singer Ranbir Raj (Ranbir Kapoor), who has just arrived in the Red Light District, getting a gig at the RK Bar and finding housing under the nose of kindly landlady Lillian (Zohra Sehgal), aka "Lillipop." ![]() Set in an intentionally surreal and fantastic alternate universe (one that combines both East and West in its visual and physical aesthetics), 'Saawariya's narrator is the prostitute Gulabji (Rani Mukerji). This adaptation of Dostoevsky's "White Nights" may have its share of story flaws, but it's immensely effective photography, lavish production design, and charming love story ultimately elevate it to such a level that I feel I can deservedly dub it a Bollywood cousin to 'Moulin Rouge!' It's quite a dazzling piece of work. I must admit to being somewhat unfamiliar with the Bollywood genre, but although I've seen only a few of these Indian spectacles of song, dance, and romance, 'Saawariya' immediately stands out as a mightily impressive feat. ![]()
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