WARNING
People who love Yash Chopra - Karan Johar -Shubhash Ghai movies should NOT read
this reviews, as they will for sure disagree with my each and every words
WARNING OVER

I do not had any high expectations from Veer Zaara. I know how Yash CHopra's movies are meant to be, larger than life, glossy, but devoid of soul (perhaps Silsila was exception). I wanted to watch Veer Zaara for two reasons. It had been a long time since I had seen a Hindi movie. Second, music was by Madan Mohan, and although it was not great music, just wanted to pay homage to one of my favourite MDs.

So here I go, driving 30 kms to Mississsauga/Oakville border, on a rainy-snowy late evening. The route was unknown to me, and all the road signs had been covered by snow. But still I took right turn at the right road, and landed in AMC theatres. I was bit late, but the movie started as soon as I took my seat, so did not miss anything.

The movie is shot in Gulzar "ishtyle". Starting with the present, and than periods of flashback and return to present, and ultimately, the grand finale.

The story is nothing new to talk about. It is an age old story of boy-meets-girls, falls in love, then the usual stuff "Yeh Shaadi Nahin Ho Sakti", then the chewed-to-death theme of "ghar and khandaan ki izzat", then the usual sacrifice and how high it is valued in Indian culture, then the usual gloom, then the "O-Henry twist" and then as it says in Gujarati, "Khaadun, Pidhun Ne Raaj Karyun (And the prince and princess lived happily ever after).

I am not very clear about Yash Chopra's obsession with sacrificing lovers, or Aditya Chopra's fixation with "maa baap ki agyaa" in marriage.

Poor Amitabh had to give up Raakhi in "Kabhi Kabhi" as he could not think of going against "maa baap ki asha and umeed". Poor guy again had to get married to Jaya in Silsila just out of moral duty, and forget about Rekha. Even after brief extra-marital affair with Rekha, he had to give "balidaan" of his feelings, and has to get tied down with Jaya.

So "Veer Zaara" is no different than "Kabhi Kabhi". It just takes a single heart attack for Boman Irani and few tears from Kiron Kher, to make Shahrukh change his mind and give up on his love and his feelings, and accept 22 years of imprisonment.

Damn it!!!!!!!!!All directors of Bollywood should be given a lesson in respecting a young person feelings. All Bollywood characters (actually Story - Screenplay writers) should be made to repeat the sentence "I will not kill my feelings" million times, till they give up the whole "drame-baazi" of "icchaaon ki qurbani", and have the guts to run away from home and revolt against parents, just for the sake of their own feelings. It is 21st century, and it is so archaic to think about sacrifice. (Hey, isn't that what Raj Kapoor endorse in 1971 in Bobby?? Yeah, but seems Raj Kapoor does not know much about Indian "values and culture"

Surprise, Surprise - Yash Chopra has only recently found out about women's lib and woman's empowerment. So no wonder, that it takes just a few words of wisdom from Preity Zinta to make Amitabh change his mind to build a girls school in some remote village of Punjaab. Cut and paste those dialogues on Rani Mukherjee, and now you have some jailor and Anupam Kher dropping down their weapons. Well well, so Mr. Yash Chopra, what are those woman's rights doing, when Preity Zinta is forced to marry against her will. Isn't the same thing a human rights violation? But if Preity Zinta starts talking about women's rights just before interval, how are we going to drag the movie for 3 hours?

So again, we have Shahrukh doing the reenactment of his DDLJ role, traveling to Pakistan to get his love, only to return empty-handed. What else he can do? He is just a puppet in hands of Aditya Chopra (Story-Screenplay-Dialogues) who won't let him develop the guts of fighting against the society just for the protecting his feelings (One thing is for sure - Aditya is kind enough on us - poor audiences - as to not make Shahrukh a-la Sunny Deol in "Gadar" - fighting single handedly against Pakistan army - thanks a zillion for that). But yeah, but now Indo-Pak relations have improved, and hence we cannot depict Pakistanis as villains.

And what is this directors fixation with rain? Shahrukh-Preity meet - it is raining, they depart - it is raining, they meet again - it is raining. So what is rain supposed to symbolize. That too, when you can clearly see the sunlight in background. Thank God, the camera man is not stupid enough to show us the sprinklers. Seems as if the characters are based in Cherrapunji rather than an arid Lahore.

Technical snags - lots of - starting with the starting scene out of Shahrukh's cell, which is clearly an artist's impression of Lahore instead of real Lahore, "Natraj" pencils on Judge's dais, big downpours while sun is still shining, characters uttering the word "cool" in early 80s (presuming that present is 2004), the accused seating on bench and having the liberty of going to the exit of court, lawyer having the ability to meet the convict right in his cell and bringing food for the culprit. Never in the movie can you realize of figure out that 22 years have passed by. Everything still feels the same, the hairstyle, the clothes.

But there is one thing for which Yash Chopra needs to be sincerely applauded. He does not fall into the trap of giving a contemporary feeling, with characters speaking "cool" and "s***" at end of every dialogues and eating McBurgers and drinking Coke. There are no Mercs-BMWs-foreign locales, no tulips (mustard or "sarson" has taken the place of tulips). No internet-e-mails.

Performance wise - none of the roles require special acting abilities. Shahrukh Khan plays Shahrukh Khan, the egocentric self. He told in an interview in rediff "I sleep walk through romantic roles". One should praise his candour. Preity Zeinta has a bit of "ameer baap ki eklauti bigdi beti" role, which she plays without any glitch. Rani Mukherjee is wasted in an inconsequential role. The biggest and pleasant surprise is the special appearance of Bacchan and Hema Malini.

So critics like me will continue to find faults with each and every movie produced by Chopras, public will praise and love them. Awards will be showered for best performance as side kick, or best performance as heroine's "saheli". Producers-distributors-theatre owners will make addition to their bank balance. And Yash Chopra will announce one more movie starring Shahrukh.........

I must commend your inner strength for going to these lengths to watch this movie after after having endured mindless emotional fluff like Kal Ho Na Ho. That movie was like a Russian doll with the innermost doll containing a big"GOTCHA!!". While watching that one, the persistent thought in my head was the commercial that launched Apple in which a bunch of renegades who hurl all kinds of objects at a huge screen on which a stiff (supposedly IBM) exec. is going on and on about assimilation and conformity. Where were those guys when this movie was being screened, man?

Anyways, sorry to hear you wasted your money. For me, KHNH was the final nail in the coffin for SRK - Yash Chopra/Johar - etc etc nonsense. No more!

After Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan, I'm really waiting for Aamir's next movie. He better not disappoint me.

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Are you there?

Reasonably good movie with good music. Only drawback, they should have taken a young singer to sing songs for Preity Zinta. No hard feelings for Lataji but she is getting old and her voice seems to be shaky at times particularly in "HUM TO BHAI JAISE HAIN" song. Amitabh and Hema a pleasent surprise.

It is a typical Yash Chopra movie. Meghal you have analyzed the movie so minutely. One does not need to do that. Watch movie for the sake of enjoyment and not for scrutinizing it like that !!!

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sukhdeep

Quote:

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Orginally posted by mannat
It is a typical Yash Chopra movie. Meghal you have analyzed the movie so minutely. One does not need to do that. Watch movie for the sake of enjoyment and not for scrutinizing it like that !!!

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I agree that "Lagaan" and DCH were movies in a differnt class altogether. That's one thing about Amir Khan. he comes in one or two movies in a year but they are classics. Unlike SRK who has a number of movies every year and they are just standard ones. I beleive that Veer Zaara would have done much better had they taken someone else in place of SRK. SRK is just a normal actor whereas Amir has matured in the selection of his roles. I guess everyone is looking forward to "Mangal Pandey". I too do not expect much out of Swades.

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sukhdeep

These are my favorite songs from Veer Zaara:

1. Do pal ruka: The tune, the lyrics and Sonu Nigam's voice makes the rendition so golden as if tears are flowing in satinesque settings. The man has "dard" in his voice. It raises the spirits, stimulates the soul and brings out emotion. Absolutely great. Absolutely soulful.

2. Jaanam dekhlo mit gayee dooriyan: Beautiful lines...give me goose bumps. "Main tumhare hi dil ki to awaaz hoon, sun sako to suno dhadkano ki zubaan, main yehan hoon, yehan hoon, yehan hoon, yehan!!" Where the thoughts permeate into reality, where you see someone who is not there. Poetry in pure form, Mr. Akthar, you are awesome here!!

3. Kyon Hawa:

The prelude to the song starts with Yash Chopra's voice reciting some beautiful lines:

"Ek din jab savere savere
Surmaiyy se andher ki chadar hatake
Ek parbat ke takiye se, suraj ne sar jo uthaya
To dekha...
Dil ki vaadi main chahat ka mausam hai
Aur yaadon ki daaliyon par anginat
Beete lamhon ki kaliyan mehekne lagi hain"

Very hummable, very mellow and very lonesome!

At this time I can think of these three that have really made Veer Zaara an unforgettable experience for me. Let me know if you concur with me.

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Pray as if everything depended on GOD
Then work, as if everything depends on you!!!

I really liked the songs of Veer Zara particularly 'Tere Liye" and "Do Pal"
As a matter of fact Madan Mohan did something like R.D did for 1942 Love Story ..reminding everyone about their class just before they started journey towards heaven.
As far as Yash Chopra is concerned I believe no one else in Bollywood made film on Romantism on so many different angle.

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ani