I was putting this off and putting this off, hoping subtitles would be added so I could do a comprehensive discussion, not just a sort of discussion.  But, no luck!  So I will put up this kind of placeholder post, and all you lucky people who know Hindi can discuss it in depth, and the rest of us will just leap in once someone at Red Chillies gets around to hitting the magical “English Subs” button on their youtube account.

There are actually two teasers.  This promo campaign reminds me quite a bit of what they did for Dear Zindagi.  Sort of in character mini videos on twitter.  It’s also sort of like what Yash Raj did for Mere Pyari Bindu.  I can see the appeal, combining the immediacy and intimacy of little twitter messages, with video technology to take advantage of the visual ability of the filmmakers.  I just wish they would post these little mini video messages WITH SUBTITLES!!!!

Oh well, at least the first one that went up has subtitles now.  It’s Shahrukh, in his office (which always gives me a little shock, because I keep thinking that Gaurav destroyed it in Fan, and then I realize that was just a set based on Shahrukh’s office).  He is lipsynching to a Punjabi song, which he clarifies is NOT in the film.  In case you thought this was also a song release.  It’s not, it’s just a cute video.

But it’s a really cute video!  Almost too cute.  Shahrukh is working those dimples and that embarrassed-to-be-so-happy look like crazy.  But I am okay with that!

We also get a little hint of his character, a Punjabi who dreamed of being a singer and ran away to Canada.  But then he met Sejal, and everything changed.  Woo-hoo!  Classic Imtiaz!  Not overwrought Tamasha/Rockstar Imtiaz.  No, classic Socha Na Tha/Jab We Met Imtiaz.  Who was all about two people becoming better people after falling in love.  Not just hero and heroine who fight the bad guys for each other, but who work harder and take life more seriously and care more about the world, after falling in love.  That’s what Shahrukh’s last line here seems to imply, and the teaser trailer that came out today picks up on that even more.

Now, as I said, NO SUBTITLES!!!!  But what I am getting here is that Harry/Shahrukh is trying to warn Anushka/Sejal that he is a bad character, or he has no character.  He drinks, he womanizes, he is bad and bad to know.  And Sejal accepts and misunderstands/understands his explanation, in a way that makes him want to rip his hair out.  I am delighted!  Shahrukh as bad boy who still feels a sense of protection and acts differently towards Anushka, delightful!  Anushka as cheerful girl who refuses to take Shahrukh’s drama seriously, excellent!

My only fear at this point is that it is TOO Jab We Met like.  I don’t want an exact rehash of the Geet character, or the “innocent girl traveling needs help from strange man” plot.

Oh, and my other fear is that it is a little too multiplex-y still.  A Punjabi would-be singer is great, but I don’t know about the European setting and all of that.  And the very club looking clubs, not sort of country bar type places.

But Shahrukh drinking and drawing a circle on a lady’s stomach is super sexy.