Yaaaaay, it is finally here! Released late, which means only an hour before I woke up. I am sure Shahrukh was holding it as long as possible in order to make life easier for me.
As of this moment, there are no subtitles. But the usual practice is it comes out without subtitles, and they get added within a few hours. So all of my questions and guesses might be out of date by the time you are reading this. Forgive me!
Trailer:
So, what I’ve got (without a firm grasp of Hindi) is that Shahrukh is a cocky confident fast talking Little Person who lives in India. He finds a photo of Anushka and decides she is the woman he wants to marry. Learns she has cerebral palsy and it doesn’t stop him. She at first is surprised and a little amused by him but then is won over by his sincere wooing and romance.
And then Kat enters the picture. Gorgeous troubled movie star who (seemingly) picks up Shahrukh as an amusing experience. Shahrukh goes off with her, until she kicks him out. And then he decides he will go to the moon and bring back a piece to prove his love, while both women are crying in what look like wedding gowns.
So, two things that are unclear. What exactly is the process by which Shahrukh goes from working towards marriage with Anushka to sleeping with Kat?
And at the end of the film, which of the crying women is he going to try to win over?
Just from the amount of time each has in the trailer, I think we can assume Anushka is the end game. Kat looks likely to be more of an extended cameo, like Aish in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. And I would like to assume that Shahrukh ends up with Kat after he and Anushka have had a fight, or in some other way broken up and he is down and out.
But, it’s Aanand L Rai. Love him as a producer, hate him as a director. He really enjoys having flawed selfish nasty heroes, Manu who is willing to marry a woman who hates him and then falls in love again and breaks the heart of his new love plus gets back his wife without any effort. And Dhanush in Raanjhana? GAH! I don’t want that as a hero!
I don’t disapprove on principle, I think Rai is trying to break through the fantasy of the perfect hero and show us the reality. It would be nice if his heroines didn’t end up in love with them after all, but I can still grasp the idea of love twisting you and making you do terrible things. I just don’t enjoy watching those stories.
So my biggest fear is that this is the story of Shahrukh in love with Anushka, and then dumping her because he is tempted by the fantasy of Katrina, realizing his mistake and going back to Anushka and being forgiven. I can see a perfect logical story built out of that, the man with dwarfism who has fought against feelings of inferiority his whole life, who has blocked out his disappointment that the woman he loves has a less than perfect body, and then it all comes rushing out when he is offered the perfect woman, the one he never dared to dream of. And of course she will turn out to be less perfect than Anushka on the inside, and he will realize his mistake, and blah blah blah. But I will be sitting there with a nasty taste in my mouth because Anushka deserves better. Just like Kangana (both Kanganas) did and Sonam Kapoor.
But, again, I don’t know what they are saying!!!!!!! So maybe I am completely misinterpreting the whole thing.
Oh, and here’s what I like. Sheeba Chaddha as Shahrukh’s mother (?), that I am pumped for. Shahrukh doing his usual big romantic gestures, but in a Little Person’s body and for a woman in a wheelchair, that is interesting and I like it, because romance can come to anybody. The CGI, really not bad. I am sure if I went through frame by frame I could spot rough patches and so on, abut there was nothing that really leaped out and hit me in the face. Katrina, her performance (what we see of it) is wonderful! I think they may have perfectly cast her for this role. And the Anushka and Shahrukh chemistry is still there too.
dontcallitbollywood 
The trailer had a Fannish look to it in parts. I loved Fan, but worry that people,who hated it will be turned off by Zero.
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With Fan, opening night was still really good, so the look didn’t necessarily turn people off as much as the content. Although, now I am thinking that people who were turned off by Fan might assume this has the same kind of content because it has the same look. Hmmm. It is a puzzle.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 8:10 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I like all the same stuff you like! A fan theory on Film Companion’s facebook group is that Kat is doing a biopic about Anushka, driven by their similar outfits in parts of the trailer. That would be a good plot mechanism for Kat coming into their lives. I wouldn’t mind a flawed hero plot, but only if the hero repents and suffers before winning back the heroine (gotta be Anushka, right?). UNLIKE Manu, whom I’ll never forgive. 😁
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Oh, correction. Fans on FC have noticed similarities between Anushka’s outfits in the trailer and some photos of Katrina from the sets. Yay for obsessive fans!
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Oh my that is obsessive! I suppose in that case it could also just have been a dream song with Shahrukh confusing the two women in his mind.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 8:18 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Hmm. Maybe! Although I got more of a “random meeting” feeling from how Shahrukh run into Kat.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 8:12 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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“So my biggest fear is that this is the story of Shahrukh in love with Anushka, and then dumping her because he is tempted by the fantasy of Katrina, realising his mistake and going back to Anushka and being forgiven.”
That’s what it seemed like when Shahrukh says something like – “Anushka would be the best fit for me. My life would pass off completely normal with her. But who wants a normal life to pass off. I want to live it to the fullest” around 1:40 when they tease Katrina’s intro. But when he and Kat kiss around 2:00, he says something like “God stole my dream of a normal life from me. In return I’m going to steal every Indian’s dream” So I’m guessing some tragedy with Anushka, but not too sure.
I’m more curious about his and Kat’s dysfunctional relationship over the sappy one with Anushka. Sort of a reversal to JTHJ.
Kat seems promising in this. Her diva-ish attitude around her intro reminds me of Kareena for some reason. Also glad Sheeba is there.
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Thank you for the translation! Okay, that seems like my preferred possibility, he loses Anushka and rebounds with Kat, and when that falls apart he realizes he still loves Anushka and should do whatever it takes to win her back. Based on the little we see in the trailer, I could believe there is something we don’t see where Anushka’s family humiliates him and makes him feel unworthy of her, and she doesn’t defend him. Thus the break-up, and the leap to win over the most beautiful woman in India and show them all up.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 9:07 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I only hope they won’t kill Anushka!
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I hope so too! They specific cerebral palsy as her condition, which is pretty stable. Which makes me hope they chose that on purpose (instead of, for instance, cystic fibrosis) because they wanted something that would be a life long condition but not progressive.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 9:47 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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So the story how we think now is: Shah Rukh falls in love with Anushka (who is famous scientist) , see that she is on the wheelchair but still wants to be with her. Then something happens (family is contrary or something like this) and they can’t marry. Enters Kat who is an actress and wants to do a movie about Anushka, and maybe SRK is hired to help with this movie since he knows A? Or mabe not. I NEED SUBTITLES. And I’m angry they released this trailer without subs.
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They always do this! And then subtitles suddenly appear a few hours later. Like they always forget them and think they can make up by just throwing them on late.
One of the things I really like about this trailer is that there is a lot of Hindi dialogue in it, which seems appropriate to the kind of character Shahrukh is playing. But it also makes it murder for those of us who don’t know Hindi!
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 10:07 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I’m thinking about Thugs trailer which had subtitles in 15 different languages, even in italian. That’s how it should be done.
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YRF is the best at remembering the international market.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 10:21 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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As joyomama mentioned, I was a little startled at the first seconds as well because of the fannish look and feel to it. It occured to me that Katrina in the wedding attire is seemingly sitting in a wheelchair as well.
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Yeah, that was weird!!!! And it went by fast, like they didn’t want to give us time to really focus and think about it, like it is supposed to be a surprise reveal. I could also believe that Katrina’s character is injured at some point and Shahrukh has to decide whether to take care of her and remain loyal to Anushka.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 9:10 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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This trailer works for me. I was supposed to feel excited and I am. And suddenly the things SRK, Katrina and Anushka wrote on twitter have more sense.
Katrina looks good, but think if they casted somebody who can really act. It would be terrific.
I love this FC fan theory, it looks very likely, and maybe I’m wrong but there was one moment when Katrina was using the wheelchair.
But for Dhanush in Raanjhana, I don’t think he was so terrible. Yes, he was a stalker and very immature in the first half, but later he was the victim of Sonam, who was horrible human being and the cause of all bad things that happened.
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See, that’s the Aanand L Rai thing! He seems to want to make his characters just terrible. Which is an artistic choice and I respect it, but I also don’t enjoy it. whether it is the hero or the heroine, I don’t want it.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 9:12 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Ok,SRK has my attention.The trailer looks good,bit long,giving way too many plot points. Still I loved the music,the setup and KATRINA! My speculation is that SRK seems like an ardent fan of Katrina’s character and dumps Anushka for her when he gets a chance with Katrina only to be dumped by her. Anushka has a dialogue at the end that goes like ‘now we are equal in this proposal’ maybe meaning he too has now experienced heartbreak like her. Im also going wild and thinking his stature makes him somehow physically fit for a mission to moon that Anushka is pioneering(there has to be some bigger plot point in making him a short person than the novelty factor)and likely to be dangerous also. Anand L Rai doesn’t shy away from killing his hero,so maybe SRK will prove his love to Anushka by dying on the mission or maybe he will return safely after an epic struggle in the space. Having proved his worth,Anushka(& you)may forgive him and take him back.
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I don’t know, I am pretty hardline about heroes who are not faithful in their love. All or nothing for me! He better die on the moon if he leaves Anushka for Kat, good riddance so far as I am concerned.
But I also love your idea of Shahrukh doing the moon mission as his penance for Anushka. The dialogue says something about bringing back a piece of the moon for love or something, right? I was (foolishly) just seeing that as a random poetic thing, your idea makes much more sense, that he would make this sacrifice directly for Anushka’s scientific studies and that is how he wins her over.
If Anushka moves on to Maddy (MADDY!) and never does forgive Shahrukh and he dies on the moon, I will be a happy camper. Unfaithful lovers should never be forgiven, death is all they deserve. Plus, Maddy is a decent substitute if you lose Shahrukh.
But on the other hand, if Anushka and Shahrukh fight and break up and then be rebounds with Kat, she is heartbroken, he comes back and proves he is sorry and Kat meant nothing by going to the moon for her, and then they get back together, I could live with that too. Although I would be very sad for Maddy, presumably left behind by Anushka. Whatever, some nice girl will surely snap him up at the Anushka-Shahrukh wedding reception.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 10:03 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Theres a shot of Anushka on stage with moon images in the back.His final dialogue is that ‘poets talk about bringing a piece of moon for your beloved,but they never thought I will would take it seriously’. So definitely he is going to the moon for Anushka & that’s a plot point they shouldn’t have alluded to. Why give away everything in the first go itself?
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Kind of an interesting tactic, they give away the whole set-up and hint at the ending, but leave us to guess the middle (how does he go from Anushka to Kat and back again). Maybe they thought with the whole dwarf thing, people would already be so nervous about how it would play out, better to let us see a little more of their hand instead of scaring everyone off.
A couple of people already mentioned Fan, remember how the Fan trailer was a bit of a mystery? And then people went to see the movie and HATED it? Same with JHMS now that I think of it. So maybe Red Chillies decided to show their hand a bit more this time around so people would know what they were buying.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 10:18 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Maddy for sure will have something to do with the space because I remember he was in this space center in USA when SRK and crew visited him.
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Then maybe he isn’t a love interest at all, maybe he is friend/colleague of Anushka who helps Shahrukh reach her again. Or maybe he is that AND the love interest for Anushka.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 10:29 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I’m not a Shahrukh fan so take this with a grain of salt, but this is a hard no for me just because the portrayal of disability looks so bad. No shade to Anushka who I mostly like but her embodiment of cerebral palsy is cartoonish and as for Shahrukh, the SFX for dwarfism don’t look convincing at all. His torso should be shorter relative to the size of his head for it to look convincing.
Also, I’m not sure why the characters needed to be disabled in the first place? The barriers to the main couple being together could be class or caste related.
I thought Katrina’s part looked interesting. This is new for her, right? She’s never played an alcoholic or someone who is just generally badly behaved like Kangana in Manu Weds Tanu.
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How dare you speak evil on The Day of Shahrukh!?!?!? Unclean! Unbeliever!!!!!
No, seriously, I appreciate having someone look at this who is not a fan. That’s the hard part about stuff like trailer releases, often the only people paying attention are the die hard fans or diehard un-fans, so you end up with two extreme echo chambers of “I love everything!” or “I hate everything!” instead of people saying “Well, this is good and this is bad, and this is why.”
Agree about the Shahrukh proportions, but I will allow it just because it allows him to act with his whole body more fluidly and easily, I don’t want the CGI to end up losing his ability to express himself with every body part by altering his original performance drastically (there was a lot of talk with Fan about what they could and couldn’t do mostly revolving around Shahrukh’s need to still be able to act). I will withhold judgement on Anushka, I’m guessing they gave us the big “shock” moments in the trailer, it’s possible when we see her full performance that other moments are more restrained. One of the kids in my Sunday School class has cerebral palsy and nothing so far seemed irredeemably off to me. Although of course she doesn’t necessarily have the exact same version of it as Anushka, it seems to vary a lot person to person, and she is still just a kid.
I can kind of see why they had to be disabled, although my reasons may not end up playing out in the film. Shahrukh as long as two years ago was saying that the idea was to remove the body but leave the “Shahrukh”. And that seems to be the case, he is romantic and charming and brave and all the rest, just in a completely different package than we are used to. Caste or class wouldn’t have the same effect. And assuming the idea is to show the contrast between perfect gorgeous Katrina and average Anushka, directly related to appearance, I am okay with using a physical disability instead of so cheesy “ugly” face make-up or something. But then if the end result hits the class stuff with Shahrukh’s character as much as the physical, and makes the Anushka-Kat contrast more about overall beauty and power and status than the direct difference in their bodies, then I won’t be as happy.
I also am really interested in Kat! In Mere Brother Ki Dulhan she played a wild type, but one who isn’t truly “bad”. Now that I think about it, she’s played a lot of sort of “white girl” type parts, sexually confident and drinking and swearing and so on, but without any dark side to it, pure fantasy. This looks like it might take that fantasy and shake it out a bit, ask what might be the darker reasons a woman would be like that.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 10:09 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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It’s tough. There are so many ways abled actor portrayals of disability or difference can go horribly wrong, but then if you never go there because you’re afraid you’ll mess it up, you never get big glamorous love stories with characters who have disabilities, you never get movie stars playing characters who have these kinds of challenges in their lives.
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What a lovely way to put it! yes, often disabled characters can feel invisible in the filmi world, which makes it hard to tell stories about them. You could say that this story should be told by two actors with those disabilities, and maybe in a different place that might be possible, but I don’t think India is quite there yet in terms of support for those with disabilities which would allow them to have the advantages required to even become actors. Yes there is the comic Little Person actor who has featured in multiple films, but I don’t know if he could play a lead role, and if he did, I don’t know if anyone would watch it.
So you are left with the option of abled-actors playing these characters, or else dropping them off of cinema screens until such a time that the greater society makes it possible for them to play themselves onscreen.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 11:44 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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It’s not better in Hollywood, except for Peter Dinklage who is exceptionally talented and landed the best written dwarf character ever in a series or film.
The problem I have isn’t with non-disabled folks portraying characters with disabilities, it’s when you have Manic Pixie Dream Girl in a wheelchair or Incredibly Noble Developmentally Disabled person or when the character with disabilities teaches the rest of the characters a Very Important Lesson about Appreciating Life to the Fullest. People with disabilities are rarely portrayed as real human beings, which is more of a writing problem than an acting problem.
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Hmm. I see what you mean, and this film could go either way. My hope is that the characters are the same over the top romantic love at first sight people that are always in Hindi films, they just happen to be disabled. But that is so close to crossing the line into being just plain magical characters. And I don’t know if I could bring someone to see this who didn’t have a big background in Hindi film and an awareness that some degree of magical love is just “normal” in these movies.
What would be really great is if it is revealed that Kat sees Shahrukh that way, as some kind of magical not-real person who can solve all her problems, and the shock of realizing that is what makes him rethink his life and drives him back to Anushka with an awareness that he was also guilty of seeing her that way.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 12:54 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Can’t wait to see this!
Random observation: I’m impressed by how much Anushka’s expressions change for each character. I first saw her in JHMS, and when I saw RNBDJ I thought maybe it was just the hair styling that made the character look so different, more innocent. But with every performance, including this trailer, I’m more convinced it’s just good acting. Her face is so distinctive, she always looks like herself, but the person who comes through her expressions completely depends on the movie and the character she’s playing.
I wonder what they’re doing in New York.
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Yes! With Anushka, JHMS is what really surprised me, she looked like a completely different person from the start of the film to the end of it. Her character journey resulted in a whole different face.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 10:10 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I have the same concerns about this one that I had before seeing the trailer. But I do have to admit I found parts of it charming, but also parts of it creepy in the CGI Fan way as well. I know I can’t say anything bad about SRK today of all days, so I will say that I feel like he is directed too broadly in this part and that may be ok if it does end up being a quirky fable/fairy tale like story. It does look ambitious and sparkly and I like all of that. I also have concerns like you do about Rai’s determination to make unsympathetic heroes likable. I chose to forget that the 2nd Tanu film exists because Madhavan’s character is completely ruined in that one (and he had some questionable choices in the first!). And I did not like Dhanush’s character in the other one. I think you’re right that he’s a better producer!
Trailers can be deceiving and there could be a second half twist coming that will change everything we think about its vision, so I’ll still reserve total judgment. Still more excited about Thugs and Simmba than this one. But I’ll want to see all three asap!
BTW, I am obsessed with Gold, I think. Didn’t see it coming based on my excitement level when it was announced and came out. I watched it all the way through a second time yesterday and I liked it even more. I think it could move into my favorite ten Indian films of all time list. It’s definitely in my top ten sports films of all time list. I grew up watching and loving Rocky and Field of Dreams and Remember the Titans and this one rivals all of them in its execution and drama (well maybe not Field of Dreams since that’s not really a film about sports and its a modern classic!).
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I could also be obsessed with Gold solely because I am in love with Kunal Kapoor and have been since I first saw him in Aaja Nachle. So there’s that, too:) I’m going to watch that satirical film with Radhika he did a couple of years ago this weekend just to keep the buzz going. I’ll never understand why he hasn’t had a bigger career. He was a precursor to Ayushmaan’s everyman persona, but also got screwed over by being so beautiful and I think people just thought he would be another wooden model-type like Dino Morea and early Arjun Rampal.
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You know the website he founded is now insanely successful? So I guess with that and being married to Amitabh’s niece, he doesn’t even care about acting any more.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 12:04 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Yeah, I saw that on his wikipedia page (which I have stalked for years hoping he would do more films). It is possible that he’s just not been that invested in acting and enjoys being on the periphery of it all with some very real behind the scenes connections!
Of course, I’m not arguing he’s a brilliant actor because he’s definitely not…but he does have such a specific coolness that he brings to all of his parts. You can’t look away when he’s on-screen. And he and Konkona Sen Sharma will always be one of my favorite on-screen pairings because you don’t expect them to work together but they so completely do!
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I love him and Konkona! It’s every romance novel come to life, the average girl and the shockingly handsome man, but somehow they work and it doesn’t feel like a miss-match.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 12:35 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I just read Kunal’s wiki page and Rang De Basanti was only his second film?????? Dang.
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And I think his one and only Filmfare nomination. I need to rewatch Rang De Basanti someday. I watched it too early in my fandom and didn’t get the political and social importance of it and I’ve never been an Aamir fan.
Alisa, if you like Kunal Kapoor, I highly recommend Aaja Nachle and Laaga Chunari Mein Daaga. Both have great secondary romance plots with him and Konkona and they are so good! Otherwise, beside a couple of films like Luv Shuv which has its charm, he is usually in ensembles or just makes special appearances. He’s in one of my top ten songs, Jogi Mahi, in the Ranbir starrer Bachna Ae Haseeno, in a glorified cameo and I just swoon.
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I’ve seen Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and yes, he and Konkona have great chemistry!
RDB is one of my favorite films of all time but I can’t bear to watch it again because it’s too sad. Kunal is perfectly cast because he has a haunting melancholy about him that really works for the role. Plus he’s beautiful, soooooo beautiful.
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Bachne Ae Haseeno is one of those movies where Kunal is the cameo as the other part of a love triangle and Ranbir is the hero, and you come out of it thinking “Anyone who ends up with Ranbir is the loser, Kunal is SO MUCH BETTER”.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 1:13 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Watch Aaja Nachle next! If you liked their chemistry in LCMD, then you’ll like their story even more here. It’s the classic bad boy and the tomboy who gets a makeover romantic trope but it’s even better!
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Plus, Madhuri and Akshaye Khanna!!!!!! Who doesn’t love that?
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 1:19 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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But he did have full acting training in Delhi and stuff. The story I heard about his first film was that MF Hussain (brilliant modern artist experimenting with film) wanted someone who was just really really beautiful as part of his artistic vision for the movie. Thus, Kunal Kapoor. He was cast as an object of art to complete the concept.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 12:58 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Madhuri and Akshaye! Why did they never do a more fleshed out romantic film together?! There’s still time!
In the early stages of my fandom, my stanning for Kunal was on the same level as it was for Hrithik. Why have they not been in a film together? Aren’t they best buddies? Anyway, so I did see that Hussein film, Meenaxi, way back then and it was OK. It was very conceptual and Kunal and Tabu are both cast as “beautiful objects”…I can see why but it’s a weird film.
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Ha! I saw the original version of this comment before you logged in and attached it to your username and I thought “I bet that’s Filmilibrarian because she talks about Gold and isn’t in love with Shahrukh”. I was right! I am a GENIUS!
You are always allowed to criticize SRK! This is a safe space. Unless the post specific says “no criticisms allowed” which is only, like, once a year. For Shahrukh’s performance, I will cling to the same thing I said to Alisa about Anushka’s portrayal of cerebral palsy, we can’t really know from the trailer edit. They could have thrown all the broadest most obvious parts together, and it will be different when we see the whole thing. The two moments when he is just talking to Anushka, stargazing and through the door, he felt comparatively understated. Could be that will be 90% of his performance, and only 10% will be over the top. I’m more concerned about Rai’s strange need to have flawed heroes. But like you say, a twist we don’t see in the trailer could easily take care of all of that.
For Gold, you are making me want to rewatch it! I really liked it in theaters, except for a few bits that were just too formulaic (just PASS THE BALL!!!!! And get over your ethnic/class based divisions for the good of the team/country!!!!!). But maybe on a second watch, when I know how the formula will play out, I will like it better. I do remember that the actual game play moments were fantastic, really got you caught up in the play and understanding what is happening and why.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 11:58 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Yep, forgot to login first:) I am actually a little less concerned about Anushka’s character after seeing her in actual scenes and I like Emily’s point above that if differently abled people aren’t represented in films at all that’s far worse and this kind of representation could lead to better representation in the future.
I’m not sure you’ll respond better to a second review of Gold since your issues are that it’s too formulaic. I see its flaws but even the Akshay parts grew on me the second time because I think he really does give the character his all. Makes me think of his comments on KWK about watching too much sports. This and Patiala House are two films where I really thought he seemed comfortable in his skin and in the role and maybe just like a lot of men he can only truly tap into his emotions when there’s a sports team involved!
So, I do think a large percentage of why I like it is because it is so formulaic! But it is actually rooted in fact and many characters, except for maybe Akshay’s, are historical figures. One quibble I have is that I would have liked just one more scene with the Anglo-Indian players struggling with their choice to stay or leave. The scene they give us is good for explanatory reasons but I guess Reema was pretty limited to time and Akshay’s hero takes up a lot of space in the film. I’ve been reading up about the actual 1948 team and a surprisingly large number of players were Anglo-Indian or of Portuguese descent, so some of them stayed. Also looks like two of the Muslim players on that 1948 team (represented by the player Shakur Akhtar in the film) later did move to Pakistan where they played in later Olympics. I think what makes the film transcend its formula is the pivotal sequence in the middle where the Muslim (Imtiaz), the Sikh (Himmat), and the Hindu (Tapan) characters are confronted with the horrors of Partition. Some will call it heavy-handed but it worked for me on every level, and the payoff with the India and Pakistan teams being supportive of each other in the end may also be unrealistic, but my bleeding heart loved it. It’s the little touches like the hockey-crazy Buddhist monk scene that completely won me over. And the editing in the opening sequence where they introduce Amit and Sunny’s characters as they grow older that is mirrored by the final sequences where the families and village gather to listen to the match. The scene of Kunal/Samrat saluting the flag at the end that brings the tears in full force. There’s something about this movie!
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I thought the opening montage was brilliant, showing the various ways the immediate pre-Independence era was experienced. The tiredness and failure of the original 1938 team as their dream was deferred farther and farther, and the limitless hope and enthusiasm they had passed down to the younger generation. And giving us this idea of the whole country in it together, across regional lines and class and age, not just the big hero moments we usually see in films, but the regular man who obediently burns his British clothing when Gandhi says to, and so on. Which perfectly pulls into the metaphor of the “Team”, everyone is in it together, there is no one star player that got them all the way there.
Interesting thought about Akshay and sports! That makes total sense to me. One other thing is that he himself is such an athlete, being in a sports movie gives him a chance to act in a more physical way outside of the fight scenes we are used to.
On Fri, Nov 2, 2018 at 12:55 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Very very rough translation as always
SCENE: Marriage bureau
Man: You came from Meerut to Delhi in all this rain, Sir?
SRK: People who are still roaming around single at 38 are not afraid of the rain.
Man: I don’t think there is a girl for you in all of Asia.
SRK: You lied to me. You had this diamond hidden? (shows Anushka’s picture)
Man: She isn’t right for you.
SRK: She does look like she’s right for me.
Man: Yaar, she shakes a lot.
SRK: Then I will shake with her too.
Man: She’s a flying arrow, Thakor Saab.
SRK: I want this arrow (or I want to be hit by this arrow)
SCENE: Stage at a college event
Lady: Please welcome Ms. Afiya Yusufzai Bhinder
SRK: Oy, the photo didn’t show a wheelchair.
Montage of scenes:
Someone shouting “Baueeee!!”
SRK: Who is it?
SCENE: Cafe at the college
Anushka: How did you think you would be able to marry me?
SRK: Who wanted to marry? It doesn’t cost money to check out the plot. (referring to checking plot before buying land)
SCENE: Streets of Meerut
Man: Hey you’re getting a girl to marry or else someone like you wouldn’t even get a boy.
SCENE: Inside a home
SRK: Don’t talk useless things. It was because of your bad habits that my height is so short.
SRK’s dad: How is your height short because of me?
SRK: You chew so much tobacco your sperm became short.
SCENE: SRK in a tux, at a nice looking place
SRK: Afiya ji, I hated you until 3:30 AM last night but by a quarter to 4, I fell in love with you.
Anushka: Straight to love?
SRK: Yes
SCENE: hotel maybe? SRK standing outside the room. Anushka inside.
Anushka: There will be many more like you.
SRK: Why do you want someone like me?
Anushka: I like the illiterate (stupid or educated) ones.
SCENE: Balcony
SRK: Look over there (pointing to the sky)
SRK: She was the only one who I could look in the eye and talk to. She was my equal. I was her equal. If I was with her, she would have matched up to me.
But who wanted to just pass life. I wanted to live life.
Montage of scenes: Kat being a movie, SRK watching her movies and dancing in a theater.
SRK: But God had stolen my dream of being equal to someone.
SCENE: Katrina kisses SRK
SRK: And in revenge, I stole from God all of India’s dream.
Montage of scenes
Katrina: Just get out. You are a zero, Bauaa Singh. A zero. Out!
Anushka: Now it’s a relationship of equals, Bauuae.
SRK: I had heard in stories that for love, a lover will even bring the moon. I ended up taking this seriously.
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Thank you! That is so much better than the official subtitles. Especially the little colloquialisms.
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You are always so modest, when your translation is really better than the official one. Thank you.
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