Bollywood Hero

I didn't think I would like it, but once I started watching, I wanted to see the whole thing. Kattan was more multi-dimensional than I expected, and the culture of India was a major player. There's something about India - both gritty and glamorous - that really appeals to me. In that setting, Kattan is our everyman, a Hollywood narcissist with a heart of gold who just needs the reality of India to come around and become an authentic human being. The Indian cast was superb, I guess Keanu Reeves was funny (mocking himself completely), and Kattan's (real?) father was spot on. But Maya Rudolph, in a brief bit as Kattan's friend and father-sitter (back in the States), was brilliant. One bit said it all when she and Kattan were at the bar pre-India, and she was flicking the snacks out of the bowl at a bar because she was "looking for a good one." Perfect. On the whole, I liked it. It was charming and colorful.

I TiVoed this show in random desperation for anything to watch, and found myself sucked in, and really rather touched.

I have no interest in, or liking for Bollywood movies. I fear I have no cultural connection to them, don't speak Hindi, and find the whole song-and-dance thing distinctly disruptive to my suspension of disbelief. Still, despite all this I really enjoyed Bollywood Hero.

This may seem a little bizarre, but the obvious affection the people involved in this show have for the Bollywood genre in a strange way reminds me of Tarantino's affection for campy movies. I can't help but be sucked in by such obvious passion.

Bollywood Hero got poor press, reviews pretty much copied each other, and I didn't find them matching what I saw. It's fun. Chris Kattan, OK not a full range actor, but he's slapstick when he's 'on' and we all fall for slapstick, you're going to have to make a huge effort not to laugh at his movie shoot.

The bus trip's very sweet, the romance not all that unbelievable, when people are around each other stereotypes fade, and it could happen. I liked the grandmother thing, the dance lessons were charming. Though uneven, this grandma escaped much of the condescension usual for a senior in a sitcom. A crochety grandma is hackneyed, but a grandma who actually is passing on info that's useful, if not rejected as just comic, that's pretty darned unusual.

But where this production rises to another level is the finale, I first thought it was going to be a throwaway like the Blues Brothers crew singing Jailhouse Rock. You should see this number- it's honest, it's a joy.

If as some comments say, the miniseries is just for Bollywood neophytes, maybe that shouldn't be a condemnation. Bollywood style is as yet not universally accessible, and crossovers have to build on accessibility.

I love Bollywood movies, so I naturally watched this. I can't make up my mind if it is being condescending, patronizing, or taking advantage of the Slumdog Millionaire after effects. Maybe all three simultaneously. The music wasn't written by Indians, and it shows. Same with the choreography--not even close. It looks like Pooja, along with Kal Penn (in some movies) is being forced to adopt an Indian accent. Has anyone ever listened to Aishwarya Rai speak English? The only accent you hear is British, and she was raised and learned English in India. Hrithik Roshan? Virtually no accent. Etc. So to appear suitably "Indian," do actors need to acquire an "Indian accent"? Sad. But Pooja Kumar was a revelation, so I hope she gets more exposure and better parts. Born in St. Louis. She deserves better!!

I have really no use for Bollywood films. I've tried to watch a bit on those long trans-Atlantic flights where you get the movies for free, but just couldn't pull off more than a few minutes... call me the uncultured American, if you must. But watching actual Bollywood is about as relevant to this film as watching old kung-fu flicks is to "Kill Bill" - it might enhance your experience, but as long as you know what the genre is about, that'll do.

Chris Kattan does a great job with this, as do all the Indian actors. Hey, just because I don't watch Bollywood doesn't mean I can't appreciate some of the talent it produces. I was fully ready to rate this mini higher on the strength of the first episode, which produced some good full on laugh out loud moments (the scene with Keanu Reeves doing his best interpretation of Keanu Reeves being one of them). Unfortunately, parts two and three pretty quickly turned into your standard rom/com fare, but Kattan proved he had the range to finally do some of the "rom" part in that equation. Long story short: starts strong but finishes a bit cookie-cutter. All in all, worth the watch. 7/10