scindewriter

I found KANK riveting from the first moment to the last. The theme is one which has been used before in Indian movies but this one makes it seem an entirely new venture. The treatment is fresh and witty. There is a wonderful mix of clever jokes, satire and excellent appropriate dialogue.The script did not have a word out of place. The film took you along on a roller coaster of emotion. The characters were all human and imperfect but with endearing qualities. The situation too understandable but the sympathies were definitely with the lovers.

But the film was much more than the words that I have used. It wrapped the audience in its embrace with its story which unravelled in wit and charm and against a background of New York lovingly portrayed. The train station was a perfect locale though always not always recognisably the Central.

The performances were very good especially Amitabh and Preity Zinta. Abhishek and Rani were good too though Rani cried a bit too much- but that could be Karan's over use of glycerine.

Shah Rukh dominated the film in a brilliant,nuanced, versatile performance given in a very difficult role. He is a cynic and a loser but he keeps the sympathies of the audience and his charm reaches out palpably. It is one of his best performances to date and what more can one say - Shah Rukh at his best is the very best of all. He is the man after one's heart-funny, witty, tragic and heartbreaking.

The music is amazing especially Mitwa movingly picturised on Shah Rukh. This should prove not only a box office super hit but also a herald of the new Indian movies though not many will come close.

Paheli is a rare film.Its beautifully mounted and photographed with amazing backgrounds and costumes - totally suited to the traditional tale. For me it re-created my sub continental childhood when we were brought up on stories of princesses and Djinns in fantasy palaces-romantic and emotionally satisfying. Some people have criticised the film as being too slow and incredible. Of course it is incredible because it is a fairy tale. But once the imaginative leap has been made and its premise accepted, the film is pure delight.

Shah Rukh Khan in his double role as the accountant to the core husband and the romantic spirit, is charismatic and romantic and riveting. Rani is the perfect beautiful bride, fully integrated into the world in which she lives so much so that she is completely thrown when the surrogate husband gives her the choice of keeping or rejecting him. So its a woman's rights film as well! But I just loved it on its own terms- a beautifully performed, beautifully produced, unusual film for our delectation.

Recently I saw ASOKA as a tv serial and was as moved and impressed as I was the first time. It is a timeless movie which interests and charms and fills in gaps about a little known historical personality in a sympathetic and believable way.

Shah Rukh Khan is superb as the young Asoka particularly in the Magadha scenes and as emperor. It is a rare feat of acting. The love story is all charm.

In the series a number of scenes were added which added to one's enjoymentand also made understanding of some scenes easier. I hope it will be repeated on tv. Also I hope we can get a dvd of the fuller version.