La famille indienne

Saw it Own it. And not just because I'm a woman either. The movie is rather lengthy but well worth sending the message it sends, which is: Family is our most precious asset we can own in this world. No matter what Family is Family and you love them regardless of their choices, mistakes and what nots. This is the type of movie that should be shown to all, to wake up our society and make them realize that life and family are too precious to take for granted. I wish more people knew about this movie, it has a universal language and appeal. And while others may think its too long of a movie to watch, I say get an attention span. I wish American movies were more like this one. The musical numbers while at first seem a bit weird, are rather entertaining and joyful to watch. Excellent movie!!

I respect Karan Johar. He is an honest director. There are a lot of young directors out there today that are taking the Hollywood approach to film making and the end result is a mish mash of a desi product in a foreign packaging. Karan Johar, on the other hand, takes a desi story, puts it in a desi package but only refines it more than most others do. What you get is a very good Bollywood movie that has elements of emotion, melodrama, comedy, family values, romance and music in equal doses. Yes, I admit that the story does leave a lot of questions unanswered, but that's OK considering the desired target market is one that is alright with that and sheds expectations of credibility before walking in to the cinema.

K3G is a beautiful example of what a good director can do. Agreed, the movie may not have been as great without the power star cast, but then, let us not forget that before those people are stars, they are very good actors. Well, except maybe Kareena and Hritik.

This is where the minus points are. Hritik did nothing but weep perpetually. Kareena played an overbearing slut. And to top it off, she and her friends all spoke American slang and also had that slight twang of an American accent. (PHAT: Pretty Hot And Tempting?? That's ghetto lingo!) And I really didn't like the national anthem thing. i felt it was a little pushed. I think KJ went a little overboard there in trying to make the NRI audience cry. The only time that trick has worked effectively was years ago in "naam" when Pankaj Udhas sang the "Chitthi Aayi Hai" song.

There are certain scenes that I found really well done in the movie. The last time Rahul meets Rohan before the latter goes off to boarding school, he has a talk with him about taking care of Mum, losing weight and joining he cricket team. They are sitting on a bench, side by side having this talk. Years later, in the second half of the movie, after Rahul realizes that his brother has been living with him all this while, the scene again cuts to them sitting on a bench, this time ten years later. It could've been shot anywhere, but the fact that the setting is so similar just makes it even more memorable.

The scene where Nandini (mom) meets Rahul after years at the shopping mall, she places her hand on his shoulder and he turns around. Wow.

And the finale of course. Amitabh breaking down with SRK.

One mustn't expect great international cinema here. this is what great Bollywood is all about.

Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham is the story of Rahul (Shahrukh Khan), the adopted son of multi-millionaire Yashovardhan Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan). When Rahul disappoints his father by marrying the wrong girl, Anjali (Kajol) he is disowned. Rahul and Anjali move to London where 10 years later Rahul's younger brother, Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) tracks them down in an attempt to re-unite the family. Along the way a romance buds between Rohan and Anjali's younger sister, Pooja (Kareena Kapoor).

The story breaks no new ground here, but I have to admit I was drawn in, probably because of the actors. With a star cast like this one, you have to be entertained...Khan/Bachchan/Roshan have a wonderful three way chemistry in my opinion, and the presence of the bubbly Kajol is icing on the cake. Also admirable is Jaya Bachchan as the family matriarch who never stops longing for her elder son's return...she and Shahrukh Khan share a screen relationship that is authentically warm and completely believable.

The films weaknesses (and there are many) start off first of all with the odiously conceited Kareena Kapoor, who in spite of the costume designer's self-proclaimed "sophisticated" wardrobe looks and acts like a cheap tramp throughout the film (note to Bollywood costume designers: in England and America the only women who dress in skin-tight cleavage-revealing sequined mini-dresses when they go to the mall are PROSTITUES. Get it right!)

The second weakness is the overdone splendor of the sets. I felt the story and the cast were enough to hold the viewer's attention. We simply didn't need every scene to look like it was shot in Buckingham Palace or an interior designer's showroom.

The third weakness (and Hrithik/Kareena fans will disagree) was all the disco look-at-Hrithik's-muscles look-at-Kareena-shake-her-butt dances. I fast forwarded them after a few minutes. Tasteless and boring, IMO. Hrithik is not a bad actor, he is more than just a bulging-biceped pretty boy, but you'd never know it from these scenes. Also, again, the fact that all the NRI women in the film are dressed like hookers is just WRONG.

And last of all, although I love all the emotional exaggeration in Hindi films MOST of the time, I thought there was just a bit too much weeping in this one...a little less snivelling from Shahrukh and Hrithik would given the remaining scenes a bit more punch, I think. (But Khan is the King of snivellers, so I guess Karan Johar had to let him do his "thing")

Overall I think this is an enjoyable film, mainly because of the cast, and a pleasant diversion. I recommend it.

This movie is truly a work of art, with the emphasis on art. Dazzling costumes, magnificent buildings, glitzy cars, tons of emotions. Karan Johar is a master at extracting the exact emotion that he wants from the viewer. You cannot help but weep or cry at various scenes, even though you see them coming a mile away. The storyline is cliched and has been done many times before, but NEVER has it been packaged in such a powerful way. Kudos to the director, who despite the small flaws in the script, steers the viewer away from it, and engrosses you in the myriad of artistic explosions on the screen. Amitabh Bachan plays the patriach and is fairly good in the role, although he has done it before and is starting to stereotype him. Some scenes, I thought, were a little demeaning to him [the dance with the females in the Shava song], and should have been done more tastefully.

Jaya Bachan is very good as the wife, with the amazing ability to sense her son. The scene where she stands up to Amitabh is brilliantly executed, as is the scene where ShahRukh meets her in the shopping mall in London.

Kajol is brilliant, and this is probably her best role/performance of her career. She is pure magic and fills the screen with bubbly enthusiasm and sheer excitement whenever she is in frame.

Kareena Kapoor is appropriately cast and is also excellent in the role of Poo. She is a delight to watch, and does not falter, even in the comic scenes with Shahrukh. One cannot imagine anyone else in this role.

Hrithik Roshan, to me, was the surprise of the movie. He was brilliant and just about steals the show in the second half of the movie. His performance is sincere and visually a treat. He is indeed the superstar of the future. Bulging muscles and hip dance steps aside, this guy is a brilliant actor through and through.

But for me, Shahrukh Khan is the star of this movie. He is stupendous, magnificent, brilliant. He makes you laugh, cry, dance, cringe, smile. He does all this with flawless perfection. His pairing with Kajol is magical, and it shows on screen. I can now understand why Karan Johar says that he cannot imagine doing a film without Shahrukh. The guy is amazing.

On the whole, this is an excellent movie that is worth at least 4 trips to the cinema. Thank you Karan Johar.

Despite the rousing tale and fine performances, 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...' is bogged down by its unnecessary lengthy run-time that takes much too long to get to the point and needless doses of drama.