सलाम नमस्ते

This Hindi film is said to be a remake of 'Nine Months' and to be derivative of certain Hindi films, but not having seen any of them I am not entitled to comment on that. (I felt an undertone of 'Sleepless in Seattle', not a bad choice to emulate). In 'Salaam Namaste' practically everyone is young and successful and gorgeous, so it is admittedly an escapist fantasy. One could criticize that but on the other hand it's a hard film to dislike. The stars are wonderful together, and Melbourne, Australia, is a major character the way New York often is. Living in Melbourne, the main characters deal with certain issues that they might not face -or would deal with differently- had they stayed in India. Likewise, traditional Indian viewers might find some elements a bit shocking but I don't think the filmmakers set out to put off anyone. Yes, it's manipulative and predictable, but it's a 'feel-good' movie that works. If you can handle a little sugar, I recommend it.

I was so surprised by this movie! The only reason why I watched it was because my french teacher was making me watch it. I agreed after a while but I wasn't looking forward to it. I was so surprised at how good this movie was! I didn't want it to finish! It tells the story of a girl and a guy who, when they first talk don't like each other at all, but with time they fall in love and move in together. It is set in Australia and the characters are Indian. The movie, not only has a great story line, but it also shows us a lot about the Indian culture. It has a few songs in it, which are always fun. The movie has it all - i know that's cheesy - but it does! It is a great movie to have fun but it also has some really sad parts when you'll want to grab the tissues. It is amazing how many great movies there are out there but we don't realize it just because they aren't Hollywood. This kind of movie is great to have fun, and it also teaches us a lot about another country's culture. I recommend everyone to watch it, nobody will regret it... the acting is also pretty good, it is harder to tell when you don't understand the language, but it seemed decent. There are very funny lines, and of course the occasional sad part. A great movie that everyone should be able to enjoy!

Salaam Namaste is one of the lightest and boldest Hindi entertainers in recent years. It is on par with any well-made Hollywood rom-com. The film addresses two very controversial issues in India: live-in relationships and premarital pregnancy, yet does not try to emphasise them or take them too seriously. It is brilliantly shot, with great production values, great cinematography, light and beautiful songs, and well-cast actors. The film is entirely shot in Australia, and the various locations of Melbourne, the sets and the beautiful landscapes are breathtaking and extremely pleasing to the eye. While it is a modern comedy, it never forgets that it is actually a Hindi film, and in the second half becomes loyal to its Bollywood standards. By the same token, while it turns into a dramatic feature, it never forgets to remain modern. The emotions of the film are reserved and not overly cheap. They are natural and consistently flavoured with great comedy.

Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta are irreplaceable in their parts, and their chemistry is fantastic. They are sensitive, cool and modern actors who understand this foreign lifestyle and act accordingly. Khan's character is quite unsympathetic, as he is portrayed as someone who fears commitment and does not want to take responsibility for his actions. Yet, the transformation his character goes through over the course of the story is very well done. Zinta is quite the owner of the show though. Oozing charisma and sex-appeal, she is utterly charming and attractive as the strong-minded, moody and lively Ambar. Her vivacity in the first half and then pain and hilarious hysterics in the second are excellently done. But what's more, she actually captures the real person beneath the strong and sometimes comic surface - Ambar's struggle and optimism amidst loneliness throughout the pregnancy are convincing, touching and inspiring.

There are many memorable scenes in Salaam Namaste. First, the kissing and love scenes between the leading actors are surprising and must be noted. I really liked the "My Dil Goes Hmmm..." song. The scenes when Nick and Ambar fight intensively are funny and well-acted. The scene when they meet at their friends' house and the subsequent "Tu Jahaan" song are moving. The entire birth scene is exciting and funny. But my favourite scene is the "Ben and Jerry's Dark Belgian Chocolate ice cream" one. This is one of the greatest acts of the film, spontaneous and wholly entertaining. I recommend Salaam Namaste to everyone. It's not an extraordinary film, but it's a spectacular and visually stunning romantic comedy for the entire family.

Salaam Namaste Starring : Saif Ali Khan, Priety Zinta and Arshad Warsi. It has taken nearly nine years for an Indian Director to be "inspired" by Nine Months. What we get then is a Siddharth Anand meets Chris Columbus in a Yash Raj package. So you could meet Hugh Grant (Khan-competent),Julianne Moore (Zinta-dependable), Tom Arnold (Warsi-getting better) and Joan Cusak (Tania Zaetta- getting worse) and Robin Williams (Abhishek Bachchan in one of his most hammiest cameo) or go to Blockbuster and pick up the original instead. Too much hype little spike. I will be posting a more a detailed review on dus-ka-bees.blogspot.com

I have just returned from India, on holiday, and discovered that this is a film that just about everybody over there has seen. In fact many people talked about the film because I was from Australia. Because of this I went to see the film with some Indian friends and enjoyed it. It is not the greatest film I have ever seen, but it doesn't pretend to be . It is a fun light comedic Hindi film with a study of "modern" lifestyle. I am looking forward to the Australian release with English subtitles, so I can pick up some things I missed due to my lack of knowledge of Hindi.I am also anticipating finding Ben and Jerry's dark Belgian chocolate ice cream somewhere here. One thing I should advise Indian guys if they come to Australia. You may be surprised to find that most Australian girls are not so fast, and that prostitutes are not found at suburban bus stops.