radz2682

This is actually the first ever film I have seen where the audience clapped cheered and booed effectively as if they were a part of the actual proceedings in the film. I heard someone say that they felt that they were really at a cricket match. I loved the movie even though admittedly at the time (surprising for an Indian) I didn't know cricket at all...I learned while watching it with the help of a friend but also found I didn't need to! It certainly renewed my interest and made mea cricket fan soon enough, the next match that year I watched with grave interest.

About the fikm, the acting was good. Rachel Shelly and Paul Blackthorne were impressive and unlike in other Hindi films where they are usually clichéd versions of foreign characters, they were very drawn out believable characters. Aamir Khan was definitely the star attraction (obviously) as in any case it was 'his movie' but honestly he was very good, one of hsi best performances i'd personally say. Gauri was given very little to do in the movie but she did stand out in her own way. The supporting cast were all excellent in each of their roles, although some characters were a bit too starkly depicted. The British cast on the other hand had precious little to do except look foreboding.

The setting in the Gujrati village and country was beautiful. The sets were historically accurate I've been told and the backdrop just right for the match and one would it imagine it fit into the time frame suggested. The costumes were also appropriate. I especially liked that scene where Elisabeth imagines Aamir in a suit, it worked because being who she is of course shed see him like that.)Some historians might nitpick on small points, but they were so minor that the rest of the story overshadowed these errors.

At first I wondered whether foreign viewers would understand it what the unusual concept of musical numbers, but most seem to have understood the game of cricket (non cricket playing countries I mean) and the historical context as well and seem to have also taken the musical numbers in their stride.

The only thing that got to me was the length of the movie. I really wish that they had done some serious editing, it just ran too long and the cricket match was too dragged out. It should have either focused more on the cricket match for the majority of the film, or reduced the footage of the rest of the film to balance it out. I saw many scenes that could have been edited out and were totally unnecessary.

The songs were enjoyable and only one or two were unnecessary and could have been cut down or deleted entirely, like the 'Radha Kaise Na Jale' and the song where both girls sing. Honestly this movie was one Hindi movie that did not require many songs at all if at all. A background score maybe but not 6 songs. It got tedious and it gets on the nerves especially when you've been sitting in the theatre for 2 hours and you know that there is 1 more hour to go. Luckily people with DVDs will be able to fast forward!

Although Predictable in places with characters being over-drawn or under-drawn and everyone knew the ending that was inevitable, ending, (it isn't much of a long shot at all) but we watched it for the thrill of it anyway.

The overall effect the movie was so good that I fully believe that it deserved a nomination and I never say that about most Hindi movies. Even though it did not win I'm very proud of this movie.

This was a good family, which is rare. Except for a few episodes its the kind of show the whole family can watch without feeling embarrassed.

I remember watching it years ago and loving it. Josh Lucas was quite obviously my favorite as well as Guy Pierce.

My favorite character apart form Josh Lucas' was Danni McGregor and i was sorry there were not more episodes with her. After the first actress left, i found the new one to be a bit over the top and occasionally screechy and immature which was very different form the head-on- her-shoulders mature version played by the previous actress. Their portrayals of the same character made it seems like a completely new person and not even a very nice one. It definitely was not a Jessicas Bowman-Erika Flores situation (Dr Quinn Medicine Woman) where i liked both portrayals of Colleen equally. In this case I never warmed to the new actress.

The series also got a bit stale after Josh Lucas' character's story was complete (which was the entire basis of most of the series) and his character was no longer on the show. After that it seemed to veer off track a lot. old characters left, new ones came on whom were not as easy to identify or like because they arrived so late on the scene. The new story lines seemed to be trying way too hard.

All in all i loved it but perhaps it should have ended after the Josh Lucas story was complete. Another sad thing about this series is the inability to find it anywhere, even though i'm sure it has a fan following.