O Amor dos Pais

Karan Johar's Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is one of the most ravishing, grandiose and melodramatic Hindi films ever made. It is incredibly unrestrained and stormy in its emotional quotient, and yet so watchable, enjoyable and at times even pleasurable, that you can't but applaud to this spectacular show. It is one of the few films where overacting seems superb acting and overly melodramatic proceedings, despite being very cheesy and occasionally clichéd, become quite bearable. It combines realism and surrealism, comedy and heavy melodrama in a very unique style, which makes for an altogether colourful picture which is fun to watch.

The film is about relationships in family, about loving your parents and your family, about pride, values and regret. The well defined and written characters are used to create and present all these qualities. Even the least emotional scenes are accompanied by orchestrated violins, heavy piano and strikingly sad pictures on-screen. The film shows both the bright and dark sides of happy families, and while it never breaks new ground, never looks totally authentic, it is always entertaining in spite of its flaws. It depicts both the Indian traditional world and the western modern world and tries to bring them together in many instances.

Some of the film's too emotional scenes could have been better edited and partly cut. The cinematography is good, the sets are extremely lavish, and the narrative is effectively laden with numerous songs and many memorable moments of comedy and drama. The comedy provides great relief and lightens the otherwise more-than-enough drama, and the music is extraordinary. My favourite song is "Suraj Hua Maddham", a greatly melodious number wonderfully performed by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik and extremely beautifully shot across some breathtaking locations. Needless to say, the chemistry between the two leads, Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, is as electrifying as ever.

Where acting goes, Amitabh Bachchan is restrained and displays well the hidden pain and the visible pride. Jaya Bachchan is superb as the subservient yet strong woman. Towards the end there is one very powerful scene in which she really stands out (you'll know which one). Shahrukh Khan in a typical, cynical and likable character, is great as always. Kajol utterly steals the show and proves her prowess as a gifted comedienne. She is hilarious in her comic scenes and equally shines in moments of drama. Her strong, charismatic presence is perhaps the best thing about this film. Farida Jalal provides excellent support. Hrithik and Kareena are unimpressive and inconsistent. Hrithik is over-expressive and far more emotional than required, and Kareena, while attractive and quite funny at times, badly overacts.

All in all, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham has bits of everything: drama, melodrama, romance and comedy, all presented wholeheartedly in true Hindi-film style with lots of tears and lots of fun. It is an example of Bollywood entertainment at its grandest, and works as such. This is a movie to be seen with one's family. Go for it.

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!!

This film shines from start to finish, and runs the gamut of emotions. The cinematography, sets, and costumes are brilliant. The sparkling performances of six of India's leading actors alone makes the movie worth seeing, even if some might not feel comfortable with the deep sentimentality displayed by the leading men (women are fine with this; American men sometimes find it unnerving). Hrithik Roshan is pure eye candy for women of all ages, somehow oozing sweetness and innocent sexuality at the same time. The catchy song and dance number he performs with the lovely Kareena Kapoor at their 'prom,' "You Are My Soniya," has gotten regular replays in this household for weeks (even by my 79-year old mother, who will say, "I need a Soniya fix" - it really cheers her up!). The other musical numbers are very enjoyable, too, and never seem out of place or at odds with the flow of the film. Shahrukh Khan is adorable, as always, as the favorite son, and can hold his own in the dance numbers, too. Kajol gets to show her comic side, and was great at it! And knowing that the 'parents,' Amitabh and Jaya are a married couple in 'real life' just makes their interactions in the film that much better. Don't miss this wonderful movie! If you see just one Hindi movie, make it this one! (I am adding this question, for anyone who knows the answer: I wanted to find out what actor played Rohan at about age 12; the cast list shows three names for "Fattie" but no further details for any of these actors. If you happen to know the answer, please email me at punzelle@cox.net. Thank you!)

Glossy emotional drama, bringing together talent across the acting generations of Indian cinema.

With a cast that reads like a Who's Who of Indian cinema, Karan Johar's film focuses on the tensions within a divided family, namely the rift between strict disciplinarian father Yashovardhan (played by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan) and his estranged son, Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan).

With Bollywood heart-throb Hrithik Roshan in the role of brother Rohan and Kareena Kapoor as sister Pooja, the A-list cast is completed by Jaya Bachchan. Following the fortunes of wealthy non-resident Indians in the UK, the film takes in beautiful locations from the British Museum to Blenheim Palace and serves as a paean to the motherland, India.

K3G (as it is more commonly known) is a glossy emotional drama, bringing together talent across the acting generations and includes the show-stopping number 'Shava Shava.'

I absolutely adore this movie. I borrowed it from an Indian friend and first of all fell IN LOVE with Hrithrik Roshan. Not even the bootleg tape I had could hide his beauty. I think I watched the movie 3 times in one week! Seeing as how the film is 3 1/2 hours long, that's saying a lot.

As always, Sharukh Khan is a pleasant diversion on screen. Kajol's character was a lot of fun too. It's nice to see a girl with spunk get her man! Nearly all of the songs and choreography were stellar. I will most definitely buy this one.

Like some of the other reviewers mentioned, there is definitely some over-acting but those few moments of suffering are rewarded with a variety of eye-candy. This film is definitely worth watching.