Pardes

Pardes is very long and a touch predictable. Still, it's not a bad watch and could have been a good film with better editing. Shahrukh gives an uncharacteristically restrained performance, although he does go over the top towards the end. Mahima is charming but overdoes the cuteness. Amrish Puri is solid as usual. Apoorva Agnihotri is weak. The songs are great. I specially liked the gentle "Do Dil Mil Rahen Hain". The film goes overboard in its depiction of NRIs and I can understand why some reviewers hate it. The patriotism on display could have been toned down. Still watchable on TV/DVD.

Overall 6/10

The story of this movie is reminiscent of Dilwalle Dulhania Le Jayenge, but it have it own joyful line.

Pity that Shahrukh Khan isn't at his best performance, because Mahima Chawdary is fill the entire screen with her spell binding act. She laugh, she cry, she dance, she sings, and she always look convincing (and gorgeous). It's really a splendid performance for a debutante. It's seem to me that Shahrukh is subordinated by the stunning Mahima.

Anyhow, the movie is better than the other typical Hindi Movies. There's nothing to loose to watch this one, because it have charming plot, charming cast, charming view and charming memorable songs, that will make you on the edge of your seat.

8/10

Briefly, the story goes like this. Kishorilal (Amrish Puri) is an NRI whose heart belongs to his homeland, India (or so he says). On a trip back home, he meets his old friend, Alok Nath (forget his name). Kishorilal is impressed with the traditional values his friend has instilled in his daughter, Ganga (Mahima Chawdhry). So he requests Ganga's hand in marriage for his westernized son, Rajiv (Apoorva Agnihotri) who he hopes will become more Indian with Ganga in his life.

To prepare Ganga and her family for Rajiv's visit to India, comes Arjun (Shahrukh Khan), adopted son of Kishorilal. Arjun is a struggling musician who even though has lived in America for a few years is completely Indian at heart. After Rajiv's visit, Ganga is sent off to America to experience and understand the life there before she gets married. There she is entrusted to Rajiv who exposes her to the so called American culture. She is shocked and runs to Arjun for comfort. She begins to get closer to Arjun who is already in love with her.

The elders misinterpret their friendship and with the help of Rajiv's skewed mind label Arjun as the enemy. A highly melodramatic climax leads to an obvious ending.

So whats the problem with Pardes? Why has it raked up so much controversy you ask. Well the answer lies in the director/storyteller of this enterprise, Mr. Subhash Ghai. His portrayal of Americans and Indians living in America is completely one-sided. He shows them as drunk, sexually obsessed individuals with no values or principles.

Mr. Ghai did have a message to send to his audience but somewhere on the way it got lost in all the melodrama. His message was to be careful that we don't let foreign influences ruin what is India's most valuable entity: traditional family values and principles. What he fails to do is show all sides of the coin. There exist people in America, UK and other such countries who hold onto their values, following them to a fault. Also, he should have taken a closer look at India. There are some aspects of Indian culture that are utterly ridiculous, and we might do well to take some advice from outside and NRI's are our link to such changes. The world is not black and white, there's a lot more gray than Mr. Ghai seems to want to acknowledge.

Patriotism is a wonderful thing until you begin to stop using your brain because your blinded by it.

Everything else in the movie is average and sometimes below average. Nadeem-Shravan's music is hummable at points and loud at others. Mahima Chawdhry, the new find is pretty and decent for a newcomer but is guilty of overacting at points. Apoorva Agnihotri, although a good-looker is below average. His dialogue delivery is his downfall. Amrish Puri and Alok Nath are also guilty of overacting. I'm guessing this overdose of melodrama has to do more with the director than the actors. So they are forgiven.

Shahrukh Khan is the saving grace of this film. Coming up with one of his most subtle performances of his career, he is simply outstanding. His silence and subtlety have so much more effect than the rest of the cast's yelling and preaching. He is the only reason I own the DVD of this film. Watch Pardes, if only for the King Khan.

The character of Shah Rukh Khan in this movie, is the perfect son-in-law. I think every girl who sees him in this movie would fall in love with his character Arjun. This unselfish boy, who is brought up in a home where some of them treated him like dirt.

The persons I truly disliked were the 2aunts. Looking like witches and being really arrogant about the money they owned and their dislikes of any one with less money (I call it the American syndrome). Mahima Choudrey was and is gorgeous, the role of Ganga was really a bit too much, but I could understand her point of view.

The scene with the snake was quit weird, the director could have solved that in another way. Don't know what the point was of this particular scene. Also the last song of the movie was totally uncalled for. I won't spoil it by saying why, but that song could have been edited somewhere else in the movie.

This is an excellent film, Sharukh Khan gives an astounding performance as Arjun, Mahima Choudhary puts a lot of effort in to her character as the chemistry between Mahima and Sharukh shows throughout the film. This is a different film from the others as it concentrates on the differences between countries. The songs in the film are also meaningful and romantic. Overall, this film is one of my favourite films.