tnkcool

OK....let's start with the title first - Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World? Hmm...considering the fact that Albert Brooks is sent to India, a country with 80% of its population 'HINDU', known worldwide as the 'Land of the Hindus' and the land where Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainisn and Buddhism originated, I don't see why India should be called the 'Muslim' world. Yes, 12% of the Indian population IS Muslim...but India isn't a theocracy and is the largest democracy in the world! Anyway...moving on... I believe that this movie would have been immensely funny if it was filmed in the Middle East - if Brooks went to Iran...or the UAE...or even just Pakistan...where the majority of the population hates America and the country is Islamic. A Jewish man visiting Palestine or Iran to make them laugh? THAT would have been funny! A Jewish man making Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims and Indian Jews laugh? Not so funny. However, Brooks acts sincerely. The Al-Jazeera part of 'That Darn Jew' is immensely funny...but the call center jokes and the stand up comedy is not exactly the typical 'Albert Brooks' comedy...mainly because it's just not that funny. His assistant in India, Sheetal Seth, is very good. She could very well be the saving grace of the movie. Albert Brooks said that his movie got good reviews in Dubai...well...I believe that the Arabs there DID have a problem with the title...DID think that instead of Brooks making fun of himself..he was making fun of Muslims...and well...they couldn't see why the movie couldn't have been filmed in Dubai instead. In conclusion,the plot isn't very thick...the title is a blatant misrepresentation of India..the jokes won't get you roaring laughter...but if you really have nothing else to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon...go watch the movie...you'll see some great shots of the Taj Mahal...

Aandhi is a classic. A movie based on human emotions - and the struggle of two individuals who meet, fall in love and then drift apart only to meet again after many years. If my memory serves me well, I even believe that the female lead has elements of Indira Gandhi in her. A must-watch in order to understand Indian traditions and politics. Suchitra Sen is a rich politician's daughter who falls in love with a hotel manager, and marries him, against her father's wishes. They start a new life until Suchitra decides to follow her father and join politics, much against her husband's better judgement. The toils and troubles of a hectic political lifestyle results in their daughter's death and their divorce - leading them to pursue different directions in life for many odd years. Finally, the two meet again, after many years. A very sensitive movie - with well crafted lyrics and beautiful performances. I give it a 9.5 due to Sanjay Kumar's performance, the music and the trouble the movie had as it was released during the emergency.