Comments on: Marigold http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/ Meri duniya - bilkul filmi Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:06:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: jkmerengue http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-60767 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:54:14 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-60767 I actually liked this film...not loved it, there were too many flaws in it, but enjoyed my time out with my BW friends watching it. They seemed to like it too...as you say, Filmi, it's not as much fun as "the real thing" but it can be put in the rather short list of "films with Salman in it that I like" (the top of that list still being Yeh Hai Jalwa where I finally "get" the Sallu sex appeal). After analyzing it a bit, I think his movies rise in my estimation inversely with the number of stripteases he does...too obvious a display of his charms (and to over-bulked) for my taste. I think I remember reading a year or so ago, when the talk of this film began, that the director had to fight Sallu to keep his shirt on, as Willard thought the US audiences would not appreciate what Salman was sure his desi fans would demand from him. I did appreciate Salman's new "subtleness" in any case, but I think he may have taken it too far. His Prem character in this one was just too sweet for words. Salman with no "attitude" seemed not himself, and I kept expecting him to let it slip sometime, which he didn't. I also thought his father turning things around so fast at the end, seemed a little abrupt, as if they didn't know how to finish it and just decided to make the "It's a Bollywood film ending, isn't it?" joke instead of figuring something out. I actually liked this film…not loved it, there were too many flaws in it, but enjoyed my time out with my BW friends watching it. They seemed to like it too…as you say, Filmi, it’s not as much fun as “the real thing” but it can be put in the rather short list of “films with Salman in it that I like” (the top of that list still being Yeh Hai Jalwa where I finally “get” the Sallu sex appeal).

After analyzing it a bit, I think his movies rise in my estimation inversely with the number of stripteases he does…too obvious a display of his charms (and to over-bulked) for my taste. I think I remember reading a year or so ago, when the talk of this film began, that the director had to fight Sallu to keep his shirt on, as Willard thought the US audiences would not appreciate what Salman was sure his desi fans would demand from him.

I did appreciate Salman’s new “subtleness” in any case, but I think he may have taken it too far. His Prem character in this one was just too sweet for words. Salman with no “attitude” seemed not himself, and I kept expecting him to let it slip sometime, which he didn’t. I also thought his father turning things around so fast at the end, seemed a little abrupt, as if they didn’t know how to finish it and just decided to make the “It’s a Bollywood film ending, isn’t it?” joke instead of figuring something out.

]]> by: Sakshi http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59778 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 06:08:04 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59778 Yaar, you make it sound as if I belong to a "rare" breed just because I totally adore Salman. It's not even that bad, believe me....just give it a try. Worst is when..I have strangers come up to me to enquire whether I am Sanjay Baba's long lost twin. Bollywood life...I tell ya! :) Yaar, you make it sound as if I belong to a “rare” breed just because I totally adore Salman. It’s not even that bad, believe me….just give it a try. Worst is when..I have strangers come up to me to enquire whether I am Sanjay Baba’s long lost twin. Bollywood life…I tell ya! :)

]]> by: yves http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59734 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 21:59:51 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59734 Maria, I absolutely LOVE it when someone finds good points with Sallu... This means I might actually be changing concerning him, and I love that feeling of change! As for going to prison, come on, that's just amazing publicity! Do you know, all the BW actors have a prison session these days. If they want to be offered good roles, they have to go through that. cheers yves Maria,
I absolutely LOVE it when someone finds good points with Sallu… This means I might actually be changing concerning him, and I love that feeling of change! As for going to prison, come on, that’s just amazing publicity! Do you know, all the BW actors have a prison session these days. If they want to be offered good roles, they have to go through that.
cheers
yves

]]> by: Darshana of Bollywhat http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59642 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 02:06:29 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59642 As you probably know, the release plan for this movie is - first it's being shown in Indian movie theatres, and then it's supposed to have a wider release in mainstream American theatres. I'm really interested in seeing how people like it in its "second release." I've seen a few hundred Hindi movies, and I enjoyed it - but maybe more importantly, I think it is just that kind of movie that will be liked by people (women, actually) who would enjoy the music-dancing-costume aspects of, say, a Dharma production but would never go looking for them. I think of my cousin who's as close to a mom as I have, who completely loved some K-Jo wedding scene I forced on her and happily went out to Jackson Heights with me after that. I'm hoping Ali Larter's fans will check it out and get a little interested in Hindi popular cinema. As you probably know, the release plan for this movie is - first it’s being shown in Indian movie theatres, and then it’s supposed to have a wider release in mainstream American theatres. I’m really interested in seeing how people like it in its “second release.”

I’ve seen a few hundred Hindi movies, and I enjoyed it - but maybe more importantly, I think it is just that kind of movie that will be liked by people (women, actually) who would enjoy the music-dancing-costume aspects of, say, a Dharma production but would never go looking for them. I think of my cousin who’s as close to a mom as I have, who completely loved some K-Jo wedding scene I forced on her and happily went out to Jackson Heights with me after that.

I’m hoping Ali Larter’s fans will check it out and get a little interested in Hindi popular cinema.

]]> by: filmiholic http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59590 Sat, 01 Sep 2007 15:30:54 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59590 Ah, Professor K, thank you for a good laugh to start off my Saturday. :-) In all fairness to my Mom, someone interviewed her the Monday after we saw <em>Kabhi Alvida</em>..., and apparently she spoke quite favorably of both AB 1.0 and 2.0. And another day, when reviewing part of the Nasreen Munni Kabir documentary on SRK, she was much more engaged. I guess the excess of emotion and music in some Hindi movies is just too much for her. (As I witnessed when I dragged her to see <em>Kareeb</em> in a cinema years ago. "Why do they keep showing him - Bobby Deol - falling into the water, over and over again, in slow-motion?") Ah, Professor K, thank you for a good laugh to start off my Saturday. :-)

In all fairness to my Mom, someone interviewed her the Monday after we saw Kabhi Alvida…, and apparently she spoke quite favorably of both AB 1.0 and 2.0.

And another day, when reviewing part of the Nasreen Munni Kabir documentary on SRK, she was much more engaged. I guess the excess of emotion and music in some Hindi movies is just too much for her. (As I witnessed when I dragged her to see Kareeb in a cinema years ago. “Why do they keep showing him - Bobby Deol - falling into the water, over and over again, in slow-motion?”)

]]> by: Amitava Kumar http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59534 Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:01:19 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59534 I think your mom is actually still annoyed with that Indian former boyfriend of yours. I think your mom is actually still annoyed with that Indian former boyfriend of yours.

]]> by: filmiholic http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59484 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:40:12 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59484 Maja, yeah the curiosity factor is definitely part of why I was so compelled to see it, and I liked the trailer. One other film, that I'm posting a review to shortly, that I hope you get a chance to see is Vanaja. The young girl in it is amazing. Anantha, thanks! I did know that, but forgot to mention it - so thanks for doing so. She's been in several of his films, and I asked Willard Carroll about her in the interview. Carla, on the subject of mothers, I just forced my own to sit through Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna for another story I'm working on, and she was not thrilled, though she did seem to appreciate the Bachchan men. Her frequent remarks of "Another song??" and "Is this the end now?" then later "Intermission!!??" made me laugh. I know she likes musicals, but somehow the magic of Hindi cinema just isn't her cup of tea... Maja, yeah the curiosity factor is definitely part of why I was so compelled to see it, and I liked the trailer. One other film, that I’m posting a review to shortly, that I hope you get a chance to see is Vanaja. The young girl in it is amazing.

Anantha, thanks! I did know that, but forgot to mention it - so thanks for doing so. She’s been in several of his films, and I asked Willard Carroll about her in the interview.

Carla, on the subject of mothers, I just forced my own to sit through Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna for another story I’m working on, and she was not thrilled, though she did seem to appreciate the Bachchan men. Her frequent remarks of “Another song??” and “Is this the end now?” then later “Intermission!!??” made me laugh. I know she likes musicals, but somehow the magic of Hindi cinema just isn’t her cup of tea…

]]> by: carla http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59465 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 13:46:29 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59465 I found your comments on the perspective needed to watch a film like this very compelling. My mother, who does not really appreciate my love for Hindi films, recently watched "The Guru," another Hollywood film with Bollywood touches (including, even, some dance numbers with Hindi songs) and LOVED it. She told me that it finally helped her appreciate what I see in "those Indian movies." She insisted that I watch it, and I did - and was left thinking "that was cute, but I'd rather watch the real thing." Somehow my perspective as a relatively experienced watcher of Hindi films made the filmi aspects of Guru seem watered down, yet to my mom, placing filmi elements in a familiar framework made them easier to understand and enjoy. I found your comments on the perspective needed to watch a film like this very compelling. My mother, who does not really appreciate my love for Hindi films, recently watched “The Guru,” another Hollywood film with Bollywood touches (including, even, some dance numbers with Hindi songs) and LOVED it. She told me that it finally helped her appreciate what I see in “those Indian movies.” She insisted that I watch it, and I did - and was left thinking “that was cute, but I’d rather watch the real thing.” Somehow my perspective as a relatively experienced watcher of Hindi films made the filmi aspects of Guru seem watered down, yet to my mom, placing filmi elements in a familiar framework made them easier to understand and enjoy.

]]> by: anantha http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59456 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:11:38 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59456 In case you did not know, IRL, Helen's Salman's stepmom. In case you did not know, IRL, Helen’s Salman’s stepmom.

]]> by: Maja http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59452 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:36:14 +0000 http://filmiholic.com/2007/08/30/marigold/#comment-59452 I've heard of Marigold before and it seems to be one of those movies I don't really care about that much but feel compelled to watch anyway to see how the BW connection is done. I'm not a fan of Salman either and while I love Heroes, Ali Larter is my least fav person in there, so ... Still, it can't be worse than My Bollywood Bride, and I AM curious about Sallu as a choreographer. I'm much more excited about another movie though - Water premieres in the cinemas here in October! :D I’ve heard of Marigold before and it seems to be one of those movies I don’t really care about that much but feel compelled to watch anyway to see how the BW connection is done. I’m not a fan of Salman either and while I love Heroes, Ali Larter is my least fav person in there, so … Still, it can’t be worse than My Bollywood Bride, and I AM curious about Sallu as a choreographer.

I’m much more excited about another movie though - Water premieres in the cinemas here in October! :D

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