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After
directing the highly acclaimed and controversial films like 'Fire'
and ‘Earth’, Deepa Mehta makes her comeback with a light hearted
romantic comedy, ‘Bollywood Hollywood’.
Filmed
in Canada, Bollywood Hollywood pays homage to East and West conventions
i.e. Bollywood songs, Hollywood choreography, a Hollywood plot and
a Bollywood moral.
Rahul
Seth (Rahul Khanna) is a charming young millionaire who believes
that his westernised upbringing allows him to rebel against his
mother (Moushumi Chatterjee) and grandmother (Dina Pathak).
It
so happens that both these ladies have taken an instant dislike
to his new Canadian, Britney Spears-like girlfriend, Kimberly (Jessica
Pare).
To
make matters worse, she turns out to be a pop star!
But
for Rahul, his ‘Canadian affair’ is short lived when Kimberly dies
in a freak accident.
Instead
of consoling the poor guy, both ladies threaten to call off his
sister’s wedding unless Rahul finds himself a nice young Indian
girl.
So
into his life enters Sue (Lisa Ray), a fiercely independent escort
with whom he strikes a business deal.
She
is to pose as his fiancée until his sister’s impending wedding is
over.
Rahul
trains her to be an Indian but when he actually takes her home to
meet his family, he finds that she is indeed an Indian and
her real name is Sunita and not Sue!
More
so, he finds that whoever meets Sue i.e. mum, grandma, his sister,
younger brother or even the chauffeur, they all take an instant
liking to her.
But
life soon takes an unexpected turn when Sue’s past comes to haunt
her in the form of a torrid accusation.
Rahul
becomes torn between believing her and believing the accuser. .
. . he loses her.
Despite
his westernised outlook, he finally realises that deep down he is
a 'traditional Indian man' who struggles to accept Sue for who she
is and what she represents.
Can
love triumph over social convention? Watch
this ‘fun loving romp’ to find out.
Filled
with wit and humour pure Hollywood style, this film will definitely
bring a smile on your face.
Especially
funny are the Shakespearean one liners from Rahul's head strong
grandmother, the late Dina Patak. The film is a fitting tribute
to the actress, who died shortly after the making of the film.
Her
exuberant acting talent which has entertained millions for the past
decades will be greatly missed.
The
Canadian born, Lisa Ray who plays the female lead, has much in common
with her character.
Unlike
her debut film, Kasoor, where she found it difficult to get to grips
with the Hindi language, Lisa plays Sue with complete ease.
Rahul
Khanna was commendable throughout the film as the character with
a western upbringing torn between eastern and western cultures.
Although
a few lessons to master the Canadian accent would have done him
no harm. After all he was portraying an Canadian born Asian!
Moushumi
Chatterjee’s character as Rahul’s mother appeared rather melodramatic.
Her
repetitive crying and fainting spree lost its charm towards the
end of the film.
But
Deepa Metha does surprise us with her subtle but refreshing comic
moments and there are laughs to be had with Rahul’s
chauffeur who is a part time drag queen.
Kimberly, the Canadian Britney Spears also has her moments - levitating
over the Hollywood hills for instance.
There's
also the matchmaking scene between real life body builder Killer
Kalsa Singh and Sue; The
Canadian born Indian crowd who try to be Indian; and
the angry Indian girl who keeps saying ‘what a bunch of losers’
but rightly chooses to mingle with the ‘Indian’ crowd.
All
these scenes make up the light hearted moments of the film and it
is here that Deepa Metha scores with her direction.
So
it comes as no surprise to learn that this movie has won the American
23rd Annual Genie Award in the original screenplay category.
On
the whole, Bollywood Hollywood is a film for those who like to see
something different.
Reviewed
by Manish Gajjar, Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Shropshire’s Mr Bollywood.
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