Taal (HIndi 1999)

Taal is a love story between a rich returned from London son with the daughter of a famous folk singer. Aishwarya Rai plays Mansi who falls in love with a man who, returned from school in London, disregards social convention and courts a woman who is below him in caste. Though his father honors the father of the girl who is a famous folk singer in his village, he refuses to recognize him or give him honor in the city. Mansi, insulted on behalf of her father for the treatment he has been given, disavows her love and turns to Vikrant Kapoor (Anil Kapoor), a famous pop singer, producer, and director. Recognizing her talent as a singer and dancer, Vikrant Kapoor catapults Mansi to stardom and asks her to marry him. She agrees. In the meantime, her forsaken love, Manav, vows to win her back and follows her career and attends her wedding ceremony. While there, he confronts Mansi who is unable to hide her feelings for him. Vikrant sacrifices his own interests in the interests of true love and encourages Mansi to leave him and express her feelings for Manav. She runs from his car and embraces Manav as the two fathers forget their differences and embrace also.

While something of a cheesy plot, the acting is good and Aishwarya Rai is great as always.

Umrao Jan Ada by Mirza Muhammad Hadi Rusva

Umrao Jan Ada is the life story of a famous Lucknow courtesan. While reading through this story, I was increasingly reminded of a Hindi movie starring Aishwarya Rai. Of course, the movie is Umrao Jaan. The book is considered the first novel that was written in Urdu - the language spoken/written by Muslim Indians. Abducted from her family by a man seeking revenge against her father, Amiran is sold to the procuress of a brothel. Upon her procurement, they change her name to Umrao. Umrao is pampered and raised to read, write, dance, and sing. Upon practicing her trade, her name becomes Umrao Jan (the Jan indicating her status as a courtesan). Narrating her various affairs and ventures, the story is framed in poetry and chapters are introduced by couplets. Revealing a life of luxury and tribulation, the story is interspersed with philosophy and meditations upon the relations between the sexes. Umrao Jan finishes her account with this thought, "My poor, simple prostitutes! Never entertain the false hope that any man will ever love you with a true heart. The lover who gives his body and soul to you will depart in a few days. He will never settle down with you, and you are not even worthy of that. Only the virtuous, who see one face and never turn to another, will have the pleasure of true love. You, women of the street, will never find such a blessing from God" (200).

JP Dutta's film, Umrao Jaan, starring Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, is a very faithful adaptation of this novel.

Provoked: a true story of a battered wife (Aishwarya Rai)

Filmed in England and delivered mostly in English, Provoked is the true story of a woman who lights her husband on fire to escape his daily beatings and abuse. Aishwarya Rai delivers a great performance in this movie. Opening with a scene playing off the title of the book, Circle of Light, from which the script was taken, a small flame creates a circle of light as it moves through a darkened house to the bedroom where a man lies sprawled out in bed, asleep. In a moment, the bed is alight and the man is screaming and running from the house. When the police investigate, they come across a weeping, unspeaking woman who is clutching her children to her. In his hospital bed, the burned man accuses his wife, the bitch, of having lit him on fire. The woman is accused of attempted murder and sent to prison to await trial, the children are sent to live with the mother-in-law, and the husband dies. Thus the scene is set for a trial, incarceration, and eventual appeal of Kiran (Aishwarya Rai). During the sequence of these events, Kiran's relationship with her abusive husband is revealed and her character and sufferings are established. Kiran finds freedom in prison and learns to stand up for herself and her friends. She, with the unselfish help of her cell mate, maintains honor and dignity and develops courage and conviction. This is a very fine movie that showcases Aishwarya Rai's acting talents.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam Straight from the Heart

A great movie, Hum Dil De C huke Sanam is a story about people who learn to love and understand. Samer (Salman Khan) come to India from Italy to learn how to sing ghazals. He is a well known singer in Italy, but he wants to learn more. Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) the daughter of the teacher Samer has come to learn with, becomes smitten with him. Romance ensues and Samer does not step up to engage himself to her. Nandini becomes engaged and then married to Vanraj (Ajay Dvgan). Nandini's father forces Samer to return to Italy. Nandini is miserable in her marriage and Vanraj, loving her, determines to reunite her with Samer. They go to Italy to find Samer. The first part of the movie is typically Bollywood, but as always, the second half turns poignant and meaningful. The movie is all about the second half, which, of course, I won't share with you. Needless to say, there is a twist and a plethora of meaning. See this one. This was my second viewing, better than the first.

Devdas (remake with SRK)

Costly to make, with sumptuous costumes and settings, Devdas is a beloved story that has already had the definitive version made in past years with Dilip Kumar. In spite of this, Devdas, with Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai is a classic movie. Aishwarya Rai is a delightful and then heartbroken Paro who does her best to make a life for herself after Devdas. Devdas (Shahrukh Khan) is unable to stand up for Paro against his parent's wishes and abandons her for a directionless life of loss and debauchery. In abandoning Paro, Devdas abandons himself. Devdas depicts a man's loss of self, his compromises, and his ineffectuality. Yet, in the end, he makes the grand gesture. The theme is loss and making the best of what we are allotted in our lives. Very sad, very heart-rending, very beautiful.

Raincoat

Indian Cinema - drama, nay tragedy. One day, one afternoon in the life of estranged "friends" from 6 years past. I bought this movie because it stars Aishwarya Rai (my favorite actress). I was not disappointed. The music is haunting, beautiful, and moving. It sets the tone for a slow moving poignant love story of loss, lies, vanity, and sacrifice, seemingly all for naught. Aishwarya's performance is subtle and nuanced. A lady who usually plays a mischievious, energetic, fun loving love interest combined with lots of wonderfully expressive dancing, makes no moves here. She portrays a woman whose heart and verve have been sucked out of her, and yet, upon receiving an unexpected visit from her past "friend" musters up the presence of mind and heart to pretend to a wonderful life. Her "friend" does the same. Both seek to preserve their pride, yet both need the solace only the other can provide. Their boats are fated to pass in the night. In spite of the situation, much like O'Henry's The Gift of the Magi, they both sacrifice their most precious thing to the well being of the other. The ending realization is as tragic as Greek Drama and as powerful. Yet, what could be done differently?

Mohabbatein

I've been enjoying Bollywood films lately. Shahrukh Khan has continued to earn my respect and affection as a versatile and accomplished actor. Not only that, but he has killer dimples and a lovely sense of humor.

Mahabbatein is a 216 minute movie that holds one's attention from beginning to end. It features three of the most accomplished and famous actors of the Bollywood stage: Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Amitabh Bachchan. A story of a contest between love and fear, the movie is set in a boy's college in India. Three young men meet and become roommates. They are influenced to pursue their heart by a new hire with a secret past. The new music teacher (Shahrukh Khan) strives to change the heart of the school and its headmaster (Amitabh Bachchan) in the interest of eternal love (as opposed to honor, tradition, and discipline.)

The three young men and their love stories provide the plot and the three primary characters provide the framework and unity for the plot. Is love worth it? Or, as Tolstoy might ask, "What do men live by?" Tolstoy answers, "I have now understood that though it seems to men that they live by care for themselvs, in truth it is love alone by which they live. He who has love, is in God, and God is in him, for God is love "(Tolstoy, What Men Live By, 1881.)