Review: Gori Tere Pyaar Mein
Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Imran Khan, Shraddha Kapoor
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: 3.5/5 ***^
Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (GTPM) is a good movie to watch once. In fact a definite one time watch. While it has the regular Bollywood entertainment (spare overacting and violence promoting male fights and thank god for that) it has what most Indian films fail to even consider - a stronger, more independent female character - devoid or separate from the male character.
The STORYLINE goes as such: A rich spoilt party-boy (who studied abroad and thus got spoilt?) - Imran Khan as Sriram Venkat - sleeps around and is a "kala dhabha" (black mark of shame) to his family. Like a typical Indian 'forward thinking' family, the parents decide to get the boy married. When the typical grand "discussion" and family marriage proposal (in India its families that get married, not two people) occurs, Sriram finds the girl hot (Shraddha Kapoor as Shabbu Patel) and decides that what the fuck, she's good enough to get married. In a private conversation between the two later Sriram and the girl get to talking about previous and present relationships.
Sriram talks of a certain 'Dia Sharma' who's the only serious girlfriend he's had. Shabbu openly confronts him and tells him of her current relationship with a Punjabi boy, which wouldn't be approved by the family. Declining her plea to reject the marriage, Sriram OKs it - and the chick isn't permitted to say anything and things procede. In the next few meetings the girl figures out Sriram's perfect relationship with Dia which ended because he fucked it up and yelled at the girl for being a hypocrite (you'll figure). The relationship is complicated enough for Sriram to have a pet crab - being the only link to the relationship which unfortunately dies before the marriage leaving Sriram emotionally vulnerable.
On the day of the marriage, instigated by the bride and a hilarious wedding ceremony, Sriram runs last minute breaking the marriage to get Dia back. After struggling, particularly in a "hungry and poor" village in Gujarat, Sriram wins the fiercely independent and dedicated Dia back and joins her in her social work. Sort of.
While some reviews have merely brushed off the 'character development' as small phrases from the film such as 'NGO types', the movie has very good development of characters, one audiences can relate to and can also perceive as actual people (unlike most other Bollywood films, where the established male actor just plays random characters in one to say funny lines - think 'Chennai Express', think 'Policegiri'). Each character is introduced and developed well and even grows in the film. Imran Khan playing 'Sriram Venkat' goes from being party-playboy to an almost selfless architect with emotions that he'd otherwise try to hide. Kareena Kapoor playing Dia Sharma goes from being a preachy NGO-types to being an actual dedicated social worker who's given up everything. Anupam Kher playing a selfish collector of Gujarat too has a change of heart and gives over a project for a lesser selfish interest.
THE PERFORMANCES in the film are decent to good considering that all the actors themselves are particularly good ones.
Imran Khan is easy and almost imaginable as a 'lover-boy', however, personally I feel he needs to try to appear a little more arrogant and not just 'doped' while playing a rich playboy. His body language speaks of confidence that his facial expressions lack. His character has a bitter-sweet effect on the audience, however there exists a sense of honesty around it - felt most when he blasts Dia for being a hypocrite under her building. Loses out on not being able to capture the badass.
Though most critics praise Kareena's performance - it is definitely not phenomenal. It's fun and the best in the film no doubt, but that's because she is a great actor, nothing celebratory or new in this particular role. However, the character she plays itself is even more interesting - she's in-the-moment (reminiscent of popular "Geet" from Jab We Met), she's strong and she's got an opinion. What's the most amazing part is she's a very very real person - she's curvaceous like most everyday women, she's independent and not male-centric - she has a life of her own which she can handle regardless of the man in her life. In fact it may almost appear as if she's the stronger less dependant character in the relationship. The most phenomenal scene could be the hilarious 'pregnant trick to clear traffic' or my personal favourite - the small moments of 'leading the man to work; in the middle of the red light district'. The scene has the woman taking the lead and guiding the man - so contrary to the normative male leader idea and the fact that it is such a female opposing/oppressive setting makes it even more radical.
Shraddha Kapoor does a decent job of acting pretty and hating on her possibly-to-be-husband. Although some scenes felt like they were slept through.
Anupam Kher (and he's an amazing actor no doubt) does an undoubtedly good role - hilarious combined with evil - the perfect bald villain. My favourite dialogue is the one about the slap. His character starts off funny, but somewhere along the lines gets pissed and evil - losing the funny side, which perhaps, because of the great acting seems real and possible.
Other performances were mostly comic though definitely above average and nothing mediocre. The only performance I didn't like was the Sikh boy Kamal's, who though showing disappointment seems weird and frigid.
The casting though I comment about it on the basis of next-to-nothing was good. I wouldn't have mind seeing someone else, probably with more attitude play Sriram though. Kareena is great as the fierce Dia. They (Imran and Kareena) don't exactly look perfect or sizzling together (there's zero sexual-tension), but they do seem comfortable and relaxed.
Dialogues were entertaining and conversational, nothing sensational or trying too hard - just right. As was the soundtrack, there was nothing amazing about it, but it was sure fun and contemporary radio-friendly stuff. The best part is we're spared a new item song!
The dance routines and Choreography was terrible - there was too much flaying of arms, too much 'sex' involved into the otherwise asexual movie. Imran Khan almost seemed alien while doing the first dance sequence - the chorus step of the opening song, uncomfortable and awkward.
To conclude, the movie is a professionally done film with a very true idea of India and Indians (and different kinds of them) and captures whatever it tries to show without trying too hard or seeming over the top - a definite one time watch for a good time.
Stars: 3.5/5 ***^
Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (GTPM) is a good movie to watch once. In fact a definite one time watch. While it has the regular Bollywood entertainment (spare overacting and violence promoting male fights and thank god for that) it has what most Indian films fail to even consider - a stronger, more independent female character - devoid or separate from the male character.
The STORYLINE goes as such: A rich spoilt party-boy (who studied abroad and thus got spoilt?) - Imran Khan as Sriram Venkat - sleeps around and is a "kala dhabha" (black mark of shame) to his family. Like a typical Indian 'forward thinking' family, the parents decide to get the boy married. When the typical grand "discussion" and family marriage proposal (in India its families that get married, not two people) occurs, Sriram finds the girl hot (Shraddha Kapoor as Shabbu Patel) and decides that what the fuck, she's good enough to get married. In a private conversation between the two later Sriram and the girl get to talking about previous and present relationships.
On the day of the marriage, instigated by the bride and a hilarious wedding ceremony, Sriram runs last minute breaking the marriage to get Dia back. After struggling, particularly in a "hungry and poor" village in Gujarat, Sriram wins the fiercely independent and dedicated Dia back and joins her in her social work. Sort of.
While some reviews have merely brushed off the 'character development' as small phrases from the film such as 'NGO types', the movie has very good development of characters, one audiences can relate to and can also perceive as actual people (unlike most other Bollywood films, where the established male actor just plays random characters in one to say funny lines - think 'Chennai Express', think 'Policegiri'). Each character is introduced and developed well and even grows in the film. Imran Khan playing 'Sriram Venkat' goes from being party-playboy to an almost selfless architect with emotions that he'd otherwise try to hide. Kareena Kapoor playing Dia Sharma goes from being a preachy NGO-types to being an actual dedicated social worker who's given up everything. Anupam Kher playing a selfish collector of Gujarat too has a change of heart and gives over a project for a lesser selfish interest.THE PERFORMANCES in the film are decent to good considering that all the actors themselves are particularly good ones.
Though most critics praise Kareena's performance - it is definitely not phenomenal. It's fun and the best in the film no doubt, but that's because she is a great actor, nothing celebratory or new in this particular role. However, the character she plays itself is even more interesting - she's in-the-moment (reminiscent of popular "Geet" from Jab We Met), she's strong and she's got an opinion. What's the most amazing part is she's a very very real person - she's curvaceous like most everyday women, she's independent and not male-centric - she has a life of her own which she can handle regardless of the man in her life. In fact it may almost appear as if she's the stronger less dependant character in the relationship. The most phenomenal scene could be the hilarious 'pregnant trick to clear traffic' or my personal favourite - the small moments of 'leading the man to work; in the middle of the red light district'. The scene has the woman taking the lead and guiding the man - so contrary to the normative male leader idea and the fact that it is such a female opposing/oppressive setting makes it even more radical.
Shraddha Kapoor does a decent job of acting pretty and hating on her possibly-to-be-husband. Although some scenes felt like they were slept through.Anupam Kher (and he's an amazing actor no doubt) does an undoubtedly good role - hilarious combined with evil - the perfect bald villain. My favourite dialogue is the one about the slap. His character starts off funny, but somewhere along the lines gets pissed and evil - losing the funny side, which perhaps, because of the great acting seems real and possible.
Other performances were mostly comic though definitely above average and nothing mediocre. The only performance I didn't like was the Sikh boy Kamal's, who though showing disappointment seems weird and frigid.
The casting though I comment about it on the basis of next-to-nothing was good. I wouldn't have mind seeing someone else, probably with more attitude play Sriram though. Kareena is great as the fierce Dia. They (Imran and Kareena) don't exactly look perfect or sizzling together (there's zero sexual-tension), but they do seem comfortable and relaxed.
Dialogues were entertaining and conversational, nothing sensational or trying too hard - just right. As was the soundtrack, there was nothing amazing about it, but it was sure fun and contemporary radio-friendly stuff. The best part is we're spared a new item song!
The dance routines and Choreography was terrible - there was too much flaying of arms, too much 'sex' involved into the otherwise asexual movie. Imran Khan almost seemed alien while doing the first dance sequence - the chorus step of the opening song, uncomfortable and awkward.To conclude, the movie is a professionally done film with a very true idea of India and Indians (and different kinds of them) and captures whatever it tries to show without trying too hard or seeming over the top - a definite one time watch for a good time.
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