Saawariya

Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor. A daunting tale that delves into the suffering endured by immature loves as a lady of the street sets her sight on a callow musician whose sights are set on another woman. 2007/color/142 min/PG.

Imagine a movie with the lavish production of Moulin Rouge!, the emotional complexity of a story by the great Russian writer Dostoevsky, a cast of staggeringly beautiful people, and the spectacular choreography of Bollywood extravaganzas? You've just imagined Saawariya, a lush romantic saga decked out in dazzling jewel tones--the entire world gleams with shades of sapphire, emerald, and amethyst. An innocent musician named Raj (Ranbir Kapoor, half Justin Timberlake, half the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz) falls madly in love with a lovely young woman named Sakina (Sonam Kapoor), who stands every night on a bridge with a black umbrella. But when he learns that she's in love with another man, a man who has been gone for a year but who promised to return that very week, Raj's pure soul turns corrupt with jealousy and longing. The charming lead actors are both making their feature film debut, but in supporting roles are two Bollywood superstars: Salman Khan (once voted the 7th best-looking man in the world by People Magazine) as Sakina's wayward beloved and the rapturously lovely Rani Mukherjee (sometimes known as the Queen of Bollywood) as a prostitute who counsels Raj in his affair, though she may have feelings of her own for the foolish young man. There's nothing else like Bollywood cinema; Saawariya combines wildly theatrical performances and insane dance sequences with an irresistibly sweeping romanticism that puts Titanic to shame. Truly a feast for the eyes and the heart. --Bret Fetzer