Let's usher in this Valentine's Day with a typical moment of introspective minimalism out of Bollywood...
Yes, it's dear Miss Priyanka Chopra starring as the love interest of both Mr. Ranveer Singh and Mr. Arjun Kapoor (he's the scruffier of the two). The film, Gunday, is the big Valentine's release in Mumbai this year, and it promises a full two-and-a-half hours of the usual Hindi film delights - action, adventure, bromance, and, of course, splashy musical numbers. Initial reviews appear to be tepid, but who can resist those square jaws and swelling bosoms (of its male and female leads alike)?
These epics remind me very much of that staple of Hollywood in the '30s and '40s, the trio romance - you know, Robert Montgomery and Franchot Tone battling it out for Joan Crawford (or, over at Fox, Tyrone Power and Don Ameche trading insults en route to one of them netting Alice Faye). As with those films, I sometimes think it would be just as well (and certainly on many levels more intriguing) if the leading lady would just get out of the way and let the boys have their fun.
As I hope you will be having on this special day. We don't do all that much for Valentine's Day, as it tends to get subsumed in the all-consuming phenomenon that is Mr. Muscato's birthmonth celebrations (you read that right - nothing so simple as a single birthday in the Egyptian mindset). So far we've had a pleasant little cocktail party last weekend, a festive cake on the day itself this week, and, coming up for the long holiday weekend (courtesy of dear Messrs. Washington and Lincoln) I wouldn't be at all surprised to find us out having a lovely dinner out somewhere (sushi if he wins, French if I do, or, most likely, probably both, albeit on different occasions).
Whatever your plans, I wish you at least half as much fun as (and perhaps a little more narrative consistency than) the Gunday gang appear to be having...
I spent most of the 2:42 trying to figure out who was the better dancer, Mr. Singh or Mr. Kapoor, until I realized that the answer was neither. But it was all worth it for the frenzied chest-bumping shimmy halfway through. I'm sure these two comely fellows aren't quite sure why they dance so energetically, or what they long for, but I'll bet you dollars to New Delhi it ain't Miss Chopra.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's not exactly Kelly and Astaire, is it?
DeleteOn the other hand, I wouldn't underestimate our subcontinental brethren. My own experience (pre-Mr. M., of course) is that they know exactly why they're dancing...
Ooooh. How delicious.
DeleteI'll have a Peshwari Naan with either, thank you very much! Jx
ReplyDeletePS we spent an inordinate (and atypical) amount of time in our week in Spain watching Bhangra music video channels, both the local and the mainstream music output being so utterly dreary - and the preponderance of dusky hunks became quite a diverting feast for the senses...