Saawariya (2007)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Writers:

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (story)
Prakash Kapadia (writer)

Release Date:

8 November 2007 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

When he first fell in love...

Plot:

Two souls arrive in a small town, one on vacation, the other to meet a lover. They spend the most magical dream-like days of their lives in that town... with each other.

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Delusion | Water | Dostoevsky | Islam

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Ranbir Kapoor	...	Ranbir Raj
Sonam Kapoor	...	Sakina
Salman Khan	...	Imaan
Rani Mukherjee	...	Gulabji
Zohra Sehgal	...	Lillian 'Lilipop'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Begum Para	...	Sakina's grandmother
Vibhu Puri	...	Stranger in the rain

Also Known As:

Eternal Soulmate (India: English title) (literal title)
Oh, My Love (International: English title) (literal title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements, brief nudity, some language and incidental smoking.

Runtime:

142 min

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Ireland:PG | UK:PG | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | South Korea:All | New Zealand:PG

Filming Locations:

India

Company:

SPE Films

Trivia:

A scene in the film (and a poster) shows Raj (Ranbir Kapoor) and Sakina (Sonam Kapoor) posing in a waltz-like manner, with the letters RK from a lighted sign in the background. This scene captures the logo of the R.K. Films Company, founded by Ranbir Kapoor's grandfather, Raj Kapoor.

Quotes:

Ranbir Raj: Ding-ding-ding! Laaaaadies and gentlemen, welcome to the fight of the century! In one corner is a beautiful young girl, and in the other, unhappiness!

Movie Connections:

Features Mughal-E-Azam (1960)

Soundtrack:

Thode Badmash

A Magical Fairy Tale Which Will Both Delight You and Entertain You!

Let me preface this review by writing that I enjoyed Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black" so much, I have looked forward to "Saawariya" for months, with the highest of expectations. And once more, I was not disappointed. Mr. Bhansali tells Dostoevsky short story "The White Nights" as a fluid, brilliantly colored and magical fairy tale. Ever since I was turned on to Mr. Bhansali's work with "Black" - and later watched"Devdas" - I have thought of him as the modern day, Hindi film industry's answer to Luchino Visconti. So it wasn't a complete surprise to learn that Visconti made a film titled "Le Notti Bianche" which was also based on the same short story. Both directors possess a unique touch with color, texture and cinematic air quality that is truly able to transport the viewer into their story, completely and delightedly. Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor are perfectly cast as the misguided lovers and Salman Khan is finally playing a character who seems to read deep into his soul and bring out the sultry quality that he so naturally possesses. "Saawariya" is not so much a Bollywood film meant to tug at your heart strings and leave you pining for your own unrequited love, but more a mood piece which will leave you wishing you could live in the imaginary world of pure, kind street walkers, beautiful all-white Eid nights and women's clothes that put French couturiers to shame. It is, as cinema is meant to be at its very root, a world of complete and utter escapism.