Saawariya (2007) User Reviews

Worth Watching Once

[Pratik112 · 6/10 · 24 November 2007]

The word "Saawariya" means a lover. There was song sung by the nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, many, many years back by the same title.

I don't know why this movie has been compared with "Om Shanti Om." The stories are completely different, even though the genre may be the same - love story and also being released on the same day - Diwali and also Ranbir Raj Kapoor dancing in the towel and Shah Rukh Khan showing his "six pack." But the two movies should not have been compared. The other difference, besides the story is that Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who has directed some excellent movies such as "Devdas", "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" and "Khamoshi - The Musical" and "Black", has launched two new stars - Ranbir Raj Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor and in the other - it has a super star and introducing Deepika.

Raj, gets Job to sing in a club in which there are prostitutes, one being Gulabji, with whom he becomes friends. He informs her that he is new in the town and has no place to stay. She gives him address of an old woman and tells him that she will allow him to stay with her as long as he is able to pay rent, etc. But one one night, after performing at the club, Raj meets Sakina in an empty street and falls in love with her. Its only later that he realises that Sakina is in love with someone else. The movie introduces two new stars - Ranbir Raj Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. The cast includes Rani Mukherjee, Salman Khan and Zohra Saigal.

In many ways, "Saawariya" echoes some of the RK movies such as "Barsaat", "Shree 420", "Awara" and "Anari." It also has some echoes of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's previous movies such as "Black" and "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam." While Ranbir Raj Kapoor has shown talent - naturally as he belongs to a well known filmy family and his parents being - Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, both actors themselves. But this did not seem to be the case with Sonam Kapoor, who has also shown some talent but not so much and even though she comes from a family that also is connected to the film industry - Anil Kapoor being her father, Boney Kapoor her uncle and Surendra Kapoor her grandfather.

The music by Monty Sharma is good and is worth while listening to as are the songs and especially the title song. This is not a typical Sanjay Leela Bhasali film, which would normally show some glitz, glamour and costume and Jewellery as he did in "Devdas." Nevertheless, it is worthwhile watching at least once.

For those interested, the two Kapoor families are said to be long distance relatives and at one time it is believed that Anil Kapoor and his brother were going to visit the late Raj Kapoor at his home. And Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor have worked together in a film by Yash Chopra entitled "Vijay." It is believed that the "RK Studios" could once again, after many years and that Ranbir Raj Kapoor will be in the movie. In the meantime, Sonam Kapoor, has already been offered to work in another movie, this time with Abhishek Bachchan.

Good luck to the two new comers.

Boring, slow paced, mediocure.

[ronnytoocool · 5/10 · 9 November 2007]

This movie is highly disappointing after all the hype it went through. and its not that this movie had a bad plot but quite a few things fell flat. For one, it was too slow, its just failed to move ahead, you see yourself losing interest in first 30 minutes or so.

For a regular Bollywood movie buff, this movie wont appeal to any but a chosen few who have extreme level of patience. it might work in foreign market, only on the fact that it is a well directed movie and the sets of the movie are mind blowing. apart from these there are no plus points.

the songs prop up every ten minutes, and made every1 cringe as we got fed up of it. there are a few good numbers but they don't help much. the acting is pretty average with the exception of Sonam Kapoor, who failed to impress. Ranbir reminded us of his father and is some one to watch for.

watch if u have nothing else to watch.....i suggest to wait for the DVD n rent it.

Very much Bhansali,yet not really him!

[prateekfigo-1 · 6/10 · 10 November 2007]

After Black,which was quite a milestone in Indian cinema,anything he would make would have been liked by the audience.Then came Saawariya.I can confidently say,nobody else would have been able to make a movie so visually alluring and spectacularly stunning.It's just a treat for an individual's eye.But,having high expectations from this director was not really a mammoth thing,and I feel sorry that he hasn't lived up to those pre-release drama.If Saawariya was made by any other director,it would have been well-received by the audience and critics alike.He's a dream director ,that's for sure,but the movie lacked a much needed script.Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor could not have asked for a better film-maker to launch them.But still the meager runtime of two hours and eight minutes looks a bit too long. Regarding the performances,Rani,playing a prostitute for her second successive movie,portrays her character beautifully well.She again proves herself being the queen of Bollywood.Ranbir Kapoor has done a good job in his role as a happy-go-lucky dreamer.His jawline and face-cut looks strikingly similar to that of his mother Neetu Kapoor.Sonam Kapoor looks beautiful and has done a fine job too.Salman Khan didn't have much screen-time to show his potential,but he looks a tad too old. All in all,Saawariya,visually speaking,looks and feels like very much Sanjay Leela Bhansali,but critically speaking,it's not really Sanjay Leela Bhansali!

Bad Gift in a Pretty Package

[Chrysanthepop · 8 January 2008]

'Saawariya' was one of those over-hyped films that I thought of skipping. Not because of the hype but because of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Bhansali's debut venture 'Khamoshi The Musical' remains one of my favorite film. After that he made 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' which for me was merely a one-time watchable film. This was followed by 'Devdas and 'Black' which were awful. The reason why I finally watched it was because I didn't have to pay. So what did I think? I didn't like the film.

On the technical side, 'Saawariya' is well made. The cinematography, lighting etc work are quite impressive. The set design is spectacular but looks fake (works for something like 'Moulin Rouge'). The film is set in some kind of France-Italy combo inhabited by Indians. For obvious reasons, Bhansali gives the film a blueish tint. However, 'Saawariya' is the kind of movie that required a more subtle treatment than the operatic loudness.

So where exactly does it fail? The story. There's no soul. It's extremely slow (and uninteresting as it's obvious what will happen) and knowing that it may have been ripped off from Visconti's 'Le Notti Bianche' doesn't do anything for the liking. The numerous references to the Kapoor family looks forced. Again, Bhansali presents the lead heroine as the flawless 'adarsh bharatiya naadi' (typical traditional Indian woman), who is coy and innocent, makes sacrifices and whatever. He did the same with Aishwarya and Madhuri in his previous films.

Sonam Kapoor is passable in some scenes but in other scenes it appears as if she's on weed, e.g. especially because of her constant giggling. Perhaps this is a reference to some kind of madness as Imaan may be a 'symbolic' representation of that (suggesting that Imaan does not exist). However, this aspect is not explored and why would Imaan be a representation of madness? The character is one of the dullest I've seen in recent cinema and the viewer is left wondering what it was about Imaan that got Sakina so obsessed. Say even, if Sakina was mad, her acting out of the symptoms looks unreal. Yet, there may be room for improvement depending on her future film choices and directors. Ranbir Kapoor really overdoes his act, trying too much to look lovable and sympathetic. I can see that the actor really is trying (perhaps too much) but his expressions and moves just don't look natural and all those references to RK movies flooding the screen do not help. Salman Khan personifies wooden. In a small role, Zohra Sehgal is okay. In the end, it is Rani Mukherjee's performance that leaves an impact. She is absolutely fantastic. Her scenes really are worthwhile. She completely nails the part. Although in that same year, she does play a prostitute in 'Laaga Chunari Mein Daag', the actress really does make both characters unique. She looks and acts the part (looking pretty hot).

Although I didn't like the film, there were a few enjoyable moments (that I mentioned above) and I was doing something else at the same time, so it wasn't a full waste of hours. I can see why many would like the film because it is pretty to look at but it has no heart. In my opinion, 'Saawariya' is forgettable and it does not deserve more than a one-time watch.

A waste of time and Money

[sagheero · 1/10 · 9 November 2007]

What was Sanjay Leela Bhansali thinking of when he made this movie? Ranbir has like 2 expressions in the whole movie...Sonam has one...she can not even laugh properly! Salman has been used in like 1 and a half scenes, Rani and Zohra have been wasted.

Let me not even start on the sets...what is it? A Venice like canal with floating lamps....flowers....life size Buddha statues?

The era? Your guess is as good as mine...post independence...pre independence...60's...whatever. Why is it always dark in the movie? Its like night 24/7 and rains perennially except that one time when it snows!

SPOILER AHEAD!!!

SPOILER AHEAD!!!

SPOILER AHEAD!!!

The movie is basically about Ranbir (Ranbir Raj in the movie), who stays in a God forsaken town as a paying guest with Zohra Sehgal (British or Anglo Indian? She is called Lynn and Lillie pops...Gawd!)...he falls in love with a Muslim girl Sakina, played by Sonam, who wears weird clothes all through the movie...who in turn is in love with a truant tenant Aalim played by Salman Khan (wasted in this movie) and awaits his return. The movie is all about emotions and how Sakina dilly dallies and half flirts with Ranbir only to go back to Aalim in the end... The movie sucks from the start with incessant songs...over the top hamming...claustrophobic settings and so on. And what is with Sonam going off with Salman in the end? It was so abrupt...she can not make up her mind...she flirts with Ranbir for most of the movie and then narrates how she fell in love with Sallu Bhai when he was her tenant and then left for some weird mission and she awaits his return...Ranbir does show some shades of Grey when he burns that letter intended for Salman and tries to convince Sonam to give up on Sallu...anyways, barring a few dance steps of Ranbir Kapoor, which reminds us of Shammi Kapoor...Shashi Kapoor and even good ol Raj Kapoor...the film is a sheer waste of money and time!

Very weak story. Extreme disappointment

[pnchheda · 3/10 · 10 November 2007]

Sawariya, yet again, proves that nothing is greater than a great script. Great art direction, stunning visuals and reasonable sound track could not salvage, what seemed to be a very mediocre material for a great director. We drove over 100 miles (one way) to watch the movie and sincerely regret the decision. I guess marketing did pull us in but in the end, audience is the king.

The movie fails on several level - extremely weak story, bad-lines, razor-thin characters, zero-plot, no conflict and above all, the protagonist - Raj. Raj's character comes out more as a looser than a sympathetic one. Hate to write more in fear of spoiling.

Not one character in the movie is someone I'd care for. Rani and Salman are wasted. There is no climax but instead a sudden death. It looked as if the writers ran out of ideas on the ending.

If it was not for for music, camera and art direction, I would have given this movie 1 out of 10!

Stunning visuals enhance a musically whimsical narrative

[Peter_Young · 7/10 · 4 November 2021]

I can't believe Saawariya was so badly received. First things first, the film is stunning, just stunning to look at. The set design, very European in style and arrangement, the beauty of the streets and the mirror-like lakes, the lighting, and the phenomenal camera work, are all evidence of tremendous production values which far overpower the film's actual content. Sometimes content is not all you want to see on film - the film is a true visual treat and sometimes it's good enough. But then the rest of it is not that bad at all, Bhansali's attention to detail on the technical front is matched by a narrative so whimsical and muscial that the film ends up working as a full-on fairy tale. I think the poor reception to the film reflected umatched expectations. To me, it is a fair romantic adaptation of Dostoevsky's White Nights which is not to be taken seriously content-wise but rather enjoyed.

Indeed, self-indulgent and a little overlong it is, but I really didn't care much because I myself was mostly busy indulging in how beautifully it was shot. The music by Monty Sharma matches the film's theatrical style and colour. The film introduces two young stars - both from different Kapoor family clans. Male lead Ranbir Kapoor is the main protagonist and does very well in his debut performance. Sonam Kapoor is incredibly pretty as Sakeena, his love interest who is the quintessential film heroine, the demure, pure, giggly young woman, and she does very well. Zohra Segal is also here and is very good. Salman Khan is a bit of a distraction, but Rani Mukerji is a delight all the way in a wonderfully playful performance, topping it with a great dance number, "Chhabeela". Saawariya is an overwhelming visual extravaganza, and to me, it is an absolute delight.

Disappointing effort!

[hizham · 2/10 · 9 November 2007]

To cut a long story short, SAAWARIYA disappoints big time. You expect the moon from this genius film-maker, but you're disheartened as you watch his new creation.

SAAWARIYA is about two young star-crossed lovers. A musician, Raj (Ranbir Kapoor), is certain that he has found his ultimate dream when he arrives at a picturesque town. However, destiny paints a different picture for Raj. One silent night, he spots a mysterious girl draped in black, standing alone at a bridge.

This chance encounter introduces him to Sakina (Sonam Kapoor), a shy and quiet girl, who continues to intrigue him. Thus follows the beginning of a new friendship, where Raj, with his most charming ways and an undying spirit, tries to win Sakina's heart.

Raj is unable to accept her haunting past and their friendship pulls him into a whirlwind of desire, madness and romance.

SAAWARIYA suffers because of its writing mainly.

What makes matters worse is the setting/ambiance. The film gets monotonous after a point, visually speaking, since it has been shot in its entirety on dark sets. You long for some visual relief, some bright spots, some sunshine… Dostoevsky's short story WHITE NIGHTS may sound interesting on paper, but SLB's adaptation suffers because there's not much meat in the plot. In fact, it wouldn't be erroneous to state that SAAWARIYA ranks amongst SLB's weakest films, as far as scripting is concerned.

Overall, disappointing!!

A Bollywood Modern Day Story about Star Crossed Lovers

[habiba43 · 9/10 · 15 December 2007]

I heard varying comments prior to watching this film, and I have to say that I shall always follow my gut instinct from now on. This film is neither boring or slow paced! Whilst watching the trailers the first thing that caught my eye was the beautiful sets. And they did not disappoint! The set is magical. The acting is flawless. The music is brilliant. The story is well written, nicely paced and very artistic indeed. Clever and intellectual. A well deserved round of applause for both those in front of the scenes and behind. For anyone who has loved someone unconditionally. I would highly recommend to those who enjoyed films from Romeo and Juliet to Devdas to Moulin Rouge! ;)

Refreshingly Different

[anj747 · 7/10 · 13 November 2007]

I can understand why some are not satisfied with this film as it is not the typical predictable Bollywood fare, however it is a refreshingly unique piece of Indian cinema. Based upon a 19th century short story by famed Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky; its stunning fantasy visuals provide a perfect setting for the romantic themes.

*** SPOILER ***

For me, the subtlety of the story revolves around the purity of true love. All of the main characters have an unconditional, unselfish love for another, including the heroine; until the last minute when she loses faith in the promised return of her mysterious hero, but whose fears are unfounded.

It can be succinctly summarised in the famous quote by Kahlil Gibran: "If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were."

Bakwaas movie of Bollywood!!!

[siraz-m · 2/10 · 11 November 2007]

Am really a big fan of Sanjay Leela Bhansali movies. but not this one for sure. The movie boasts of a powerful cast besides the lead actors too. We have yet another bakwaas performance by Rani Mukherjee, sure doesn't want to remember in her entire life. Salmaan is playing a tough guy with little dialogues but fitting in this role. Zohra Sehgal is too loud to handle, silly laugh... oh god!!!. Most importantly, no body is dominating the screen over the others with a clichéd acting; the characters seem to have taken oath to bore all the viewers to the core. The music score of the movie was another big disaster, hardly catching bits one or two. Some of the songs that have accompanying dances are beautiful and the lyrics by Sameer are touching. my sincere advice is to forget about this movie. i think i have wasted lot of time in writing my reviews about this type of bakwaas movie. Finally i can say only onething, Sanjay, please do some original movies, do not remake any Hindi or English movies, because Sanjay is having really good talent as director. And next time please use some lights on the sets or shoot the movie in some sunlight. i even don't want to rate this movie, but still because am fan of Sanjay, i can give 2 out of 10 for sanjay, not to the movie.

A Visual Treat!

[Vishboy · 8/10 · 25 November 2007]

A lot has been written and said about Saawariya. Majority of the critics and reviews have dismissed this movie! Well, I for one, almost gave it a miss (as it is I am not a huge fan of Mr.Bansali). But I saw the movie yesterday, and whoa-I was pleasantly surprised!!! It has to be, in my opinion, one of the most visually appealing movie of all time. I mean, right from the reel one, the movie speaks volumes about its grandeur. It is true delight on the visual senses.

So why have the critics darned it? Well, I think you have to view "Saawariya" in its own context. Comaprisons just cannot be made. It's like a book of fairy-tales. each page in the book is rich in illustrations and drawings. Just holding the book sometimes can take you in a world of dreams. This movie is precisely like that and has to be viewed in that context. The music adds to its flow-it is the part of the package.

Now to the performances: Sonam Kapoor has an angelic screen presence and her acting too is good for her debut movie. Ranbir Kapoor is a powerhouse of talent and a great screen presence too. For their first movie, the lead pair creates lots of magic! Salman Khan is barely there. Rani Mukherjee who plays a prostitute is awesome-I nearly fell in love with this prostitute!!! The movie does have some rough edges. At least a couple of sequences (including the ending) are way too abrupt! It's like the chef forgot to garnish his dish. All in all "Saawariya" is a movie that I think justifies my 8/10 rating. It is so visually appealing that one literally cannot take the eyes off! And it's not too taxing on the brains too-just a simple love story set in a far-far away land, narrated with flow and music, though at the end of it you might question the essence of Sonam's character. That to me was very baffling! Go for it!

A could-have-been -better-film

[thisistrinath · 7/10 · 20 November 2007]

I thought world can never go wrong in deciding a film. Well this time, people have gone somewhat wrong. I watched the despite all the warnings given by my friends and I found the movie to be good. Because I went to the theater with a negative mind, I was waiting that when would this movie go wrong as described by reviews. But to my surprise, it was not until the end that I felt displeasure.

For me, the movie was just like the whistle that Ranbir blew in the movie. It starts out very well defined but its ending is just not clear (isn't it?). Till the end Sonam was so faithful to her lover but right at the end she seems to have been loving Ranbir, which I didn't like. I thought it could have been much better if the director tried to show her love towards Ranbir as her acceptance due to his devotion and not because Salman has not come. And then leave with Salman after he returns. After all, a girl's feeling should be given more importance.

For acting- I like the Old Lady, her dialogs and her expressions. Ranbir and Sonam were both excellent. Rani was also good in her side role.

Songs were dull and slow when I heard them in my car but when I saw them in the movie I liked them very very much.

I cut a point for Ranbir's towel misadventure. I didn't knew about it before I went to the movie and when he was flashing it, I thought he cannot drop that but to my fear he actually did. I felt ashamed. That was not at all required in the movie and I wonder how his parents let him do it.

Now the director, I can see that director was playing very safe by showing a dream city and shooting only night scenes. I understand that love is more beautiful in night and dreamy places, but if love is great what is day and what is night? So, instead of taking the pain to be creative and show beautiful love even in day and real world environment, director played safe and avoided. Aim was also not clear on his part. They were trying only to make a good movie not a great movie within safe boundaries.

And lastly, I liked the way in which Sonam keeps speaking of Id. Whenever she speaks of preparations for Id, I felt how beautiful any festival is and its beauty lies in the people's preparation. I see that such essence of a festival is now all lost.

Watch it!

Utter disappointment

[manjula_55 · 1/10 · 11 November 2007]

I am not a great Hindi movie fan, but have watched some Hindi movies with family. I usually don't get fed up with Hindi movies. But Sawaariya was a exception. It felt really boring at times. Even my wife who was a great fan of these romantic movies was bored. She was saying its too slow. And there were too many songs.

The set was great, but was overused. It seemed like a fairy tale as the director did not care to tell the audience where this 'red light district' is, and when did the story took place.

I invite Mr. Director to answer these common questions 1. where did the foot ball came from? 2. where did Raj came from? 3. Why don't Raj go around the town in the day time. 4. What does he do during day time ? (sleeping ??) 5. How come the boat is given unattended for the girl and the boy for free rides? 6. How come the girl is deep in love with that stone cold guy? 7. Where is he leaving for work so suddenly? (to Afghanistan ?) 8. If Raj can visit Salman's workplace to find him, why cant the die-hard girl do that? 9. Why does everything happen in the night?, did this happen long time ago in far away place in the Universe? 10 etc

There was no plot, and no real characters. (however if we think of it as a fairy tale, who cares about characters ??)

It was a waste of time and money.

A decent enough effort...*Slight Spoilers*

[Dingataca · 11 November 2007]

Saawariya is no Black, or a Devdas, or a Khamoshi OR a Hum Dil De...yet, I think it has been made to the best it can. Based on Fyodor Dostoevskye's story "White Nights", it has done a decent enough job. However, I found some major problems in the movie.

NEG -

1) Why did Sakina fall in love with Imaan? What on earth did he do that Sakina would fall crazily, and slightly obsessively in love with him? Apart from saying "his piercing eyes" etc, even Sakina did not tell us.

2) Where is this magical town they all live in? It is a gorgeous set, no doubt, but is there no name for this place? If not wanting to give a real name, SLB could have used a fictional name. What era is this mystical town?

3) What does Imaan do for a living that he left so suddenly?

4) Salman returns. I am not even going to explain that further, ugh.

5) The movie is very slow, very dreary.

POS -

1) Ranbir Kapoor's acting. I remember telling my mom I thought he probably has no talent whatsoever, and looks pretty pansy-looking, very feminine. After watching this, I feel a bit mean - the guy DEFINITELY has talent! He is over the top, and dramatic, but that is what makes it endearing. I still agree with my pansy-looking comment though, he doesn't exactly have the build or incredible masculinity of other male stars.

2) The scenery...its stunning! It feels like a fairytale, and you feel transported straight into its magical world.

3) ZOHRA SEHGAL. I love this lady, if it wasn't for her, Saawariya would have absolutely zero light-hearted scenes. She brightened up this movie by ten miles.

4) The butt shot of Ranbir! What can I say - I'm a woman after all!

The acting was very very good. Ranbir was fabulous, as I have already explained. I am no major fan after seeing this, but I admire his work in this movie. Finally a hero who can look cute, and sing and dance, and talk of love in a completely different way. I didn't like his body though. He may have a six-pack, but he was too thin for my liking. Sonam Kapoor was alright. She does a nice job of it, and she is very beautiful. She is very charming in this movie. But apart from some smiling, some laughing, and a lot of crying, she did not have as much to do. On the other hand, she delivers some scenes of Saawariya that had me wanting to applaud her. Especially that scene where she laughs maniacally for Salman. It gave me a Devdas-ish reminder, but it was superb.

Rani Mukherjee plays a slightly smaller role as Gulabji, but I still think she was very important to the story. She narrates the story, and her deep, calming voice starts off Saawariya on a high note. I am not a fan of Rani at all to be honest, but I must say this performance was indeed well done. Salman was wooden in his performance. I didn't like the character he played - otherwise I have no issues with him. He gave the best he could to the character Imaan...

The music was a downfall. Sure, it is melodious, beautiful, but it lacks the ringing and does not remain in your head like Devdas etc. You will hum it for a while then it will disappear. I liked the title song best - it was the catchiest and sweetest song.

SANJAY - PLEASE TRY HARDER NEXT TIME.

The worst movie of the century

[imrankhankhan · 1/10 · 10 November 2007]

I should have read the review here before going to the theater.. It was a complete waste of time. THe 1st song came out of the blue within 10 minutes after the movie started...the second one within 5 minutes.. I was counting the number of songs.. there was nothing better to do. The two debutants should join an acting school. I longed to see some sunlight in the movie.. The only expense the producer had was to pay the actors and actresses and some lousy neon tubes to decorate the chandni bar.. I should have read the review here before going to the theater.. It was a complete waste of time. THe 1st song came out of the blue within 10 minutes after the movie started...the second one within 5 minutes.. I was counting the number of songs.. there was nothing better to do. The two debutants should join an acting school. I longed to see some sunlight in the movie.. The only expense the producer had was to pay the actors and actresses and some lousy neon tubes to decorate the chandni bar..

Genes doesn't get u success

[gocam20 · 3/10 · 8 November 2007]

Too many cooks spoil the broth, that is the best way one can describe this movie.

We have the so called cream of Indian film makers involved, arguably the first family of Indian cinema "The Kapoor Family", Anil Kapoor and last but not the least, the very talented Sanjay Leela Bhansali. And all of them together screwed-up

The very Moulin Rogue treatment given to the film was just bearable but the clueless leads were difficult to watch. Neither Randhir Kapoor Nor Sonam Kapoor can convince us about their characters. Salman was pretty much wasted on the film you could have but a statue instead of him and that would'nt had made any difference. The only little grace that you can take from this movie is Rani Mukharjee, who also plays the narrator in the film. My guess is Salman and Rani were used more as safety nets for the film rather then for their acting capabilities. But even they couldn't save the film. And Mr Bhansali plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz stop putting so many songs in your films. We get it that more songs might give you more revenues from the audio sales but don't kill the movie for it.

White Nights" is a Russian short story by Fyodor Dostoevsky, originally published in 1848 and used by Bhansali as his source material. The story is about Raj(Randhir Kapoor/ and Sakina(Sonam Kapoor/Nastenka) who meet each other one night. They develop a good friendship and Raj inevitably falls in love with this Beautiful girl. However Sakina has a secret she has been secretly waiting for her lover Imaan(Salaman). She Tells Raj that in two days time her lover is going to come for her ending her year long wait. Raj is devastate but continues to be her friend and Raj gets more and more involved and eventually confesses his love for her. Sakina dismisses it as another of his mischiefs. On the night when Sakina is suppose to come to meet her lover she waits for him with Raj and as time passes by she begins to doubt Imaan's intentions much to the pleasure of Raj. But neither one knows how will the night end, will friendship become love?, will true love triumph? or worse will friendship become a compromise?

In the end a bad use of good artistic talent.

Go watch it for the songs and RANBIR KAPOOR!!

[jemzz · 7/10 · 9 November 2007]

As much as I hate to say it, Saawariya did disappoint me. It had everything, new stars, lovely songs, a magical and enchanting set...but it lacked soul.

There are many "whys?" and "hows?" raised in certain parts of this film and for the purpose of those reading I shall not include any spoilers within my review but if we look away from these things then all in all Saawariya is an average movie. If anything is going to bring this movie forward it will be Ranbir Kapoors acting. He is simply superb...you almost see shades of Raj Kapoor kicking in at times (which my mum was very happy about!) and of course shades of his own Dad Rishi which was excellent.

Ranbir Kapoor is truly an absolute Gem in this movie and I felt that if he wasn't in the frame that something was missing... thats the impact he made on me. He's innocent eyes and charming persona really will make a few hearts flutter! Sonam Kapoor is again a good actress although I don't think we really got the chance to see what we she made of as her character didn't really have much to do...but from what we see things are promising.

Salman Khan was quite wasted in the movie, he is looking older (and bigger) but nevertheless I will still remain a fan of his.

Rani Mukerjee I feel does bring some life into the otherwise dull blue surroundings, especially in her song. She has done well in her short but important role.

All in all, although Saawariya fails to meet our expectations from a great director like Bhansali, it still has that pulling factor I feel to make it do well at the box office.

Go watch it for Ranbir Kapoor, he deserves it.

Careful - Genius At Work !

[movie1buff · 1/10 · 19 November 2007]

Saawariya is said to be based on 'White Nights', the short story by Fyodor Dostoevsky, which happens over a period of four nights and a morning.

To begin with, there is a great romantic story. So barring hardliners – this story should appeal to all the rest of us who I guess, should be romantic at heart.

About the cast – there are seasoned performers like Rani Mukherji and Salman Khan. Also the cast has veterans of unmatched caliber – Zohra Sehgal and Begum Para. Plus the 2 débutantes – Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor give a tremendous performance.

On the music front – it would be difficult to find a parallel in Indian cinema. Monty Sharma excels in songs and the background score. The lyrics by Sameer though, are very pedestrian. But the melodies/ harmonies are so strong you can overlook the poor lyrics easily.

Photography by Ravi K. Chandran is flawless.

Costumes – the best of the very best have been selected.

Set Design and Props – there is a bit of indulgence by Omung Kumar and wife.

But all in all, the ingredients have the makings of a masterpiece.

One would really need to be a genius to mess this up. And Sanjay Leela Bhansali is the genius. He blames the critics, criticizes his audience, derides the competition, is at war with the whole world – but won't look at himself in the mirror. Right from the first frame super – 'a film by Sanjay Leela Bhansali' – the king-size ego is at work. He wants to shout in every frame – 'I DID IT.' But you forget one tiny important detail – the script and the screenplay. This department is the weakest over here. The film crawls – the four nights are endless. And the entire film is claustrophobic from the first frame.

And Sanjay, don't tell us that you don't care and make films for yourself – because the audience pays for the tickets and they really feel cheated for paying good money to see your indulgence.

Saawariya rocks!

[himaank · 9/10 · 28 November 2007]

This movie will be framed in gold as one of the most astonishing movies ever made in Indian cinema. Each and every scene gives you an impression of 2.5yrs of real efforts done by the great Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He has truly evolved the Indian cinema with his unique way of movie making. He has emerged as one of the most daring movie makers in the world, specially in India. This masterpiece is about an imaginary world about 2 lovers and their journey towards true love.

Raj played by Ranbir Kapoor and Sakina played by Sonam Kapoor have done marvelous job as the lead pair. Both are looking immensely confident and amazing in this movie. They are going to be the new superstars of Bollywood as they have shown a lot of talent and amazing chemistry. They both are so true and close to their roles that their characters-Raj and Sakina will be remembered in lines of DDLJ, QSQT and Bobby.

Ranbir is sure-shot a star material and so is Sonam. The movie starts with Ranbir coming to this imaginary world and how he mesmerizes Gulab, a prostitute played by Rani Mukherjee and gets in to her heart as a special admirer. With her help, he manages to stay with Zohra Sehgal. An old women who found his lost son in Ranbir. The movie then takes you in a steady journey of Raj meeting Sakina and how they found or lose their love. To be honest, I'm not a great fan of sad-ending movies but Saawariya is a true exception.

Remember those days when your grandma or mom tells you a story about fairy world? How an angel comes to help a small girl and singing a beautiful song for her which led trees, rivers, birds to rhyme and enjoy all together? This movie is exactly about that kind of world with lots of hope and sacrifices for the true love.

Understand, there is no set of format to make a movie where a movie should have a flow from A to Z. Its all about understanding the movie with a different set of mind. There are some classic movies like Satya and Company which are so true to real bad world. But with Saawariya its not about how true or logical you are, its about thinking all good things and getting in to the flow of the movie.

Zohra Sehgal as an old lady who helps Raj in this new town is also a strong pillar to hold this movie in terms of acting and appearance. Salman has done a descent job in a cameo appearance and Rani is wonderful in her performance and dancing.

Its sheer delight listening such a soothing music after very-very long time and my favorites are 'Jab se tere naina', 'Yun shabnami' and of course, the title track-'Saawariya'.

All said and done, its a lovely movie with great performances from Ranbir, Sonam, Zohra and Rani. This is the first movie which has impressed me with its looks and cinematography. Hail Sanjay Leela Bhansali!

A visually awe-inspiring experience...

[qaisrani · 7/10 · 12 November 2007]

As I'm in Pakistan and I don't have the privilege to watch Indian movies on the cinema thats why i saw it last night at my place and I SO WISH I could watch it on the cinema...

Its a visual treat honestly and it is beautifully picturized...

Sonam is looking really pretty and Ranbir is quite good looking as well...All in all both did a really good job considering their first movie...

Even Rani Mukherji was looking really nice throughout. Salman Khan had a very brief role and I'm a fan of Salman Khan but in this movie, he didn't really leave an impact and I guess he can't be blamed because really what do you expect in such a brief role. The cutest character was Zohra Sehgal...She was literally adorable...

The music was really good...It really went with the movie and someone complained about the songs being too much in the movie, however I think they moved on with the story pretty well so I didn't find them irritating at all...

Now to the writing and story...Well yes considering a Bhansali film, the movie could have had a much tighter and well-written scrip...Its not that I disliked it or anything...Its just that, there was room for improvement as the other aspects of the movie were really well crafted...

Actually I really praise Mr. Bhansali for one thing, which is that he didn't fear about what the people would think but in his own way, he brought innovation to the cinema...The sad part is this sort of cinema is not for everyone. Its for the niche audience and not really for the masses.

I don't blame or have anything against the people who disliked it as everyone has his own choice but come on people stop calling it a horrible or terrible movie 'coz I had a really good time watching it and I think its a well made movie...

Considering all those meaningless masala movies being churned out by the industry at least, this movie had depth in it if not story wise then by other aspects...I very well admit the fact that story is a very important factor in a movie but then again the rest of the pillars also hold the roof so one should try to look its positive sides as well...

I admit that it cannot be called the magnum opus of Sanjay Leela Bhansali but come on people if he made some good movies that doesn't mean that he is a god and will always make an outstanding piece of art...I did expect a more intense story-line but then again I think the people had way too high expectations...He just attempted something different so rather than criticizing his work to be abysmal, the man should be appreciated for his effort and hard work.

To all those who are apprehensive about the movie after reading the reviews...PLEASE its a genuine request not only for the movie but even generally anything in life...Experience something yourself and then pass a judgment rather than forming your decisions on the opinions of others...Go and watch it, its not really that horrible...Its just blown out of proportion and om shanti om is a movie I yet have to watch so I won't pass any comments but let me be clear about something that it is also a big hit due to the fact that shahrukh khan has a huge fan following!

Getting back to saawariya, well all I can say is kudos to Mr. Bhansali for trying something really different and classy...

sawaariya

[shashi345 · 3/10 · 10 November 2007]

Aside from the visual effects and songs there is nothing really interesting about this movie. i think Sanjay leela Bhansali cud have done a better job than this movie. The movie is shot in one plot, you see same faces over and over again. The story is about this boy ranbir kapoor who falls in love with the girl, but the girl is in love with salman khan, the story revolved on the boy persuading the girl all through the movie but eventually she did not change her mind about salman khan. Rani has a very little role as a prostitute. overall the movie was so boring it cud have been cut short.i don't know what else to say , i am just speechless when i came out of the theater as if i was lost in some other world.

excellent film!

[aparajita_burjwal · 10/10 · 16 November 2007]

First of all after watching saawariya i still have not been able to understand why people did not like it. we should know that it is an art film and it should be looked at in the same way. we say we want different films now but when a director attempts a different film, we absolutely bash it and end up taking out as many flaws as we can. the main two characters off this film are "ranbir and sonam". now where was the city situated, in which era it is happening all this is not important. when we look at a painting, we don't look at where it is sitauted, we look at it's beauty and this exactly what saawariya is, it is a beautiful painting and we should be looking at it's beauty.

You need to have an open mind and appreciation for art films to watch and digest this one. it is true that it's not mass appealing, because it doesn't have the jhatkas and the matkas in it. I recommend you go and watch it and forget about the reviews.

Review from me...Ranbir impresses....

[kahonakaho2005 · 7/10 · 11 November 2007]

Had been waiting for it since the 1st promo with huge expectations...Are they fulfilled?Yes...Does film live up to the expectations ? No...

Performances :

Ranbir is surely amazing from the start till the end,the confidence with which he has given his performance is the thing to see here,surely there are few scenes where he has over done his expressions,but if u leave those few scenes,ranbir was almost flawless,slb has given in fact a tough role to him,at many places,he has been made to behave like a mad person totally,and ranbir does that very well,he makes u laugh at his comedy,he makes u emotional at his emotional scenes.He indeed deserves a debut actor award for his performance in coming film-fare award.

Sonam,she had even more tougher role to play then ranbir,slb really wanted too much from his débutant's with such a story to show.Sonam would surely find many ppl speaking against her,as i am sure many ppl wont like her acting nor her role simply because she was made to behave very strangely throughout the film.It requires deep thinking to understand sakina,the role played by her in the film,a Muslim girl who is so much in love that any sec she starts crying ,next sec she starts laughing as she is just waiting for her saawariya to return.Talking of her acting,she did a gud job, gud because she wasn't given the scope to do too much as she had very less dialogues in the film,its only her eyes that do the talking most of the time or her silence.Sometimes we would feel like is she mad,but truth is she is indeed mad and she is mad in love.

Salman has a very small role,almost guest appearance,and he does well,though he looks overweight in his costumes a bit.

Rani Mukherjee playing the role of a prostitute impresses a lot,a girl who speaks half English half Hindi and narrates the complete story from start till end,she was very nice in the film and she had a much easy role too in comparison to rest cast.

Remaining cast like zohra sehgal supported quite well...

Questions left to be answered by public :

Will they understand the role of sonam,will they understand or feel the immense love she was in due to which she was not able to see or realize anything else,will they understand how much caring ranbir was for everyone he meets but he gave his heart to a girl who might not be liking her.Will the audience be able to understand the simple story shown in the simple way instead of the normal masala comedy emotional films that we see always.Will they laugh at the comic scenes which aren't that much humorous as the laughter factor has been kept very less in the film.Will they like the climax ?

Its a film which will be liked or loved or hated based on how ppl find the answers to all those questions.

Overall a film that will most probably fail at box office,critics also wont like it...only a section of public will appreciate the film.. and very few will love the film...Its a Ranbir film for me... and i would watch it again to see if i end up liking sonam also equally as i found ranbir having an edge throughout the film.

My Rating :

Songs - 5/5(They are surely ones i would hear all my lifetime as i am in love with the songs)

Songs Picturisation - 5/5(Too gud,simply superb) Direction - 3/5 Dialogues - 3.5/5(Could had been more dialogues then in the end we heard) Cinematography - 4/5 Story - 2.5/5

Film - 3 OUT OF 5(.25 extra for ranbir's performance)

What an awful waste of talent....

[nmondal · 1/10 · 12 November 2007]

The starting credit starts saying that the story comes from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Nights_%28short_story%29 And the story is pessimistic enough. Now, clearly u can not make a Fyodor Dostoevsky story a movie, can u? U can try, and in case u try u can fail. This experiment failed miserably. Nastenka becomes Sakina, and she has no clue what she wants from life. The protagonist, "Saawariya" has no clue what he wants, bliss or love.

This duality can be greatly anticipated in the story, but to make it feel in the movie, u need to be at least a Ray, and sorry Mr Bansali, u are no Ray.