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Saawariya (2007) DVD Review
Saawariya (2007) DVD Credits:
Saawariya (2007) Directed by:
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Saawariya (2007) Written by:
Prakash Kapadia
Saawariya (2007) Cast:
Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor
Saawariya (2007) Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
Saawariya (2007) DVD Release Date:
5th May 2008
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Saawariya (2007) Synopsis:

"Saawariya" (Beloved) is a musical based on the short story "White Nights" written by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It is the story of a shy dreamer, Raj (22 years old), who spent most of his time isolated in his apartment, creating riddles and finding answers to them, jabbering poetry or arguing with his foolish landlady Miss Disa, with whom he shared a love/hate relationship. Raj was loved by one and all, for he always brought happiness to the people around him. Destiny plans a magical tale for Raj over the next four nights of his life that shall change his entire being. "Saawariya" is the story of a couple's chance encounter and the advance of their parallel obsessions over four successive nights. An impromptu romance is initiated in a remote town in the serene beauty of picturesque Simla, a quaint hill station in Northern India that was once the summer capital of India under the British Raj, known for its lakes, mist, heavenly snowfall, rains and the tall swaying pine trees. The bright, fun-filled winding streets of the mall come alive with singing clubs, rustic folklore, dancing, love ballads, flourishing colonies of artists and weavers, and chants from the monastery- all woven in perfect harmony into a magical dream. It is here that the dreamer finds the 'lost' self in himself.

Saawariya (2007) DVD Review:

The region most synonymous to filmmaking has long been Hollywood, but surprisingly America cannot compete with the quantity of films that are made in India each year. Bollywood surpasses the quantity of films made in Hollywood easily, though the largest difference being the way that Bollywood is self-contained. Hollywood largely relies on the exportation of its films overseas, sometimes simply to recuperate the money spent on the film, whereas the films from Bollywood are hardly ever exported, just as audiences have more interest in an Indian film than they would be an American. As a result American audiences are highly unaccustomed to the style of Bollywood, which still seems to thrive on the musical tendencies of 1940s and 1950s Hollywood musicals.

Anyone who has watched classic musicals knows that there is a large difference between them and the modern musicals of today where the camera becomes the cinematographer with editing used to keep rhythm. Bollywood still films the musicals in a pure fashion with no need to explain the sudden outbursts of song and dance, often directed right at the camera. If this doesn’t sound appealing the experience will most likely be uncomfortable, if not humorous, but like many foreign foods these films are often merely an acquired taste. Saawariya is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Black, Devdas) who is one of the more prestigious directors in the Bollywood film scene. Bhansali is a great director to watch while getting used to the style of the musicals, particularly because of how effective the visuals are.

Saawariya is based on the Dostoevsky short story “White Nights” which is adapted into a quaint town in India. In this town a stranger wanders in. His name is Raj (Ranbir Kapoor) and along with the ability to play the guitar really well he has a special gift of being able to give people what they need with his kind-natured self. In trying to find a place to live he even manages to make himself a surrogate son of the landlady and is friends with all of the hookers who roam the nights. One night he meets Sakina (Sonam Kapoor), a young woman who has snuck out to wait for the return of a past love. Raj immediately becomes enamored with her, wanting her to let go of the past love, although he is ultimately a selfless person. Their secret encounters at night eventually build a relationship as Sakina waits and Raj stays hopeful. At over two hours this may sound remarkably simple, but it is the spectacle of the film that keeps it entertaining, regardless of how simple the plot is. The costumes, sets, lighting, and choreography are magnificent, not to mention the singing. The DVD includes a “Making the Music” featurette. There is also footage from the premiere night.

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Saawariya (2007) DVD review written by: Ryan Izay

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