Saawariya (2007)

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.

Fmovies: 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!

After you've seen this Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie; you'll probably forget how to say the title of the movie without singing it. I feel ashamed that following an over-flooding of my head with bad reviews on this movie, I actually watched it only when I was dragged to the cinema by a friend who believes in SLB more than me. And now I cannot thank the friend more for showing what I think is the best cinematic production in Bollywood ever. Don't hesitate to have high expectations since this one is made to beat them.

This movie is not a comedy- so comparing it with the parallel-released movie for the amount of laughs it gives you is hardly a fair evaluation. It's a musical based on the story by Fyodor Dostoevsky's "White Nights". It's the story of love- not the Soni-Mahiwal and Veer-Zaara type of love but just love. It's the love that just happens in a snap and sweeps you off your feet. It's definitely the type of love story that Bollywood has never narrated before. There's no family rivalry; no social drama; no unrealistic action; nothing except the love of Saawariya.

The debutant actors Ranbir and Sonam couldn't have started their career with better performances. While we'll have to wait and see how the newbies fair on the spectrum of acting when they do other films with hopefully varying roles; but for a start they completely make you believe in their characters in Saawariya. Sonam is a beauty- the type that you don't lust for because it's so pure- the type you fall in love with. And Ranbir has a disarming smile and a style that will easily get him inside every girl's dream. And with the first-time-ever portrayal of male sensuality in Bollywood in a song with him barely in the towel; Ranbir might be more than smiling in the ladies' dreams.

The movie boasts of a powerful cast besides the lead actors too. We have yet another jaw-dropping performance by Rani Mukherjee – her choreography in the song 'Chabeela' is amazing. Salmaan is playing a tough guy with little dialogues but fitting in this role perfectly. Zohra Sehgal is shining through remarkably as well. Most importantly, no body is dominating the screen over the others with a clichéd acting; the characters seem to gel together and you watch every scene believing in them and believing in the magic that the director is pulling in front of your eyes with many deeply thought over dialogues; subtle appearances; through the character's eyes; through the water and the weather and even the street lights.

The music score of the movie was great. Some of the songs that have accompanying dances are beautiful and the lyrics by Sameer are touching. Playback singers really draw your heart close into the sentiment of the song with their melodious voice with emotions and rhythm. Kudos to the two new singers Shail and Parthiv! The best of everything is still the dream-world like sets. When I saw the trailers; I felt it was too unrealistic to be good. But with the story that's meant to be a tale-of-love narrated by Rani herself; the sets were perfect to create the atmosphere of a delightful small town far away somewhere love has it's own magical dimension.

I give the movie an 8/10 for the new standard it has established in Bollywood; for the acting of every single actor in it; for the music; for the dances; for the picturesque sets; for the direction; for this movie being really good cinema. If the entertainment you are looking for is more than a few skin-deep smiles

Saawariya fmovies. Loads of criticism has been going around for this movie but allow me to say that this movie is not really for everyone. The feeling and believe in love has to be strong to get into the trance of Saawariya...

If you have been in love then after watching this movie you will easily say that this movie is a "Fairy Love Tale". I say this because the characters and their chemistry can make you feel that it is out of the world.

The character of 'Saawariya' itself is sketched with such perfection that it can actually make you feel the power of LOVE. It is the way too pure.

The songs are so beautifully choreographed that it makes you feel the purity of the Artist, SLB himself. It is indeed a totally new way of making a movie and for me it strengthen the believe that if some one can bring Oscar to Sub Continent then it has to be SLB's art of perfection...

Overall, a master piece of SLB. Just don't go to watch it; I request you to FEEL the FEEL of Saawariya!

Although most were expecting a lot more from this film , for me this film did not disappoint. This film is for people who are looking for something different in a bollywood movie.If you are one of those who want to experience something new and exciting and different, then do watch this film. this is a beautiful and amazing work by SLB .I rate this as the best movie of SLB as iv being a fan of his movies since his debut with hamoshi each and every movie is different from one another and from all other movies made in bollywood .. when he remade decdas many tried their hands with umrao jaan , don and sholay but no one succeeded becos its not that everyone can make a great story into a great movie.as for the time its only SLB who have done this. and for the people who could not find a plot from this movie than better watch this again or read the short story White Nights.

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.