i dont think it undoes anything..movies like dil chahta hai.. kal ho na ho..are set in present day time..most of veer zaara is set 22 years ago..
and it is picturised as in the smaller towns of villages...what were u expecting..girls to be walking around with short skirts..on their mobile phones..talking to the boyfriend while havinh an affair with their neighbour?

Hmm...I also mentioned Lagaan - which was set a century ago. That's besides the point. I don't quite understand how the whole mobile phone
and miniskirt thing figures in this... In fact, I found the old-world innocence of the film somewhat charming. On the other hand, flying scarves and people running through fields into each other's arms is really just so passe...

To make my point clearer, I think the movie relied too heavily on an ancient Bollywood formula. I certainly don't hate the film, but it's hardly a good one. Melodramas are inherently supposed to be larger than life. But the film's music, cinematography and sound design could have done so much more to achieve a larger than life effect. The film fails to impress me technically - thus half the battle is lost.

On the screenplay front - Chopra certainly knows how to elicit strong emotions - though that itself is not exactly a great feat. I could easily start praising or verbally abusing someone on this forum and that would definitely evoke some emotional response. The trick for a melodrama to work for a more savvy audience would be to layer sentiments, ideas and complex issues subtly behind the extravagance of the facade of song and dance, thunder and lightning and other melodramatic devices. It's easy for a melodrama to turn into a farce.

I'll even forgive the absolute lack of shades of grey in the lead characters on the account that nothing in the film says that its supposed to be realistic. However, the film should say something more than merely - "Look...these people are so beautiful and pure and their story is so sad. So please cry."

I haven't yet seen the film. But for those who have, could you please tell us what film was previewed before the actual feature film? Swades or The Rising?

they showed swades at mine

aarkayne, i think you're looking to the wrong director (aditya chopra) and the wrong banner (yrf) to carry hindi films "forward". i don't think aditya chopra would even think of making a movie without songs, love, or mush. i think there is a place in hindi films for songs, love and mush and movies from the chopra stable will continue to provide such movies.

this has to be the worst film done by yash raj films it was a pile of crap...AB & HM were very good but everyone else were they usual self for me the best bit in this long overdrawn (needs to be trimmed by atleast 1.5hrs !!!) was M.B his scene & dialoge delivery with SRK in the police station in itself was worth the ticket price simply outstanding !!!

SRK may yet redeem himself with SWADES atleast for once he won't be relying on his superstar status to carry him thru u might just see him ACT !!!!!

alas you are right. i guess some people will never want to move out of their own comfort zones, regardless of how stale the produce they churn out is. Its a pity since, Yash Chopra has also been part of projects in the past that were certainly nice. ITTEFAQ & KAALA PATTHAR come so easily to mind. It is also a pity since Aditya Chopra does seem to have the instincts of a sensitive writer, something you can seldom say of others in present day & times.

but i needed to vent and this place is a good outlet thanks for listening.

and by the way, if Chopra's gonna make a half-Punjabi, half-Hindi film, can he consistently have sub-titles all through? its sickening he assumes that all his hindi following audiences will ALSO follow punjabi ..... aaargh !

Manoj is such a fine actor!! You throw any thing on him, or cut him to 5 minutes!! He will get under the skin!!
Just watch him in Pinjar!

Re Aditya Chopra!! Hmm!! Did you watch his MOHABTAEN!! Darn Sensitive writer/director

**Well, no one here even said a word Comparing DTPH to VZ on overall product!??

Oh yes, I did watch MOHABBATEIN.....found the movie extremely boring....and his writing was mediocre by and large, with patches of the talent shining through every now and then....at this point I am willing to give AC another chance at coming up trumps, with an offering that is a perfect balance of writing and execution....one does not have to go too far back for an example of terrific writing....take LAGAAN, it worked because it was written brilliantly, and then thanks to Aamir's due diligence, executed almost perfectly....AC's own DDLJ worked because it was a new idea being presented innovatively...the protagonist(SRK as Raj) was earnest in what he was trying to do....unfortunately none of that happens in VZ...there are times where AC's writing comes through as mentioned before(the Bajpai scene being an example), but they are by and large bludgeoned under the weight of trying to be a classic....it appears that YC is taking the success of DDLJ too seriously in trying to create one...unfortunately classics are never planned.....you go out there and do your best and if it becomes one, so be it, else you dust the dirt off your pants and move on....

The writer/director of film like Mohabtaen!! I dont have any hope left!
IMHO, it was a crap film.

That was same thing in K3G too, but I dont think that was a great movie either!

Rita Ji, I would recommend you watch Pinjar to see what Manoj is made up off!!

It is Alas!! he is so underated!!
Imho, his portryal of devil being was spectacular in AKS too, overtaking AB, but Biggies eat all sweets!

indeed!! real good performance in road too!!

did u catch dil pe mat le yaar?

and if u have time watch him in JAAGO...and i'm looking forward to seeing him in INTEQAM....by the way just watched TUMSA NAHIN DEKHA and i found this film to be much much better than VZ at just under 2hrs 10 min with good acting nice songs and a simple story it was very enjoyable and i feel ERFAAN HASHMI is someone to look out for all his 3 films have been very good indeed !!!

Indeed Asif Miyan, there are very few actors, real ones who just get under the skin of their character flawlessly..another for Bajpai..SHOOL.

Watch Pankaj Kapoor in MAQBOOL.

Actresess..undoubtedly..TABU