Saawariya: A star is born

indya.com rating: 3.5 out of 5 *

Cast: Introducing Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor along with Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee in Sp. App.

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Synopsis: Ranbir Raj (Ranbir) a free spirited idealist – dreamer arrives in a dreamy surreal town and joins as a lead singer in its swankiest club. Here he bumps into Gulabji (Rani), a prostitute, who immediately falls for his naivety and innocent charm. One night he notices a mysterious girl standing alone on a bridge holding an umbrella. As he tries to strike a conversation, she shies away. But he still keeps following her and both end up becoming friends. This mystery girl, Sakina (Sonam) forever carries a sadness in her eyes which leaves Ranbir intrigued. But so mesmerized he is with her that his every minute goes into discussing her with his land lady, Lillipop (Zohra Sehgal) and Gulabji.

Just when Ranbir is about to express his true feelings to her, she reveals the reason behind her unhappiness. She tells him she is waiting for her love, Imaan (Salman) to return. A year back before leaving, he had promised he would be back and meet her on the same bridge that he saw her waiting. Jilted, Ranbir manages to hide his emotional outburst. What happens after Sakina requests him to help her find her lost love back is what the rest of the film is all about.

Acting: Ranbir delivers a multi-layered well nuanced performance covering a broad range of emotions. He makes you laugh and cry with as much ease as he charms his way into your heart. A star is born! In comparison Sonam suffers from a monotonous characterization. Her character is mostly relegated to doing the same things repeatedly - laughing, crying or looking coquettish towards both her lovers. But she is a graceful actress who lends just the right innocence and beauty to her character. Salman's presence is barely 10 minutes in totality but he commands total attention whenever he arrives. Rani delivers a strong performance portraying a gamut of expressions ranging from sadness to naughtiness in a flicker of seconds in her eyes. Zohra Sehgal is terrific.

indya.com rating: 3.5 out of 5

Direction: Bhansali creates a magical spectacle of visual and emotional delight that transcends you to a dream world. Apart from his actors, his opulent sets lend an additional character to the film. Covering the entire town with hues of blue and green, his every frame appears artistically hand painted. But sometimes this in itself proves to be a drawback, as your attentions sometimes wavers from the lead stars to those many things happening at the background. Shot completely indoors, kudos to his cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran and set designer Omung Kumar for an out of the world job.

indya.com rating: 3.5 out of 5

Script: Unrequited love was never projected so beautifully. With lines that directly impact in your heart, the screenplay proceeds almost lyrically with songs carrying it forward. The scenes that stand out are – Ranbir's fighting 'unhappiness funda' monologue to Sonam, Rani's first visit to Ranbir's house and her verbal dual with his land lady, the climax sequence between Ranbir and Sonam. There are chances that you might end up coming out either completely fascinated or totally appalled about what you experienced in those 2 and a half hours. It all depends on how much and how quickly you submerge yourself in Bhansali's magical world.

indya.com rating: 3 out of 5

Music: Monty Sharma's music is more situational. Each song unfolding on screen coupled with Bhansali's magical touch in their filming takes them to a completely different level. Amongst them the title track in both its versions, Mashallah and Yun Shabnami are a delight to watch. Ranbir's spirited dance in just a towel for Jab Se Tere Naina will multiply his female fan following.

indya.com rating: 3.5 out of 5