Movie Review - Marigold

'Marigold'

Marigold

17 Aug, 2007 09:57 am ISTlPraveen Lance Fernandes/INDIATIMES MOVIES

Cast: Salman Khan, Ali Larter, Vikas Bhalla, Suchitra Pillai, Gulshan Grover, Vijendra Ghadge, Simone Singh, Vrajesh Hirjee.
Director: Williard Carroll.
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Truth Hurts.
Rating: *

Marigold is said to be the first Indo-American film collaboration and there was a lot of buzz in the industry about the film being Salman Khan's ticket to Hollywood. Will he be in the league of a Jackie Chan, Jet Lee or Chow Yun Fat where an Asian actor has gotten his presence noticed in Hollywood?

Well, by having a look at this film (which is scripted and directed by a Hollywood director), we are quite sure that Salman will be quite happy with the Partners and the Maine Pyar Kyun Kiyas that he is doing back here in Bollywood. At least they are worth watching.

Happiness held is the seed and happiness shared is the flower- how we wish the director held onto this seed. In simple words (and by far an understatement) Marigold is the worst film of the year in its league.

What happens when a foreign B-Grade actress Ali Larter comes to India to shoot for Kama Sutra 3 ? The film gets shelved even before the first shot but she easily gets work in another film for which our Sallu is the choreographer. Sparks fly, they are in love, firang has boyfriend, Sallu is royal blood and has fiancee, firang boyfriend comes to town and then the film ends in the most idiotic manner.

In Nagesh Kukunoor's Bollywood Calling , we saw an entire parody on the working of the Hindi film industry which though a bit extreme was still funny. Here, director Williard Carroll has tried the same but has failed miserably. How can you expect a foreign reject to make a film in India with the Hindi film industry as a backdrop where he has no clue on what Hindi cinema is all about?

Technically, this film isn't brilliant either. With cinematography by Anil Mehta (who is currently directing Madhuri Dixit's comeback film Aaja Nachley ), that department too is a let-down. The beaches of Goa look like Gorai. Nothing out of the world with Nitin Desai's sets either and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music too does not resonate in any way to the proceedings. In fact, you even wonder why there are songs in the film.

Also according to Williard, wherever Indians go- in a taxi, an auto-rickshaw, a jeep, a bar, a hotel, etc. we have to have Bollywood music playing in the background. What the hell is wrong with you? If Richard Gere is not allowed to come to India, Williard Carroll should be publicly hanged in front of Regal cinema if he ever sets foot here again.

So Suchitra Pillai, Vikas Bhalla, Vijendra Ghadge, Simone Singh, Kiran Juneja, Vrajesh Hirjee have made their Hollywood debuts, eh?. With Bollywood not really going your way, this cross-cultural trash isn't going to take your careers any further either.

Gulshan Grover is in 10 scenes with one facial expression and utters just one word. No, he is not dumb in the film- just dumb to have signed this film. We wonder why a man of his talent did this part.

We seriously wonder why did Salman and Ali Larter, who is a big name on American television sign up for such a film as well. The film has nothing to offer in terms of script or visuals. There is absolutely nothing which you can take home from the film and when you walk out of the movie hall, you tend to be in a state of numbness and you realize the two hours of your life are never going to come back again.

What must have been our foreign guest going through when she shot for the film and when she finally saw the film? In the last couple of years Ali Larter has become a big name mainly due to her role in the American television series Heroes . This is probably something she did when she was out of work in the U.S. In fact, that is what the character of Marigold does in the film as well. Sorry Ali, if you want your fan following to continue, please do not mention this film again.

Salman- we love you no matter how many times your hair style changes in a film. Please stay in India and make films they way we are accustomed to seeing you in.

At the end of the day, this Marigold is not a flower even the Salman fan following will appreciate. For the producers- Wake up and smell the roses. The Indo-American Nuke deal will never happen if they see this Indo-American collaboration.

The reviewer can be contacted at praveen.fernandes@timesgroup.com
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http://movies.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2286865.cms

Marigold doesn't look very interesting movie but different than the regular Hindi movies

Movie Review : Marigold

Director : Music : Lyrics : Starring : Willard Carroll Shankar Ehsaan Loy Javed Akhtar Salman Khan, Ali Larter. By Martin D'Souza, Bollywood Trade News Network Marigold (Ali Larter) must be one superwoman. Straight after a 20-hour flight from America (or was it Frankfurt?) to Mumbai, she hails a run down taxi for a 10-hour plus drive to Goa, where she is to shoot for her Hollywood movie. Once there she learns that there is no film being made as there has been a financial mess. Luckily, she lands herself a bit role in a Bollywood film. There she meets Prem (Salman Khan), a choreographer/actor who helps her get her steps right on the sets and love blossoms. What unfolds in the next two hours is what MARIGOLD is all about. Just two scenes into the movie and you know that Ali Larter is a natural. In fact, MARIGOLD is Ali Larter all the way. Her brash persona act alternated with her 'quite in love' moments are fantastic. Those, in fact are the moments that make for easy viewing of the film which oscillates from sometimes bad, to good, to brilliant. You could blame the bad moments on the 'not so impressive sets' or sometimes tacky change of scenes with curtains closing as on a stage. Quite annoying; it takes away from the flow of scenes. On the whole though, the film is quite interesting. Of course there is nothing new in the storyline, except that Prem forgets to tell Marigold that his marriage has been arranged years ago. But Jhanvi (Nandana Sen) knows that Prem is not in love with her. In the end love triumphs; Prem opting for tradition, is unaware that it is MARIGOLD he is taking the saath pheras with, thanks to Jhanvi's reasoning of not being trapped in a loveless marriage. Some scenes are so predictable that you have a feeling of dj vu. Like for example, when Barry (Ian Bohen), Marigold's boyfriend, meets with Prem in a bar. And when Prem takes him to his home, and when Barry and Marigold meet in the washroom. Also the saath pheras. And when Marigold is called back from the airport just in time for the marriage Having said that, I believe the film will do well with the young collegians as most will identify with this 'unexpected love story'. There's a Prem in every man, who's as confused before marriage and that feeling of love. The dialogues between Prem and Marigold sometimes are interesting and which every youngster in love will relate to. There are some moments which remind you of the Richard Gere-Julia Roberts classic, Pretty Woman. Where acting is concerned, apart from Ali Larter, it's Nandana Sen who shows some spark in her performance. As for Salman Khan, one has to strain to hear what he is trying to say without parting his lips. Vijayendra Ghatge's dialogue to his son Prem sums up what this movie is all about. In one scene, Prem meets his father after three years and is told by his dad that he has watched all his movies and that, "Though the plot is idiotic, he (Prem) is good." Yes, the plot here too is on those lines, but MARIGOLD is a winner. http://www.glamsham.com/movies/reviews/movie_review_marigold _080710.asp

mg will be ok!
just waiting 4 salman!

thanks ya but when is the movie release

Originally posted by: sanuhek

thanks ya but when is the movie release

it released last friday (17 august)

just saw. god the movie's awful..... bollywood calling works better as a west meets east feature...