June 3, 2010

Chandni - The Injustices of Leaving Behind a Hot Khanna for a Wimpy Rishi


Would you hurt such an emotional like this?
As mentioned in my mini reviews post, Chandni was the first movie to start my overblown fantasies of love, because yet again, I watched it at a tooo young age. But as a tiny bit mature 19 year old, I can appreciate all the Switzerland canoodling but I just can't forgive Chandni leaving behind Hot Papa Khanna! Yes Yash Chopra, you are the king of romance, but you never justify properly why the third love interest has to thrown out in the rain! For example, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Karisma was soo much better than Madhuri and danced the Shiamak moves much more enthusiastically with all that awful gym wear too!
Anyway back to Chandni, so this is the awful gal:
The story really for me begins when Vinod enters the scene, but Chandni meets Rohit(Rishi Kapoor) at a wedding, where she does the usual Yash Raj routine showcase of the lovely heroine, in Sridevi's case its all dancing which is fabulous because she makes me want to dance, and I usually do, with no one in the house, to "Mere Haathon Mein Nau Choodiyan" But first off I must say that Rishi is a bit creepy persistent, unlike his persistent cute uncle Shammi, Rishi instead cements that whole stalking love thing that emerged in the 90's. Rishi surprises Chandni at his house by inviting her in a room where all her pictures are around. If it was me, I'd dart out there fast enough, but noo Chandni falls for Rishi and sings some more lovely songs. Then the two get married, Chandni is met with the usual 80's tradition of 2 shrews who hate her, so her maa-in-law and sister-in-law, but there's always Sympathetic Man Anupam Kher, who tells her to just ignore them! Nice advice when they screech at her and throw her food on the floor.

But the key scene is when Rohit in a very romantic gesture I think, throws rose petals at Chandni from a helicopter, then seconds late Sympathetic Man calls to say Rohit fell out of the plane, I laughed soo hard here, I'm awful I know but where did he get that info from so quick! So Chandni the good dutiful wife sticks around with now wheelchair-bound Rohit who mopes around, she even sings a song for him. But this is generally Rohit's face:
Would you choose this scruffbag over Vinod? No I think not!
But Rohit generally acts like a right bastard and acts horrid to Chandni to drive her away in a silly sacrificial way, and one time he tells to get lost, and like a good strong woman she backs off and goes to the city where she meets this hot stuff:
Well there's the most appealing driver in the city!
She randomly jumps in his car to get to her job interview, and who else does he turn out to be than the boss, who hires her up!
What is Vinod without a cig?
Well he immediately takes a liking to her and I would to if my secretary wore such inviting sarees like Chandni does, but I guess as a gal in the city, she is emboldened to show off that Sridevi bod with no Rishi hovering over her mind. I like how independent Chandni becomes in the city, she maybe the Woman in White as Yash Chopra invisions her, but she's a headstrong woman who refuses to be cheap for her job, as when Vinod insensitively asks her to entertain the bosses in town.
Vinod being a grizzly unprofessional boss!
So Vinod gets all grumpy with Chandni, the next day he gives her sorry flowers, and I erupt in Awwwwww's. Chandni and her friend she's staying with are locked out of the house, and its all barsaat so naturally Chandni loves it and gets all wet, and shrieks in an annoying Shrill-devi way! Vinod is driving by and takes in the sight of Chandni misbehaving outside of work, and invites her and her friends to his house. Another eruption of AWWW, he's soo kind he doesn't want them to suffer out in the barsaat! CHO CHWEET! At his house we meet his Maaji(Waheeda Rehman) who calls him Laali in a cute way!
Aww a hot man loves his Maa too!
This is where the disgruntlement starts for me, Lalit/Vinod is such a lovely man, who loves his maa as well and also is a man who has loved and lost before, and is mature about love. At his house we see Chandni ingratiating herself with his maa, who immediately likes her and her mind bulb obviously goes PING BAHUUUU! But I think what cemented my anger and absolute love for Laali was the gorgeous song he sang "Lagi Aaj Sawaan Ki" which is on my ipod list as most played it gets stuck in my head all the time, or maybe its the fact that Vinod looks good for his age in that song and sings it with soulful emoness, and perhaps too because the lyrics are soo sad this his dil is in pieces and etc! Aww Laali I love you!

The Sadness of Laali
Bechara
The Khanna fuzz, and his love lost!Can't you feel the emo emitting off that man?
A gorgeous shot, and Chandni feels his pain!
So Laali falls for Chandni when he sees her exuberance and happiness and how she lifts his spirit and perhaps too the SEXY saree she wore at the office part, a sheer black sari with that figure on display! Perhaps I'm the idiotic person elevating this film to another level, but she can't wear something soo vivacious n sexy, and agree to take him to the airport! GRRRRR I DON'T LIKE SEEING EMO KHANNAS *Smashes glass and glares with Amrish Puri eyes!
Ahemm....if you'll excuse that, Laali is completely smitten and asks if she'll miss him, Chandni goes 'Ermmmmmm" and he leaves it at that. In Yashraj haven Switzerland, Laali meets the bastard of the piece, Rohit, with a cute introductory scene when they sing a Punjabi song and Laali joins in and says "hello my unknown enemy!"
Aww Laali likes meeting Punjabi folk singing enemies!Grrr when Laali-Nice Older Man met Rohit-Nasty Ungrateful Husband
Well they meet and wander Switz singing songs of Chandni, and when they come home and when Chandni shows up too, the tension is just soo awkward! Ohh i forgot to say, Rohit made a full recovery and is walking about! So he turns up at Chandni's house, expecting her to return to him quick, but Chandni, the strong woman I liked, tells him to shove off because he can't just walk into her life and expect her back after he insulted and hurt her. Right there was some good old fashioned KAPOW to his dil, and then she agrees to marry Laali, who's overjoyed. But she was obviously making a compromise and leading him on the whole time without being commital about it! So when the engagement happens, Rohit turns up drunk and falls down some stairs and the stupid Chandni runs to him screeching "Meri Rohit!" and this obviously upsets Laali, whose is shattered and seeks solace in his maaw.
Poor Laali and his Bahu-less Maa

So Laali unfortunately finds out and suck all that love in so he can give Chandni to the one she actually loves. Rohit has the audacity to say to Laali's maaw "Well I'm your younger son ain't i?" iF I was her, I would have whacked him with my shoe like Amitabh does so much in Suhaag. I just felt sooooooooooo sorry for Laali, this review is admitting what a nutty gal I am to feel soo sad after Laali gave his heart again after soo long to have it broken again, and he sings the "Lagi Aaj Sawaan Ki" song at the end of the film which just adds to the Khanna curse of being left at the altar!

Laali's Options for the Future
To turn into a Norman Bates with your mother for too long?
Or flock back into the arms of his bromace pyar Feroz

Hope you enjoyed my review of Chandni, a chiefly Vinod film for me, and this review/rambling reveals how much Khanna love has infiltrated me!

9 comments:

Beth Loves Bollywood said...

Yeeeeeeech. Think I'll have to skip this one. But as usual, I love your breathless romp through it, especially when you were so worked up you had to smash a glass!

And: I vote for the bromance!

Ness said...

HAHAHAHAHAHA I am so watching this! Poor emo Vinod, rejected FOR NO APPARENT REASON. Poor Rahul obviously takes after his papa.

ajnabi said...

Rishi was SUCH a JERK. In real life, he would never ever have gotten Sridevi, but if he lost her, he never would have got her back for sure! Especially with sweet Vinod RIGHT THERE waiting for her!

Shweta Mehrotra Gahlawat said...

It is absolutely amazing how Yashraj figure someone would walk away from Vinod for Rishi. Rediculous. But then, considering Sri actually did walk away in real life with Uncle Boney, I guess ppl do make strange decisions- tho she probably didnt have an option like Vinod waiting for her :)
Seriously tho, stupid as this is, I can watch it (and have) tons of times for Sridevi.

Rum said...

Beth - thanks, I can't not write breathless when angry about this film! The bromance is totally where Vinod deserves to be in the loving arms of Feroz

Ness - Rahul definitely takes after his papa, he's either killed or dumped for far less superior men like Saif in Love Aaj Kal! You have to see this for that "Lagi Aaj Sawaan Ki" song its emo power!

Ajnabi - Well i'm sure in real life Sridevi would have a lapse in judgement to go to Rishi, but she'd end up choosing the more mature man in my version

Shweta - welcome back! I know as much as Rishi is the romance icon, Vinod would be the nicer mature choice! I always wondered why Sri chose Boney, coz she had much better chemistry with My ANIl. But its an excellent showcase of Sridevi's excellent dancing and acting!

Shweta Mehrotra Gahlawat said...

hey I read all ur posts! Just dont get around to commenting very often :)

bollywooddeewana said...

Of course i enjoyed reading your review, and as you will know from my various comments at various places i just couldn't forgive that ending, you just don't leave and expect to start a relationship from where you left it, i can't make up my mnd who i'm more mad at, Sridevi or Rishi. Still though there's a lot of goodness especially in the form of the songs

Rum said...

Shweta - We need you all back and commenting!

Bollywooddeewana - I knooowww! That ending just killed me, I was in such a fit after, its both their faults especially Rishi for sucking Chandni back in and deliberately turning up drunk and falling down stairs to get her back! Grrr , but the songs were just wonderful!

Tubica Lightfoot said...

Funny and yes, I would tkae the doting maa rahter than the shrew she had at Rishi's. Just one clarification--Rohit and Chandni were never married. They didn't get past the engagement. There's even a scene where she returns his ring. We couldn't have a heroine's chastity questioned now could we?