Hum Tum focuses on Karan, a cartoon illustrator for a popular Indian newspaper. The story takes place over several years and showcases the character's path from hate to love. During a trip to New York, Karan meets Rhea. At first, Rhea is very turned off by Karan's annoying behavior and unsolicited flirting. However, years later they become friends and eventually lovers. The film adds animated sequences to show a break in time. The comic characters, hum and tum, mirror Karan and Rhea's relationship. I believe that this was not a necessary part of the film and at times distracted me from the main plot. However, it does use this original narrative that is not a typical film technique. During a layover in Amsterdam, the characters explore the city. Karan gives Rhea an unwanted kiss, resulting in her slapping Karan. However, he does not give up and insists they will one day meet again. This is very similar to the iconic film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. In both films, the main couple does not have an initial attraction. However, it builds naturally after a long period of time. The first time that Raj and Simran walk past each other, the extradiegetic sound lets you know that the universe wants them to be together by playing an upbeat tune. In Hum Tum, when Karan and Rhea first touch, the lights on the airplane go out and it starts to shake. This lets the audience know the unshakable bond between the characters. I really liked the songs in the movie as they added a fun, light-hearted energy that nicely added to the story.
The film uses a variety of locations across time and space to show how Karan and Rhea's love story progresses. As Rachel Dwyer discusses in her book Cinema India: The Visual Culture of Indian film, the Bollywood sphere uses remote spaces as a tool to showcase romance. Since it does not take place in India, these remote locations act as a getaway for the couple to exist in the private domain without the surveillance of any family. She sites that films will typically use specific backdrops such as mountainous areas, log cabins, parks, rivers, and beaches. Hum Tum uses the location of Amsterdam to launch the love story of Karan and Rhea. The film features the couple walking through the countryside of the Netherlands, displaying the mountains and log cabins in the background. The song sequence Ladki Kyon has scenes including a boat ride down a river, a stroll in the park and a beach pier. This shows how the use of foreign locations plays a major role in their budding love story. Hum Tum is filmed in India, Amsterdam, and New York; each location adds to the characters love story. The chemistry between the main characters, the electric music, and the light-hearted story make Hum Tum a success that I would definitely recommend!
The film uses a variety of locations across time and space to show how Karan and Rhea's love story progresses. As Rachel Dwyer discusses in her book Cinema India: The Visual Culture of Indian film, the Bollywood sphere uses remote spaces as a tool to showcase romance. Since it does not take place in India, these remote locations act as a getaway for the couple to exist in the private domain without the surveillance of any family. She sites that films will typically use specific backdrops such as mountainous areas, log cabins, parks, rivers, and beaches. Hum Tum uses the location of Amsterdam to launch the love story of Karan and Rhea. The film features the couple walking through the countryside of the Netherlands, displaying the mountains and log cabins in the background. The song sequence Ladki Kyon has scenes including a boat ride down a river, a stroll in the park and a beach pier. This shows how the use of foreign locations plays a major role in their budding love story. Hum Tum is filmed in India, Amsterdam, and New York; each location adds to the characters love story. The chemistry between the main characters, the electric music, and the light-hearted story make Hum Tum a success that I would definitely recommend!