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sarasvati47
Reviews
Dil Se.. (1998)
Visually and emotionally stunning
"Dil Se" is poetry. Although it is a Mani Ratnam film, the hand of Santosh Sivan is all over it, especially in the music videos. Sivan's artistry and Ratnam's genius, when combined with the sizeable dramatic talent of Shahrukh Khan and an amazing soundtrack by A. R. Rehman, is almost perfect. Even Manisha Koirala is good! Preity Zinta also stands out in a smaller role as SRK's reluctant fiancee. This is not your typical Bollywood film, and this showed at the box office, but that's not a bad thing. This film shows more artistry, more integrity, and more "dil" (heart) than most recent offerings from both the east and the west. "Dil Se" is a really great film.
Devdas (2002)
Mostly Awesome
Devdas is a winner. The film itself was stunning and incredibly beautiful. All the actors were amazing, especially the brilliant Madhuri Dixit. She shines in what may be one of her twilight performances. She manages to play Chandramukhi with wonderful grace and subtlety. Aishwarya as Paro also does very well, and Shahrukh is probably the only actor in Bollywood today who could have done as much with the role. Even Jackie Shroff in a cameo as Chunilal is hilariously funny, not a side of him we often see. Unfortunately, Bhansali has taken some liberties with the original play, and that makes the picture a little weaker. Also, the very extravagant sets at times seem to overwhelm the viewer and cover up the fine job the actors do. The music is absolutely unforgettable, and the dance sequences, especially 'Kahe Chhede Mohe' and 'Maar Daala' seem reminiscent of Bollywood's Golden Age. They seem like something straight out of a Guru Dutt film. Taken with a grain of salt, Devdas is great fun and a future classic.