Mujhse Dosti Karoge

Director: Kunal Kohli
Producer: Yash Chopra, Aditya Chopra
Writer: Aditya Chopra, Kunal Kohli
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor
Music: Rahul Sharma
Cinematography: Ravi K. Chandran
Distributor: Yash Raj Films Pvt. Ltd
Release date:9 August 2002

Remember the old Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit starrer Saajan, where Sallu and Sanju were both ready to play the sacrificial lamb for Madhuri ji; add a few jazzy songs, new faces and slight modifications to the story and you will get a remake of Sajaan i.e. Mujhse Dosti Karoge. The only difference being that the Dhak Dhak girl Madhuri ji was replaced by Heartthrob Hrithik.

Mujhse Dosti Karoge’ is a feeble rehash of old Bollywood love triangles which once left the box office’s balance jingling. It takes bits from here and there and bring forths the same old scenes without any significant alteration.

Kareena Kapoor in Mujshe Dosti Karoge

Coming to the story; the film centres around Raj (Hrithik), Pooja (Rani) and Tina (Kareena). Raj, Tina and Pooja are childhood best friends. When Raj is leaving for London, he promises Tina to correspond with her regularly her via email. Tina who couldn’t care less starts engaging herself in other male friends. In the meanwhile, Pooja starts talking to Raj, however, under Tina’s name. Did they share passwords? How is Tina oblivious to the ongoing emails between Raj and Pooja on her ID? No one has any idea. The movie takes a 15 year leap and one fine day Raj informs Pooja that he is coming back to India. (Wonder if email existed 15 years ago?). Hence, open ups the love triangle. Raj comes back to India and falls in love with Tina, but Pooja loves Raj and Tina who loved herself also starts loving Raj. But as soon as Raj realizes that it was Pooja who used to send him emails, he falls for Pooja. But Pooja now wants Raj to marry Tina. Why? Because Tina lost her father and she expects Hrithik to take his place. If the confusion wasn’t enough, Uday Chopra enters from London as a friend of Raj. Raj who is furious agrees to marry Tina on one condition that Pooja will have to marry Uday Chopra. The real heroes are, however, Pushtani Kangans(Bangles) who discloses the secret in front of everyone. Finally we get a happy ending when sindoor flies on Pooja’s forehead (Not joking).

The major problem with this movie is that it tries to incorporate a lot of elements from successful movies which becomes entirely clichéd for the masses to watch, especially those who have watched all the movies from Yash Chopra and Karan Johar banner.

Well, there is a bright side too (not as bright though) i.e. the actors; Hrithik was aptly emotive in his scenes and not overdoing it. Rani did a dignified job. Kareena was an extension of Pooh from K3G in the first half; second half was much better, on the whole tolerable.

Music was appealing too.

Verdict

Yes you can watch this movie without complaining, only if you have the ability to watch all the other Chopra movies ten times each.

Lovely Kareena Kapoor

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…

Director: Karan Johar

Producer: Yash Johar

Screenplay: Karan Johar, Sheena Parikh

Story: Karan Johar

Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor

Music: Jatin Lalit, Sandesh Shandilya, Aadesh Shrivastava

Cinematography: Kiran Deohans

Editor: Sanjay Sankla

Studio: Dharma Productions

Release date: 14 December 2001

Running time: 211 mins

Rich people, elegant costumes, heaps of emotional drama, far away from being even remotely realistic and yet having the charisma to engage its audience; in short an archetypal Karan Johar movie. Critics may have slammed the clichéd plot, but that was their version of the story because viewers embraced the mega budget multi-starrer generously.

Coming to the cast; legendary Amitabh Bachchan plays Yashvardhan Raichand, father to Rahul (Shahrukh) and Rohan (Hrithik) and husband to Nandini, the ever graceful Jaya Bachchan. Farida Jalal plays daijaan (governess) to Rahul and Rohan, and finally, Anjali (Kajol) and Pooja (Kareena) are neighbours of Daijaan and love interests of Srk and Hrithik.

Plot

Raichands have a rich, idealistic loving family which falls apart when Rahul expresses his desire to marry Anjali, a chirpy and clumsy girl belonging to a middle class family. Yash (Amitabh) wants Rahul to marry Naina (Rani Mukherjee), against Anjali, whom he considers unfit to be his daughter in law. When Rahul marries Anjali against Yash’s wishes, the latter denounces him for breaking the age old family tradition of getting married with parent’s consent. Poor Rahul departs taking Kajol, daijaan and Pooja with him to London. When Rohan returns from his hostel nine years later, he is told about the family feud by his grandmothers. He vows to reunite his family again and reaches London in search of Rahul. On meeting Pooja he learns that Rahul and Anjali lead an incomplete life without parent’s affection. Pooja helps him enter the family as a stranger. Gradually, he starts reminding them of how things were at their home. Towards the culmination, he comes up with a plan where Rahul and Anjali cross paths with Yash and Nandini. After reunion, Nandini finally takes a stand and asks Yash to let go off his arrogance. In the climax, Yash asks Rahul for forgiveness and we get a happy ending.

Positives

Hrithik’s superb dancing was a treat for eyes. Kareena too, did justice to her Alicia ‘Clueless’ Silverstone kinda character and was hilarious in a few dialogues. Though, her non fans/haters may think otherwise. The surprise package of the movie was, however, Kajol; once again she exhibits brilliant acting skills and manages to steal chuckles and laughs among all the weeping and whining.

The movie has a few unforgettable scenes where Kajol’s funny Punjabi accent and Kareena’s promiscuous yet comical attitude deserves applause; the scene where Pooh starts singing a Bhajan(Devotional Song) and Kajol says “It’s probably Goddess Saraswati who has come to visit our home” actually makes you guffaw.

Negatives

The length of the movie is 3 and half hours; long enough to make a person weary. Amitabh’s acting skills were sublime as always, but his character lacked any freshness. We had earlier seen him in similar roles in Mohabbatein and Ek Rishta; the reason why he failed to create an impression.

Just like the other KJ movies, the characters weep annoyingly after every few minutes and not to mention, the storyline was repetitive. K3G met with decidedly mixed reviews; to some it appeared to entertain, while for others it was tiresome.

Size Zero Kareena Kapoor in Halkat Jawani Item Song in Heroine

“I have gone back to the size-zero look I had in Tashan, but this time it is curvier. I wanted this body for my item song in the film. Since it is a rigorous and raunchy number, I decided to go for a slim and sexy look. But I still have curves in the right places. It may be a trend now with some actors, but I definitely don’t want to look plump or fat!” says Kareena.

Kareena Kapoor says that who so ever says curves are in and sexy are faking it. “Being fat is not sexy! Anyone who says that is talking crap. Voluptuous is sexy, but fat is out. Any woman who says she doesn’t want to be thin is talking nonsense. It’s every girl’s dream,” she said in an interview.

Ask her about some tips for sexy figure, “The key to a sexy figure is a great diet, combined with the right exercise. Rujuta combines fat and protein, and tells me to eat everything in moderation, and every two hours. She keeps changing my diet so that my body doesn’t get bored,” said Kareena.

“I recently went to Turkey for eight days and it was more like a health trip. I was training twice a day and was on a strict diet. I ate salads, hummus with pita bread, strawberries and olives. For dinner, I had an Indian cook make daal, rice and sabzi. I did my regular yoga exercises there too. I do 40 minutes of asanas and 50 surya namaskars,” she added.

Kareena Kapoor in Halkat Jawaani item song

Some of the sensuous pictures from the shoot posted by the crew on Friday, show Kareena in all the more curvy figure. She is visibly curvier and sexy in this avatar.

The item number ‘Halkat Jawani’ is not just an addition in the film, it goes with the script. Choreographed by Ganesh Acahrya, the song in question is composed by Salim – Suleiman and sung by Sunidhi Chauhan.

The audience is going to love Kareena in black choli completed by fuchsia saree. The ace fashion designer has tailor-made Bebo’s outfit that flaunts her midriff without any check. Madhur and Kareena had been shooting the item number for past few days.

Kareena says that this song of hers is her ‘first raunchy number’ and adds that ‘the dance has mass appeal’. Even Madhur is too excited about the song with posting hot snaps from the song.

Salted for 21^st September release, the film’s release coincides with Kareena’s birthday.

Asoka

Director: Santosh Sivan
Producers: Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Radhika Sangoi
Screenplay: Santosh Sivan
Narrated by Suresh Oberoi
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa, Rahul Dev, Hrishita Bhatt
Music: Anu Malik, Sandeep Chowta
Cinematography: Santosh Sivan
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Release date: 26 October 2001
Running time: 171 mins

Kareena Kapoor must have perhaps been waiting for such a film. Shah Rukh Khan must have noticed her acting in her previous movies and as a result, decided to cast her opposite him in one of his home productions titled ‘Asoka’. The film released in the summer of 2001 and was mainly based on the life of Asoka, the emperor of the Maurya Dynasty which ruled South Asia for as many as 41 years. The lead character was obviously played by SRK, while Kareena’s character was named Kaurwaki.

Kaurwaki is the princess of Kalinga, one of the neighbouring provinces to Magadha, the place where Asoka established his base being the emperor. Both of them meet at a time when Asoka is in exile as per the orders of his mother, who actually did not want him to become the King and lied to him about her intentions of wanting him to improve by living the life of a common man. Amidst all the action, a love story blossoms between Kaurwaki and Asoka, who introduces himself as Pawan to her in order to hide his real identity. In no time, both of them get married until Asoka gets the news that his mother is unwell but that turned out to be a conspiracy of removing him from power.

Asoka tries to find her everywhere but fails, not being aware that she was in hiding and not dead. He is naturally heartbroken, but unlike a true warrior, tries to commit suicide until a man named Viraat played by Danny Denzongpa saves him after knowing his real identity. While the King of Bollywood has the maximum screen presence, Kareena’s role is not that short. She returns to the fray when Kalinga is filled with celebrations, following the coronation of her little brother, Prince Arya to the throne.

But those celebrations were not to last for long because Asoka declares war on Kalinga, the reason being that the province allowed giving shelter to his step brother, Sugrata who had become his enemy since Sugrata attempted to assassinate him several times. Kaurwaki did not know yet that Asoka was Pawan only and began to prepare for the war. This role suited Kareena extremely well, and it seemed that she had worked extremely hard to pull it off easily. Audiences were mesmerized as they were seeing Kareena in a different avatar altogether.

The war began and Kalinga was initially winning the battle, which was surprisingly even as Kauwaki was a courageous princess who was skilful in warfare. ButMagadhafought back as Asoka proved why he was considered brutal in nature and his continuous attack made Kalinga finally succumb to defeat. The end of the movie was tragic as Kaurwaki was badly injured and after Asoka somehow manages to find her, he apologizes to her for his actions which have actually killed so many innocent people rather than just winning him the battle.

Kareena Kapoor through this movie won her first Best Actress Award at the Star Screen Awards and was nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. The movie was a massive hit, since it captured the mindset of the international market which was interested to know about the life of Asoka.

Ajnabee

Director: Abbas-Mustan
Producer: Vijay Galani
Screenplay: Sanjeev Duggal, Neeraj Vora, Robin Bhatt, Shyam Goel
Story: Neeraj Vora
Stars: Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu
Music: Anu Malik
Cinematography: Rajan Kinagi
Editor: Hussain A Burmawala
Release date: 22 September 2001

Ajnabee was Kareena’s first movie of the suspense thriller genre. Directed by the iconic duo of Abbas-Mustan, the movie was an adaptation of the 1992 Hollywood thriller film, Consenting Adults. She was paired opposite Bobby Deol and the other lead stars in the movie were the sexy siren Bipasha Basu and Akshay Kumar. So this was the first time actually that Kareena got the opportunity to work with big names in the industry, apart from the directors of course since she worked with Subhash Ghai before this!

Kareena’s character was named Priya, who belonged to a rich family and was beautiful, yet simple in her outlook. She meets Raj Malhotra, a typical Bollywood name given to the character of Bobby Deol and within no time, falls in love with him. Both of them get hitched with the consent of her father and decide to settle down in the Alps, i.e., Switzerland after marriage. Here is where the focus of the movie shifts more to the on screen couple of Akshay Kumar and Bipasha Basu.

Both the couples get to know each other more, but the plot thickens when Sonia, the character played by Bipasha expires during the birthday party of Vikram, i.e, Akshay Kumar. Kareena has hardly any role to play, except always being a pillar to her husband who is immediately accused of murder by Vikram and the Swiss police. The plot becomes more interesting when it is gradually proved that it is not Raj, but Vikram himself who is responsible for Sonia’s murder.

Vikram in the climax, tries to kill Priya as well to complete his revenge on Raj on losing $USD 100 million but Raj like a true hero and husband comes to her rescue and succeeds in killing Raj as well as proving his innocence. Raj and Priya then decide to move back to India.

The movie was a hit mainly due to the songs and the presence of Akshay Kumar, who played the negative role of Vikram very well. Kareena Kapoor’s sensuous song with Akshay was one of the highlights of the film, and this was her first such act in her short Bollywood career at the time. It was a prelude for more to come! And this proved that Kareena can be sexy if required, and not just play the role of a village belle or a normal girl in a movie.