Straight From Heart [DVD] [1999] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

My discovery of Indian cinema has been almost a spiritual experience. It's like going from black and white to color for the first time. Compared to a movie like this, American and European films have no heart, no vitality, no color, and no passion. And I've never seen any love story that could compare to the one in this film. I've never seen the true definition of love expressed as deeply as it is here - and it is love in its purest form. I know I'm old-fashioned, but, for me, Hollywood ruins every good love story it manages to produce by making everything about sex. You don't have that in India cinema - you don't even have kissing; what you do have, though, are the depths and power of love expressed in ways Hollywood can't even comprehend.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (Straight From the Heart) has everything you could want in a movie - romance; comedy; fantastic music, singing, and dancing; elaborate set designs and magnificent locations; stellar performances; and, of course, the most beautiful woman in the world, Aishwarya Rai. I'm trying to get my hands on all of her movies as quickly as I can. She's incredible in this 1999 classic, as are the two leading men who form the other two sides of the most poignant of love triangles. Salman Khan plays Sameer, a free spirit who comes to India from Italy to study music under Nandini's father. Nandini (Rai) isn't happy about this at all, but she and Sameer are soon engaged in some serious flirting. A strong love grows up between the two, only to be torn asunder by Nandini's father, who sends Sameer away with a promise to never meet his daughter again. A heartbroken Nandini is compelled to marry a young lawyer named Vanraj (Ajay Devgan). She doesn't love Vanraj, but he is an exceedingly good man who loves her dearly. For all her continued grieving over Sameer, it is Vanraj who eventually shows her what true love really is. The ending is just exquisite, a true emotional climax that brings both pain and joy to your heart at the same time.

The movie runs a little over three hours (which is pretty much the norm in India), but it is in no way too long. If you have a heart, it will be swept away during the second half of the film. The story and the passionate performances by Rai, Khan, and Devgan would be more than enough on their own to make this a stellar film - but Indian cinema gives you so much more than that. Music plays an integral part in the film, and every single musical scene is amazing (and, besides chapters, you can also jump directly to any musical number on the DVD). The one performance that really stands out, for me, is Nimbooda, which features Rai in a beguiling song and dance routine. Subtitles are always an issue with a foreign language film, but the English subtitles here are really rather good and certainly allow you to follow the film closely.

I'm having a hard time trying to convey the sheer magic of this incredible film. The love story puts Hollywood romances to shame, the performances are heart-felt and virtually guaranteed to make you laugh and cry, the cinematography is extraordinarily vivid, and I just can't get over how powerfully the film conveys the essence of true love. And even if you took all of that away, the mere opportunity to watch Aishwarya Rai for over three hours makes the DVD well worth the price. She is as talented as she is gorgeous.

I'm new to Indian movies - rather than repeat the previous review, or recap the storyline, which is already listed here - I'll just say I really loved this movie. There was a lot of emotion in it - and something I'm really enjoying about the Indian movies is that they don't seem to feel the need to sell sex to sell a good story. Not so much as an on screen kiss, but you feel more emotion and heartbreak from these characters than you do from most any Hollywood movie. Definitely a great movie!! (And the musical numbers were really spiffy!)

First off, don't expect a whole lot of logic in parts of this film. There is a phrase an "anglo" pal of mine and I--I'm Latina--have for this: Bollyworld. When you watch a Bollywood musical, you often have to suspend disbelief and accept that it might have much whimsy and disjointed editing and a certain odd logic. Just accept it and enjoy. It's something like suspending disbelief for a fantasy flick.

Anyway, this is a schizophrenic movie. It starts off and you think it's gonna be quite comedic and light. But then it moves into heavy drama. It's a romantic triangle (as you'll know from the other reviews). Girl loves young, cute, hip, energetic fella who shares her gift for music. Boy loves beautiful, graceful, talented girl who sings like an angel. Ah, but this is not America. This is India, and the girl must marry the man her family chooses. And the guy her family chooses--who is captivated by the lovely, lively, singing, dancing vision he first views--is an honorable but staid guy who couldn't sing to save his life.

So, now we're done with the light bits (and the sprightlier musical numbers), and we move into the quest. Here, you have the heroine's journey from girl to woman. And when she makes the decision at the end, it's a woman's decison--thought out, sober, deep, strong. It's not the fancy of a light heart, but the choice of a heart that's grown. It's a beautiful finale, really, trust me. Beautiful.

I live in a neighborhood with several Indian "bazaars" and folks from that country. This was my second Bollywood flick. I discussed it with the proprietress of a local Indian goods shop, and told her how delighted I was that I could expect certain things in a Bollywood movie: respect for parents, sacrifice for family, the value of marital fidelity and that I didn't have to worry about a bunch of sweaty nekkid folks "hooking up". Here, a kiss MEANS a lot because that may be all you get (if that much). It's refreshing, that kind of modesty these days. Then I mentioned how I loved the ending. She said, "This is an Indian film. It HAD to end that way."

I had to smile at that certainty.

I recommend this movie if you're patient and enjoy 1. Beautiful clothes (does anyone make outfits as gorgeous as the people of India?) 2. Gorgeous Aishwarya Rai, probably the loveliest woman in current global cinema 3. Some really fun and "up" musical numbers 4. the depiction of true self-sacrificial love and 5. a romantically satisfying ending.

Just be aware that Bollywood flicks do tend to suffer from lack of judicious editing. It's LONG. Hungary is a strange, strange place to pass off as Italy.

Still, I recommend this. Lovely film. Enjoy!

Mir