Bollywood | Bollywood Watch

HINDI MOVIE RELEASES EXPECTED THIS MONTH
By SHEPHALI J. RELE

	Salaam Namaste

�Salaam Namaste�: Starring Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Arshad Warsi; directed by Siddharth Anand; music by Vishal-Shekar.

This romantic comedy produced by Yash-Raj Films takes place in Melbourne, Australia. Saif Ali Khan plays Nick, a carefree guy who lives life to the fullest. He works as a chef in a restaurant and his passions are cooking and partying. Preity Zinta plays Ambar, a cheerful girl who arrives from Bangalore to study medicine. Her part-time job as a radio jockey for a station called Salaam Namaste has her interviewing Indians in Melbourne. When Chef Nick oversleeps and misses a scheduled interview, Ambar decides to teach him a lesson. The two are drawn to each other despite their opposing views on many matters. Not wanting to rush things between them, they instead decide to share an apartment with separate rooms as they get to know each other. Slowly, minor quarrels and rising tempers interrupt their happy moments. So, are they made for each other? The makers say �Salaam Namaste� offers a quirky take on life, love, and relationships. Debutante director Siddharth Anand assisted during the making of �Hum Tum,� another successful, colorful film about a cool, young pair.

�Chocolate�: Starring Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Emraan Hashmi, Irfan Khan, Tanushree Dutta, Sushma Reddy; directed by Vivek Agnihotri; music by Pritam.

This unusually titled thriller tells the tale of seven strangers in a foreign land and a crime that brings them together. It�s Christmas time in London when a series of bizarre incidents shatter the celebrations of peace and joy. Some out-of-luck Indians are brought into custody by the police. But are they just scapegoats and is there a mastermind behind these events? Several subplots reveal the various characters that cross paths. Anil Kapoor plays Krish a debonair, egotistical lawyer with sharp skills ready for any challenge. Suniel Shetty is Rocker, a strong-willed man who never lets anything get in his way. Irfan Khan is Pipi, a thinker, who believes in following the right path. Tanushree Dutta plays Sim, a temptress with a suspicious past. Sushma Reddy plays a journalist going through hard times. Do these ordinary people have any dark secrets? The film�s tagline says, �Sometimes, it�s best not to ask too many questions.�

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�Film Star�: Starring Mahima Chaudhury, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Vasundhara Das, Aryan Vaid; directed by Tanuja Chandra; music by Jatin-Lalit.

Set against the backdrop of Hollywood, this film features Mahima Chaudhury as Hiram Pundit an arrogant actress who thrives on public adoration. When her films aren�t successful and her popularity wanes, she can�t bear it. She runs into Digambar, played by Priyanshu Chatterjee, an old college friend she hasn�t seen in years. He�s now an out-of- work lawyer and alcoholic, who sings in a club to make a living. Digambar criticizes Hira, saying her acting has become predictable and she needs to reinvent herself onscreen. This chance reunion begins a series of life-changing events. Hira finds a real-life drama involving a traditional wife, the murder of her rich husband, and a powerful father-in-law. She hopes this true story will put her back on the A-list.

Vasundhara Das plays Leela, the woman in jail for murder, who Hira begins to sympathize with and resolves to help. Director Tanuja Chandra is known for her strong women-oriented films, including �Dushman� with Kajol, �Sangharsh� with Preity Zinta, and �Sur� with Gauri Karnik.

Whether you are a Bachchan senior, junior or Rani fan, this film is a delight to watch. With likable characters, snappy dialogues and rocking music, this adventure caper offers sheer entertainment value for the entire family. Rani�s comic timing and snazzy outfits are a treat. Abhishek�s performances keep improving with every film. After a serious turn in �Yuva,� he proves his mettle in comedy as Bunty. It�s always nice to see Amitabh in a character-driven role. Even if you are not an avid Hindi film viewer, be sure to check out �Bunty Aur Bubli.� You will surely enjoy this exciting comedy and don�t forward any of the songs!