How did the role in ABCD come about?
It was so crazy and so awesome. I actually got an email from UTV Motion Pictures saying Remo D’Souza, one of the biggest choreographers in India and now a director, was a huge fan of mine when I was on SYTYCD Season 3 and he wanted me to be a part of his film. It came through as an email on my website. You know, I didn’t go to bed that whole night and I got my parents up in the morning and I was like, ‘Hey! I am going to India’. So crazy. No audition process at all. It was just fate.

Getting that email must have been amazing and then getting the opportunity to come to India must have been so incredible.
Something I never thought was going to happen in my life. It was just one of those weird things that comes up and I just knew it in my heart that I was supposed to go and be a part of this. I didn’t really know what to expect. I relied a lot on fate and just hoping it turned out right. I jumped into a new country across the other side of the world, a new language, a new culture, and everything. When I walked on set and I saw this big huge production, I was like, ‘Whoa, this is big’!

I knew from a really young age that this is what I wanted to do. One of the only things I was certain about in my life was that I was supposed to move to Los Angeles and be a dancer. I would watch Center Stage and I would watch some of the dance movies and be like, ‘That is going to be me!’ I would say in a very confident way, ‘I am going to be “that girl” one day.’ I had no idea it was going to be “that girl” in Bollywood.

How much did you know about Bollywood before you became part of the project?
The only thing I knew was what we had been taught for the past couple years on SYTYCD. That was a nice introduction. I really didn’t know much about the movies.

So tell us about your role, who is she?
I play Rhea and she is one of the lead girls. She actually starts in the technical school of dance run by KK Menon’s character. She is a very technical, contemporary, ballet dancer. A fight happens at the school between KK Menon’s character and Vishnu, played by Prabhu Deva. Vishnu decides to break away, and I end up asking to be a part of his new adventure that he goes on with these kids. So you see, Rhea goes from being a technical, classical dancer into doing hip-hop for the first time.

What was it like to be dropped into the middle of making this movie? You don’t know Hindi, you are in a new country…
It was extremely overwhelming, it really was. It was one of my first times being in another country. I have visited London before but for the most part I tour around the United States and Canada. This was a completely different world. This was one of the most challenging things I think I could ever do. I am always about stepping out of my comfort zone – I think that when you get into your comfort zone you just make everything such a routine and your passion dies down a little bit. I have been fortunate enough to do some projects that were just SO far out of my comfort zone. Like SYTYCD was one: I had danced a certain way my whole life and then in 5 and 1/2 hours we needed to put together a routine. That is something we have never done before in front of the world! There are certain things where I really had to jump out of my own skin, and this movie was one of them. It was my first leading role and I was ready – I WAS SO READY! But I didn’t have too much time to settle in before I went right into my language classes with a Hindi coach. We had to figure out what the best, quickest, and most efficient way to learn this language would be, because I only had a week and a few days. I would look at the word and would want to pronounce it phonetically like we would in English, but it was just a completely different alphabet. I was like, ‘How is this possible?’ I kind of started to realize that if I looked at the words written the way I would pronounce them that would be the quickest way, instead of really breaking down the alphabet. It’s a different way of speaking as well, like for some of the words, like a TH, your tongue goes between your teeth. It was just so different. So above each word in my script you will see it spelled out phonetically how we would say it in English. When I actually would go through and study it, I would be studying the way I would sound it out and not the way it would be spelled because it was just impossible in that time.

Then, there was also the fact that when the rehearsal is up I was not rehearsing my lines just to make sure that I have my script down. I am actually looking around at everyone else’s faces, because I was understanding what I was speaking, but when you are listening to someone else speak their lines it was too fast and it was too much to really understand all of it word for word. All those human qualities of when you nod and when you are listening to someone speaking and you realize something through dialogue – I didn’t know the timing of that in their culture and language. So when rehearsal was up, I would have to look around and kind of gauge timing of when people were reacting. I am now studying Hindi; it is something I want to learn fully, especially if other opportunities come from Bollywood.

I hadn’t thought of that, the responses and reactions you would have to make even if you didn’t completely know what they were saying.
Yeah! It was insane. It was just the most challenging thing, and that is why I feel I could do anything! Nothing is ever going to be like that. I could be on any set doing anything and I’ll survive.

What was it like to work with Prabhu Deva? I mean, he is such an incredible dancer.
I had heard of him while I was going out there, but you don’t really know until you get out there and you see. He is a legend in his own right. Being in front of him I could feel that. I could feel that presence that he carried. It felt really special to be in scenes with him. We would be off on the side and he would want to be teaching me a little something and then he was like, ‘Teach me, teach me. I want to see how you dance.’ It was just really fun!

What about with Salman Yusuff Khan, how was it to work with him?
He was such a blessing to me throughout the whole project. See, on set, I was never the one in the back talking to my friends. I am always there, right up front, listening to the director, listening to them talk among themselves during the production, listening to the DP talk to the director about the lighting, and trying to grab on to any little bit that I can. In this instance it was not possible because it wasn’t my language. So I would stand next to him and, especially for the first month of filming, after any direction was given, he would look at me and help translate it. I was like, ‘What would I do without you right now?!?’ (Laughs) He was just so welcoming and so nice. He definitely became one of my long time best friends

What about working with director Remo D’Souza?
There is this calm, cool swagger about him. There were a lot of players in this game. There were a lot of things that had to be done and in a timely fashion. To have the director be so calm and comforting and helpful to me especially since I was in their country for the first time it was just such a blessing. You know, he is not only a director, but he was a dancer and a choreographer and he understood fully what I was going through. It was so great!

I have loved the dance sequences I have seen in the promos so far and there are so many styles that the choreography encompasses. Can you tell me what we can expect to see in the film?
Again, I didn’t have any idea what to expect when I went out there. I was jumping into a Bollywood film and I was thinking, yeah, I am going to get to learn classical Bollywood dancing. It was mostly stuff I was familiar with because they wanted it to be more of a westernized Bollywood film to try to push the boundaries for India. Without giving away the script, there are a couple of Bollywood dances that we do, so I did get to learn some of the classical dancing like Kathak. But you will see hip-hop, you see krumping, you see breaking, you see contemporary, ballet, pointe, and then as I said, the Indian dances, so you see everything. I think it is going to be so enjoyable for the audience to watch.

First thought when you saw the trailer?
Oh My God! I knew what I had been seeing when I was there and I kept calling my friends and my family and my team behind me and I kept going, ‘Guys, this is going to be huge!’ I don’t think anyone fully knew until they saw it. Since the time zone is a 12 and a half hour difference I woke up one morning and my phone was blowing up. I had, like, over a 1000 messages and I had no idea what had happened. All of a sudden I look online and the trailer is on. I was by myself at the time and I just couldn’t be by myself, so I got up and went over to my best friends’ place and woke them up. It was 7 in the morning. (Laughs) They were so thrown off and confused because I am standing in their doorway and I was saying you have to watch this. I traveled around Los Angeles that day showing my friends, my family, my team, and everyone’s jaws were on the floor. They didn’t expect that. I was like, I told you!

The excitement from the first look and the songs has been huge! How does that feel?
It blows my mind. I knew going out there who was a part of this – UTV Motion Pictures is no joke; it is a huge production company. I knew what I was experiencing while making it so I was kind of expecting what it would be, but when you see that trailer… it is so bright, it is so colorful!

You know, I have been peeking in at the forums even though I was taught on SYTYCD not to read the forums and read what people said (Laughs), but I have always been really connected to my fans! I want to hear how everyone is appreciating it. I think a couple of people right from the jump were comparing it to a Step Up movie, which is going to happen. But I think looking at trailer, there is going to be something so special about it. You see the Indian heritage and heart in it, and I think that is something that our Step Up movies have been lacking in their scripts. I think that is going to draw this raw factor to it, and it is going to be unlike anything else. It is just going to be out of this world.

Who do you admire as dancers in Bollywood?
Hrithik Roshan is one of my favorites. I could watch his dancing all day. Before working with Prabhu Deva, I wanted to do some research before dancing in front of him, and my research turned into months of searching his videos. He is just out of the world. I had people in my own crew to study and learn from. All the dancers in the film were all on Dance India Dance; it’s kind of like a SYTYCD. I so respect what they do over there because they do something we don’t and they take a lot of risks. They do a lot of stunt work and a lot of silks. I look at them and I could never do that. It was funny because while we were in rehearsal they would want to see a video of my SYTYCD performance and then I would be like okay show me yours. We would just go back and forth and show each other our stuff. To be with dancers and different dances for three months – it was the most enjoyable experience of my life.

So we loved the music of ABCD…
The music for ABCD is definitely one of a kind! Jigar, Sachin, and Mayar Puri created what I think is the perfect soundtrack for the film. I’m constantly dancing around my apartment to all of the exciting tracks!

What did you bring back with you from your experience of working on ABCD?
I think it gave me back that passion. Not that I had really lost it over the years, but I grew up my entire life dancing. I have danced in jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop my entire life. Doing SYTYCD was probably one of the best things you could ever do as a dancer because we weren’t in the background, we were in the foreground, and our name was in lights. That was great, and we went on tour. And through SYTYCD and other jobs I opened up to do more ballroom and cheerleading stuff. Then, after awhile, you start doing jobs, and I switched into acting and into hosting. But still a little bit of the passion can die down for a little bit when you are focusing on it being a job. Anything that is labeled a job kind of dips down that passion. But Bollywood is so completely different. It just brought back this heart to my dancing. I feel like there is a piece of my heart that is still in India and I think it is because it just brought that back to me. They have dance and music inside their culture and out, and you just feel it all around India. That heart and soul that Bollywood dancing has, it brought it back to me. It has changed me so completely.

It’s kind of all I want to do right now. And everyone keeps laughing. I teach master classes all the time and I am like, can I teach some Bollywood? They are a little unsure, but by the end of the class I have everyone screaming and cheering while they are dancing, then coming up and saying it is the best thing they have ever done and they want to find more Bollywood classes. It is now starting to be this big thing out here. If I can bring a little bit of that fun and culture to the United States I am going to do it. I am obsessed with it.

Me, too! (Laughs)

Yeah right?!? How could you not? (Laughs) I think more and more, especially through great shows like SYTYCD, it is bringing Bollywood more on the table and into people’s households. I don’t know exactly how the US is going to take this film, but the storyline is so great. If anyone is comparing it to anything we have done over here, dance film wise, I think they are going to be really shocked when they see it. The story line is really interesting and there are a lot of key players in it. When you think one person is the main character, the next second there is another story line that develops and it is really interesting. That super smiley dancing is so much fun that if I could go ever to Bollywood and do more and more films over there and kind of have that character, Oh God, it would just be the most exciting thing.

That was my next question, whether you would want to do another Bollywood movie, but I assume that answer is yes!
I would be back there in a heartbeat. I am like itching for it. I had a great run in ABCD and it was just an introduction. I almost don’t feel like it was an accident that I ended up over there. I always view my life like everything happens for a reason. I have had great opportunities in life and I have also had some great setbacks, but those setbacks have made me stronger and plus made me realize it wasn’t something I was supposed to do at that time. I don’t think it was an accident that I was brought out to India to do this film and how much I fell in love with it all. It is a different language, it is a different dance style and a different culture, but it is something I would love to dive more into and understand more and be a part of it. If there was another opportunity that came up I would be really excited to hear about it.

I would like to thank Lauren for taking time out of her busy schedule and having such a fabulous talk. If you can’t tell, I had a wonderful time talking with Lauren about 3 things I love: dance, SYTYCD, and Bollywood! Forgive me as I take off my professional writer/editor hat and say as a former ballet dancer, from a huge Bollywood fan and SYTYCD fan: “You go, girl! I can’t wait to see you kill it in this film”. Okay now I have that off my chest, I can simply say you can see Lauren and the rest of the killer dancers and their moves when ABCD opens on February 8th!

Lauren Gottlieb: “Working on ABCD was the most enjoyable experience of my life.” is a post from: BollySpice

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Check out some exclusive pictures with some of the stars that joined in and supported this cool event!

Photo credit: Karthik Iyer

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Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

The Farhan-Abhay-Hrithik Chemistry: Almost everyone we talked to had this reason very high on their list. The ease that Farhan, Abhay and Hrithik had together in every scene was amazing. Farhan and Hrithik both told us they all really bonded on set and that was certainly evident. There were so many pitch perfect moments: from the scene where they were laughing in the restaurant to the more serious, emotionally revealing scenes, to the quiet ones that showed the moments in which they had to express their feelings without words. It wasn’t as if we were watching three actors in a film, we were there with three friends on a trip that changed their lives forever.

The Performances: The entire cast was brilliant! Each actor portrayed a character that we haven’t seen from him or her before. Hrithik was fabulous as the strict and cold Arjun, Farhan was perfect as Imraan, revealing a complicated man whose happy, funny surface masks a hidden sadness and Abhay hit the bullseye as Kabir. Kalki’s performance was wonderful and her connection with Abhay was another great thing about this film. Similarly, we loved Katrina Kaif’s performance and her chemistry with Hrithik. This first time pairing of Kat and Hrithik was sensational. Of course, they are both very easy on the eyes, but more importantly their performances were so in sync, it seemed completely natural that they would fall in love. Katrina actually shared a wonderful chemistry with all three of the male leads. The movie felt honest, believable and real, a testament to the fact that all the actors really complimented each other and did not try to upstage one another.

The Direction: Director Zoya Akhtar exceeded her excellent work in her debut film Luck By Chance. Her handling of every scene, emotional, fun-filled or adventurous, was outstanding. The movie never felt rushed at any point: from the way Zoya took the time to introduce each character, slowly revealing their issues, to the way she let the silent and quiet moments develop. She showed trust in her audience, giving them just enough of what was important and leaving the rest to the audience to interpret. She also made a film with a message, but she did not try to force feed it to anyone. As Farhan told us, “The greatest thing about this film is that there is a lot of deeper meaning about friendship and about certain issues in your life that you get a glimpse of, but it doesn’t happen in a preachy way. It happens more in action than it does in long pieces of dialog. It does this in a very non-preachy, kind of Zen, off hand kind of way, which is very, very special.”

The Shayaris: Of course, we have to mention the poems written by Javed Akhtar and spoken by Farhan’s character Imraan. Each poem brought out the essence of each character perfectly and they were the extra special layer that added so much to the feel and the depth of the film.

The Cinematography: Hands down, this was incredible work by the director of photography, Carlos. He ensured that the cinematography did not overshadow the story, but instead helped take the movie forward. You never felt the camera was intruding. The shots were gorgeous, awesome, breathtaking, amazing… need we say more?

The Three Adventures: Watching the friends skydive, run with the bulls and go deep sea diving was exciting. In addition, moviegoers got to experience the Tomatina festival, all of which has never been seen in Hindi films before. The choice of these particular adventures enhanced the exhilarating feel of the movie and were the perfect choice.

The Songs: When we asked fans to tell us which songs they liked best, we thought it would be only one or two that would make it to our list, but remarkably EVERY song was listed as part of why fans loved the film. The picturizations were perfect, and although more of the music was the background score or used in montage scenes, the songs and the scenes with them fit perfectly within the film. Not a wrong note was hit.

The Story: Many people mentioned to us how much they loved the story of the film. Not only was it very relatable, it was also fresh and new. Zoya and Reema Kagti did a fabulous job of writing these characters with panache; we empathized with each of them. The characters were refreshingly multi-dimensional because the filmmakers were not afraid to show us the characters’ flaws. It had friendship, fun, romance, emotion, and adventure all shown in a way not seen in Hindi cinema before.

Bagwati: One of the funniest inanimate objects ever on screen. Yes, inanimate objects can be funny. Really. Once you see the movie, we promise you’ll understand.

The Message: Though we’ve already mentioned this once, the message has resonated so much with us and with fans that we decided it had to have it’s own space. In a very subtle manner, the message of the film hit a chord with many. It made us realize that we only have one chance to live and we need to make the most of it. We need to seize the moment so that we don’t look back at our lives and regret what we could have done and make sure and enjoy every moment: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara!

The whole film: As you can see there are many, many reasons that, in our opinion, ZNMD rocks!! This movie is so good that we are sure you could come up with many more reasons. We could keep writing about it as well but we will just end with this: ZNMD is a movie full of fun, romance, joy, celebration, heartwarming and heartrending emotion, lovely scenery, and eye candy whose acting is as hot as they are. It is a film that will make you leave the theater with a smile! If you are one of those unlucky ones who has to yet to experience this movie, see it as soon as you can. If you are one of those lucky ones who has seen it, by all means spread the word! Your friends and family will thank you.

With Contribtuions by Vani, Bollyspice team and many fans of ZNMD!

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Judwaa (1997) where he played a double role. I loved his naughty character, and the one song that comes to mind is ‘Tan Tana Tan’ where one of his characters dances in a prison cell! (I was a teen when this came out) and I swear I thought I would marry him one day….as did hundred thousands of girls around the world!)

I could write on more songs, but I’m restraining myself – Sheetal M

I admit it took a while until I liked Salman. The first film he really impressed me in was Khamoshi, but I definitely discovered my soft spot for him in Chal Mere Bhai when I enjoyed the loveable brother chemistry between him and Sanjay Dutt. – Ingrid

I fall in love with Salman Khan every time I see his films – be it ‘Karan’ in Karan Arjun – any of his numerous characterisations of ‘Prem’ or his man from the other side of the tracks ‘Radhey’, but I think the film that did it for me was his re-introduction into the film industry as a lead – Maine Pyar Kiya. His listening to his then friend Suman and putting out the cigarette, using the same formula Suman used to stop Suman’s tears, the sax solo and then the scene that really got me – the climax when he is being beaten up after having worked all month to get Rs 3000, and the fact he was willing to go back out there and earn it all over again when he was told that the bet was incomplete. Why I fell in love with Salman – Simple – I don’t think anyone else could have done that role. There was an innocence that was required by that role, as well as a certain amount of cheekiness and attitude and Salman has that in droves, which is what makes him perfect. You could put him in practically any role from the soft spoken and polite Prem in HSSH to Radhey in Tere Naam, he makes it work in his own unique style – akhir Salman nay ‘ek baar jo commitment kardi phir who apni bhi nahin sunta.‘ if you get my drift. – Rima

It’s not only me but my whole family loves Salman Khan. For me it was first Andaz Apna Apna, Judwaa and then Maine Pyar Kiya. I love his comic sense, it’s soo spot on and so timeless and funny. Just a simple ‘Aui Maa!’ has me in splits. My mother specially loves the way he dances. Generally, it starts off with dance steps taught by the choreographer and then ends with this mix of ‘dance’ steps concocted by SK. Even as a TV show host he outdoes himself. The only reason why my family watched Dus ka Dum or Bigg Boss was because of Salman Khan. – Trupti

May surprise many, but I fell in love with Sallu again when I saw WANTED!! – Prateeksha

For me, it was after watching ‘Tere Naam’. His performance was beautifully heart-wrenching and highlighted the vulnerability behind his otherwise tough exterior. I was also somehow convinced that it was his most honest performance possibly because ironically this movie happened around his break-up with Ash. -Pooja

Jaan – E – Maan and Mujhse Shaadi Karoge… Up until then as a newbie to Hindi films, I had avoided Sallu because I thought he was just a thug. These two movies convinced me, rapidly that he is HILARIOUS – the dinner scene in MSK, where Sallu is trying so hard to impress Amrish Puri and it all goes horribly wrong when he insists on opening the champagne himself – it cracks me up EVERY TIME. Plus, in Jaan-E-Mann he dresses up as Elvis. That was always gonna win my heart. – Vanessa

All of my earliest memories of Indian Cinema mostly feature Salman Khan. Naturally, my life’s chronology runs parallel to Salman Khan’s filmography. However, I cannot pinpoint the exact moment that I fell in love with Salman Khan. I believe it’s a beginning-less and endless love. That being said, I have countless moments where I have fallen in love with Salman all over again. Here is my top 5 falling-in-love-with-Salman-Khan moments. Beware: some of these are really nonsensical.

1. Every time he says the word ‘pratishat‘ (percentage) on Dus Ka Dum my heart does a somersault in my chest.
2. In Hum Saath Saath Hai when he character, Prem whispers to Sonali’s character, Preeti , ‘Halwa bahut aacha bana tha. Dobara zaroor banana.‘ As a cooking enthusiast if this scene ever happened to me, my knees would turn to jelly and I would crumble to the ground.
3. In Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge when Raja asks Sapna, “Why can’t you ever talk nicely to anyone?” in a intimidating way. She runs away from him while replying, “I can, but I don’t because I do not feel the need to do so.” The way he smiles at the sight of her running away is priceless.
4. Every waking moment of Lucky,because Salman Khan’s portrayal of Aditya Sekhri just re-defined the phrase ‘Knight in shining armour’ and in doing so every fairytale love story I ever knew.

5. A tie between:
a. His entry scene in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai as the start of the song ‘Sajan-ji Ghar Aaye‘ is breathtaking.
b. In Hum Aapke Hai Kaun when Prem and Nisha are racing to get hold of the groom’s shoes and Prem literally twists Nisha’s arm to get the shoes, but at the end backs off and lets her win. The mischievous/adorable look on his face is to-die-for. - Sheetal T

I definitely loved Salman in his cameo on Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He was such a wonderful addiction because his character was so understanding. It made the rest of the film even more special. – Adriana

He has such an amazing screen presence and I loved him in Hum Apke Hain Kaun, but for me it is always the quieter moments of Salman Khan that make me sigh. When he lets go and is feeling so much and you can feel it right along with him. The last scene on the stage in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam it was pyaar at first sight. – Stacey

As you can see as many characters he has played there are as many or more ways he has made us fall in love! We are ready, so ready to see how he romances Asin in Ready, and to add another moment to our list. Ready is in theaters tomorrow!

Why we all love Salman Khan is a post from: BollySpice

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Stacey: So, how would you describe the story of the film?
Meera: 3 Idiots is about three friends, Rancho (Aamir Khan), Farhan (Madhavan) and Raju (Sharman Joshi) who are all studying at college. Rancho is a rebellious character who is always asking questions, to the annoyance of the college director Viru (Boman Irani). He encourages his friends to be themselves and look beyond things and find their true calling in life.
Rima: I would say the story is essentially about friendship. I know that Raj Kumar Hirani said that it covered the pressures that students were under and the suicide rates amongst students in India being the highest but I don’t think that this was explored enough. It did cover aspects that said follow your dreams, be yourself and the world will accept you for who you are the way you are but ultimately I think it was about three friends who were willing to do anything for each other – including jumping out of a window…
Charla: 3 Idiots is about life, with its ups and downs and how one can either challenge oneself and do better or let it get to you so it can defeat you. It’s about what one wants out of life…making sure you chase your own dreams and not someone else’s. It’s about making yourself capable of chasing your dreams.
Amrita: 3 Idiots is about friendship essentially. It’s a tale of how one person can come into a given situation and turn it around completely. The movie tackles many different issues with the backdrop of college life and peer pressure. It is a well-rounded story, which is taken forward by friendship and the good that can be gotten out of every situation in life.
Rumnique: I would say the 3 Idiots storyline is akin to a coming of age story for all 3 men. Though it liberally borrows elements from ‘Two Point Someone’ by Chetan Bhagat, the stories are uniquely individual.
Trupti: The basic essence of the story is about the education system which needs changing. Given the right direction and some change in technique this will enable students to achieve more than their best. It is also the story of 3 students who become friends and push each other to achieve their goals.

Stacey: What are your thoughts on the story?
Meera: The story of this film was so well written that there was never a dull moment, everything flowed so well. I was hooked from the minute the film started. The story got its message across without being preachy. I thoroughly enjoyed this clever film.
Rima: Loved it! The funny parts were funny, the sad parts were sad the emotional parts were emotional.
Charla:: The story was presented in a fresh and new way. Having read the book, I must say I recognized a lot from it. There were no boring scenes, the story was told quickly, it was witty and one could easily relate to college life.
Rumnique: I thought the story lines of Farhan/Madhavan struck me the most as it was a common issue of a student going into an area they hated due to pressure and family. The suicide angles were very honestly and respectfully handled.
Amrita: The story is fresh, youthful and seeks to pass on some very important social messages. With the use of comedy and characters that are audiences can easily empathize and sympathize with, 3 Idiots portrays the feeling of parents, the stresses of students and the ups and downs between friends in a movie which appeals to the masses.
Trupti: I think the story was kept very true to life. The ups and downs in their lives were well timed and had a good flow to them. I could relate to the story well not only because I had, in a way, been through that stage but also because it was well written.

Stacey: So let’s talk about performances. Since I know you guys will go on and on…(laughs) I will leave it to you…
Rima: For me, Aamir as the non-conforming Rancho is perfect. He manages get under the skin of a character he is playing and successfully manages to breath life into the free spirited and honest Rancho; it actually took me a moment to digest the incredible difference in appearance and character undertaken by Khan. It is this attention to detail that really comes through in 3I. The big, baggy, oversized clothing worn by Aamir make him look tiny and at times incredibly vulnerable. The characters constant movement, the wide-eyed excitement of a twenty something year old, the curiosity to learn – if there was an actor who could pull this off, it could only be Aamir. And he does with great aplomb. Madhavan and Joshi give consistent performances throughout the film. Both have fantastic comic timing and are the perfect compliment to Khan’s Rancho. Kareena Kapoor, as Pia is good, but I don’t think she bought anything to the character that couldn’t be bought by someone else, I can easily picture Deepika Padukone, Geneilia D’Souza in the role. And for me if I can picture anyone else in the role – it means that there was something lacking. The chemistry between Aamir-Madhavan-Sharman is fantastic and the trio is well supported by Omi as ‘silencer’. This was a memorable debut and Vaidya held his own in front of some well established industry names. Boman Irani as Viru Sahastrabuddhe, which at times is reminiscent of Munna Bhai’s Dr. Astana but in all honesty I don’t think I can see if there is anyone else I would cast in the role – which in my eyes makes him perfect.
Amrita: Aamir Khan – Although he is perhaps a little too old to play the role of a student, he completely outdoes himself in the film. Madhavan – 3 Idiots makes me think how much of an under-rated actor he really is. His portrayal of a student who is being stopped from following his dream because of how his parents will be depicted in society is admirable and I’m sure everyone out there can identify with him somewhere along the line. For me, Sharman Joshi is the one that shines in this film. His performance makes you cry, laugh and want to hug him. I think this says it all! Kareena Kapoor an actress whose performance is perhaps overshadowed by the men in the movie but she is great as always. Boman Irani gives an absolutely rocking performance as the college principal who is so set in his ways that he jeopoardises his students’ progress along the way. The detail given to his character and performance is commendable and perhaps what makes his strictness so comical. Omi Vaidya gives an exceptional performance for his first film. You kind of hate him but love him… and characters like that always seem to leave you wanting more!
Charla: Aamir Khan was good in his role but, I have to admit, I am not a fan of forced method acting, which I noticed a few times, which can sometimes get on your nerves. But he was outstanding, though I have to agree with Amrita that Aamir is indeed too old to play a college student hahaha… I also agree Sharman Joshi gave an outstanding performance. This guy has a lot of potential and I don’t know why nobody is tapping it. Madhavan: Outstanding as well! Loved his character. The opening scene was great! Omi Vaidya: Now there is someone we will never forget. He made himself unforgettable with the Balatkaar speech. What a guy! Kareena Kapoor: Very nice. I didn’t think she had lots to do, but she did brought a special flavour to the cast. It was all about 4 idiots.
Rumnique: Well, tied at no.1 is both Madhavan and Sharman Joshi who actually look the age of college/uni students. They both matched each other equally and managed to steal Aamir’s thunder whenever he came and dominated the proceedings. Sharman was particularly affecting in the aftermath of the suicide, he really eloquently put a human face to such a difficult and dark area. Kareena Kapoor was very good and made the most out of being the only girl there.
Trupti: Everyone in this movie in their respective roles out did themselves. It was one impactful performance after another.

Stacey: Favorite scene? I know we will all list Chatur’s balatkaar speech, but what else?
Rumnique: That scene, of course and Sharman’s job interview speech had me bawling.
Meera: Has to be the scene were Kareena Kapoor goes into Aamir Khan’s room and says the “dhokla, fafda, thepla, khandwa, khakra” lines. This scene had me in stitches, I was laughing so much. In fact thinking about the scene still brings a smile to my face! Kareena Kapoor delivered one of her best performances with this film. She played her character Pia with such conviction.
Charla: When the 3 idiots run away from Virus’ house and fall asleep in college. The next morning they wake up in class. When Virus comes looking for them, He asks for Raju. When Raju stands up drunk, he asks him how an induction motor starts and Raju makes the sound. Outstanding scene! Always cracks me up! The last scene is the scene where Raju has his job interview. It was a real touching scene… also the explanation about him being so honest, that he cannot lie, which surprises the people who are taking the interview. After Jay Lobo hangs himself. I love how Aamir explains that it is not suicide. It is murder. A very effective emotional scene.
Amrita: So many to choose from! I guess it would have to be the one which makes me emotional. It is when Madhavan and Sharman go back to college after both being told to face their fears. Madhavan convinces his parents to let him pursue a career in photography and Sharman lands himself a job by being honest about his circumstances… they both return to college and do the whole “Jahaapanaa tussi great ho, Tofa kabool karo” (with trousers down) for Aamir. Aamir walks away with tears of happiness in his eyes. Ahhh… so sweet!
Trupti: Aah! There are soo many! I’ll have to draw a chit (laughs). The first one that comes to mind is when Joy hangs himself in his dorm room and written on the wall is ‘I Quit’. The silence followed by the dialogue between Aamir and Boman leaves you speechless. No one I know of did not not cry upon watching this scene.

Stacey: Favorite song?
Rima: Give Me Some Sunshine – love it, love it, love it!
Meera: Zoobi Doobi
Rumnique: I agree, I think Zoobi Doobi was brilliantly picturized though some of the choreography was far too frenetic at times.
Charla: I have a few favorite songs: Give Me Some Sunshine, which depicts the right emotion. Behti Hawa Sa Tha woh… and also Jaane Nahin Denge Tumhe…. ehm… I am quite an emotional person hahahaahaha! I love these songs because they have a feeling in them. I don’t know how to explain, but these songs aren’t just songs, they make you think, beautiful compositions, Outstanding lyrics filled with emotions… love it.
Amrita: My fave is undoubtedly “Behti Hawa Sa”… Such beautiful lyrics, a great tune and Shan’s unbelievably fitting voice. Perfection! The picturisation is also great!
Trupti: Yep I agree! My favorite too is ‘Behti Hawa Sa’. Beautiful lyrics, soothing music and Shaan with his mesmerizing voice. As you said Amrita, perfection.

Stacey: Okay moving on to things that did not work. Was there any scene that stood out to you as being off or not really needed?
Rumnique: That absolutely ridiculous birth scene with the hoover and everything had me cringing, so heavy handed and stupid. Definitely needed to be cut.
Amrita: I totally agree. It did all seem very “too-good-to-be-true” at one point, which spoilt it a little for me.
Trupti: That gets the vote from me as well. The birthing scene was a little too much.
Stacey: Make that four! That scene really took the film to a place that made it much less and took away from the greatness of the film. In fact, it was this way, way, way over the top scene that made me only think this is an okay film when I first saw it.
Charla: The Zoobi Doobi song: it took me out of the story and they could have easily done without it. Also they could have shortened the search to Wangdu…. hahaha And the guy who Kareena is marrying – he was quite loud.
Rima: There are people who are going to hate me for saying this but I still have my doubts about the Kareena – Aamir pairing. I have seen better chemistry elsewhere – I guess is does relay a message without being too preachy but there was some more room to explore the parallel themes of the story.The chemistry was good (if I am generous) but it could have been better. That okay-ness maybe due to the simple fact that in a film where the 3 Idiots hold the monopoly there really isn’t enough time to focus on a love story.
Rumnique: 3 Idiots is a lovely film, but the writing of Rancho was a hindrance to the film, of course they had to focus on Aamir Khan being the crowd puller, but this was at the expense of the better defined other characters. The letdown for me was Aamir Khan, he just does not look like a college student, his botox and extreme expressions looked so out of place in this movie. I just could not relate to Rancho’s character because he became more of a ‘Manic Pixie Dream Man’ making everyone’s dreams come true, and ringing sanctimonious to me.

Stacey: What do you love about 3 Idiots?
Charla: That’s simple: Storyline, performances, songs, lyrics, dialogues.
Rumnique: I loved how the film tackled so many issues like suicide, ragging, and friendship with such aplomb. It was so enjoyable to witness the 3 leads chemistry together.
Amrita: What I love most about the movie is that it’s the kind of cinema one will never tire of. I could possibly watch this movie every week and know every dialogue and scene order but I would still watch it all over again. It’s universal appeal, real characters and hysterical comic scenes make it what it is.
Trupti: Everything.

Stacey: Is there a message in 3 Idiots? For me, it has so many layers to its message, but in the end it is about being true to yourself.
Meera: Yes! To be yourself and follow your heart!
Rumnique: I would say the message in 3 Idiots, is definitely to follow your dreams no matter what opposition or pressure, you have to have the courage. The instrumental person being Rancho who helped all the characters achieve their desires.
Rima: If someone calls you an idiot it is not necessarily a bad thing – they just don’t see things the same way you do…yet….
Charla: The message at the end is beautiful, don’t chase success, chase excellence and success will follow. You should always do something you are good at and what you like doing. Parents should not force their children to be what they want them to be. They should let them discover themselves what they are good at. As soon as they know, support them in their choice.
Amrita: There are several messages in 3 Idiots. I think perhaps the most important being the issue that people give too much importance to how things will look to other people or in society. 3 Idiots encourages you to follow your dreams, be who you want to be and do what you want to do…but make sure you’re happy and doing it all with your heart and not for the pleasure of others.
Trupti: I agree with you Stace. When you follow something your heart loves it will only lead you to happiness. Society is there today and not tomorrow. Let your children grow up and find their own love for life. Open their eyes to new things and let them develop. Don’t try to fit them into a template because everyone is different.

Stacey: So finally what would your star rating for the film be?
Rumnique: 3.5/5 A well made thoughtful but timepass movie.
Rima: I will stick with my same rating that I did when I did the review when it release. 3.5 out of 5 because I feel some ideas needed to be explored more.
Meera: 4 stars!
Charla: 4 out of 5 for me too!
Amrita: 4.5 out of 5!
Trupti: 5 out of 5!

DVD Extras
Stacey: I also was assigned the job of taking a look at the extras included on the DVD. There are four short behind the scenes features that are really fun to watch. Since this DVD is for the US and Canada market the features are mostly in English, which is great because many times extras do not come with subtitles. Let’s take a look at each of the four in more detail.

First is Idiots in Ladakh , which is a behind the scene feature about the first shooting schedule in the mountain region of Ladakh. The first scenes on the clapper to shoot were interestingly the scenes that are at the end of the film, when they finally do…well you have to see the movie to see what they finally do find. With interviews with stars Kareena, Madhavan, Sharman, Aamir, director Rajkumar Hirani and the crew, it gives a great inside look into the making of a film on location with weather delays including 2 feet of snow and more. What happens makes up the bulk of the special feature. It is really enjoyable and interesting to watch. The second feature is the making of the song Aal Izz Well . We not only get to see the on set antics and filming, we also get to see the recording of the song and the dance rehearsals with the stars. It is another great extra you must check out! One of my favorites, I actually wished it had been longer. Then we have 100% Idiots , which again is a behind the camera look. You think it is just about the scene where Maddy, Aamir and Sharman got really drunk for a scene that they were supposed to be reel-ly drunk. However, behind the scenes at the shoot there was some major tension going on. This one is also too good, interesting, funny, with interviews, a car race, on location shots and more. Another A for this one as well. Last is Making of Miss Idiot , which takes a look at the creation of Kareena Kapoor’s character Pia’s looks in the film. With interviews with Kareena and the director this is another short but very fun and totally enjoyable extra. I actually would have loved to see more of this one as well.

The extras on this DVD get an A+++! Be sure to check the special features out after this outstanding film hits its credits!

With contributions by Stacey Yount, Meera Sharma, Amrita Tanna, Charla Manohar, Rima Bhatia, Trupti Kantilal and Ruminique Nannar.

Celebrating the DVD release in the US we talk 3 Idiots again! is a post from: BollySpice

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Humko Deewana Kar Gaye
There are so many wedding scenes in Bollywood movies, but the scene that I always think of when the word wedding is mentioned is a scene from the movie Humko Deewana Kar Gaye. Perhaps not the most romantic or happy scene but for some reason it has always stuck with me. Back in the day when the actress was not as well known as she is today and before she dubbed her own lines this is one of my favourite Katrina Kaif movies.

Katrina Kaif looks absolutely stunning in her bridal attire, she is alone in a room with Anil Kapoor’s character, Karan Oberoi, and wants to know why he wants to marry her. He says its for her “beautiful eyes”, her “lips” and her “loveliness” but he does not say anything else. At that moment you know and Jia realises that Karan does not love Jia for who she is, but more because she looks good on his arm, while Aditya (Akshay Kumar) loves her for her. The song ‘Mere Saath Chalte Chalte’ follows and you know that Bipasha Basu’s (Sonia) character realises that Aditya who is her fianc

Our Favorite Bolly Shaadi Scenes! is a post from: BollySpice

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Most Romantic Songs of All time Bollymix

Ishq Hua – Aaja Nachle
Iss Pal – Aaja Nachle
O Bekhabar – Action Replayy
Tera Hone Laga Hoon – Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
Khuda Jaane – Bachna Ae Haseeno
Chori Kia Re Jiya – Dabangg
Ho Gaya

Most Romantic Songs of All Time Bollymix is a post from: BollySpice

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