How did people sit through this?

I have not exactly consumed this. I gave up after the first 30 minutes. Sooo unfunny :(

It received mixed reviews. I found it much better than I expected. One of the many plot lines in this film is about the friendship between Irfan Khan and Konkana Sen. It is so quirkily funny, brilliantly scripted and superbly performed that it makes the odd maudlin scene in the other plot lines worth sitting through. The songs are a drag. For some reason the director gets an averagely talented local band to appear out of nowhere into a scene and break into song. Keep the fwd button on the DVD remote handy for the first sign of them. Did I mention that everything about Konkana Sen and Irfan Khan is perfectly enchanting?

Bollywood movies fall in one of two categories:

-> Escapist formula-fare made for India and Indians everywhere, with song and dance and color.
-> Films made for multiplex audiences in Indian metros, the overseas market and the film festivals.

Dor is more of the latter, but retains a flavour of the former. I laughed, I cried and I found myself captivated.

The plot starts with two seemingly disconnected stories. In the lush green mountains of Kashmir a Muslim girl marries a man on the eve of his departure to the Middle East where he intends to pursue a better livelihood. She is independant, unconventional, bold and forthright – quite unlike most Muslim girls raised in those parts. The boys parents oppose the match because they dont like her “modern” ways. They disown the couple. Gul Panag, an ex-Miss India plays this role with aplomb.

Meanwhile, in the stark, hot desserts of Rajastan, a young, enchanting girl who seems just a teenager is married happily into a traditional Hindu family. Her husband adores her. She is considered lucky because the fortunes of the family she has married into have changed for the better since she was brought to their home as a bride. Her husband too has found work in the Middle East which will mean much needed money for the family. Ayesha Takia steals every scene and the audience hearts with her amazing portrayal.

Tragedy strikes both women.

Gul’s character learns that her husband will be executed by the Saudi Government because he has killed a man.

Ayesha’s character learns that her husband has been killed. Overnight her life changes. Her “stars” are considered responsible by her in-laws family. She is treated with coldness. She has to live the life of a Hindu widow. Allowed no jewellery, dressed in black. Allowed no treats or comforts.

Gul’s character is convinced her husband is not capable of murder. She is not allowed to communicate with him. There is no potential for appeal. The only thing that would save her husband from death is a letter granting forgiveness by the widow of the murdered man according to the local laws.

Gul sets out to find the family of the man her husband is accused of killing.

After a series of challenges she finally reaches Rajastan and finds the family…...She finds she cannot admit to Ayesha her motives.

This is an engaging, heart-warming tale of the extraordinary challenges two young women face, their relationship and the succour they offer each other, the unmistakable courage and determination of two diametrically contrasting personalities and the consequences of betrayal.

Cheeni Kum translates to “Low Sugar”. This romance while staying always cheeni kum manages from the skillful performances and direction to be thoroughly “Awwwwww!” worthy.

It stars one of India’s greatest stars Amitabh Bachchan as a cranky, egoistic, real-men-dont-show-sentiment chef who runs “London’s best” Indian restaurant. He is single and 64. Offending the chef, or choosing a moment when he is around to be silly, is not for the faint hearted. The only thing the chef is more masterful at than cookery is delivering caustic, crushing one-liners.

Tabu (The Namesake) plays a single 34 year old woman on her first visit to London. When dining out, she creates history at the restaurant by being the first patron ever to send back a dish. She claims the Hyderabadi Zaffrani Biryani is not authentic. The chef walks out to her table to deliver his sarcastic put-down and meets a person who can give as good as she gets.

The romance between Tabu and Amitabh ensues in scene after scene of witty repartee.

They decide to marry after he makes the world’s most unromantic proposal, his gruffness and humor betraying how much he cares. She responds with a matter-of-fact “yes” and says he has to ask her father for her her hand.

So they go to India. The rest of the movie is about how her father who is 6 years younger than him reacts to the news and their efforts to get him to accept the idea.

The Chef’s relationship with his mother and the precocious little girl next door who is fighting luekemia are similarly told in unique, cheeni kum style.