Salaam Namaste: Movie Review

Statutory Warning: The Plot of the movie is revealed in detail. But then, nothing happens that u can’t guess well in advance.

Salaam Namaste was touted as a popcorn-entertainer. The popcorn bit is there alright. The entertainer part is suspicious by its absence.

Another feel-good movie from Yash raj Films and you know what to expect. One of my good friends says that Salaam Namaste is a complete rip-off of the movie Nine Months. Well, I haven’t seen Nine Months. So, I won’t be comparing the two.

Okay, here is a novel concept in the world of commercial hindi movies – Living in relation. Nikhil a.k.a. Nick (Siaf) and Ambar (Preity) accidentally meets and finds each other attractive. They decide to explore this feeling by living together. They don’t want to get married. At least not first.

Hey by the way, have u seen Hum Tum? Salaama Namaste deals with almost the same kind of issues. U know, how guys and girls have different kind of minds (really?!) and how they come to clash and y it is such a big issue. Hum Tum was much better for its entertainment value in the first half.

No, I’m not saying all is bad here. Just that, u won’t see anything special. Not many jokes. The sentimental scenes towards the end are much predictable. Girl gets pregnant. She wants more attention and love. Boy is confused by her new attitude. By the end he miraculously finds out that after all marriage and babies is not such a bad idea.

Saif is said to be a successful cook who has hit it big time in Australia. But I didn’t see him cooking much in the movie. (Is there a chef-trend going on in Bollywood? First Madhavan in Ramji Londonwalley....now Saif)
Preity is a part-time Radio Jockey and obviously whole of Melbourne listens to her program.
Hey, Salaam Namste is the radio station she is working for. She has done a good job of being an RJ. I don’t know about the work culture of RJs. But this is exactly how I imagine them to work.

This could have been better, if only the treatment of the concept offered something new. But no! The director knows what the public is looking for. So, he delivers the moneymaking formula.


Y to see Salaam Namaste?

U get to see Australia. Nicely shot also.
U love Saif, Preity, Arshad Warsi and Abhishek. (Yes! Let me break this surprise also. Abhishek has done a special role towards the end of the movie. If u love him, here is something new and funny for u.)
And finally, u have nothing else to do and have money and time to burn.

Y not to see Salaam Namste?

U are fed up of nice-looking, feel-good dramas like K3G, Kal Ho Na Ho, Mein Hoon Na, Hum Tum etc.
U can’t tolerate one more performance by Saif playing the fun-loving, commitment-phobic, endearing and attractive bachelor.


That’s it guys. Thanx for tolerating my blah-blah.

Categories: Movie, Review, Bollywood