Move away, oldies, generation Z enters the scene. Yes, it is the generation for which even an Aditya Chopra is a thing of the past. The time is moving on jet speed and though both Yash Chopra and Aditya, the father-son duo, have kept rhythm with the pace, they have paved way for the next generation of film directors. Please, welcome grandson of famous writer Inder Raj Anand and nephew of director Tinu Anand, the one and only Siddharth Raj Anand.
The bubbly young hunk is here to make a film that gels with those who are working hard to live life on their own set of norms. This lot does not hesitate to sweat out but they hate to be governed by the old set of dictions and preaching. They don't do anything harmful to anyone; nor do they indulge in mean politics, as their motto of life seems to be live and let live. Circa 2005, the half of the first decade of 21st century, is about to be part of the history, and Hindi cinema that once created hue and cry over a torn shirt of Nimmi in 'Mera Naam Joker' or a natural bath by Simmi Garewal in a two-piece in the same film, has moved to the time of live-in relationship.
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Siddharth Anand's 'Salaam Namaste' talks about the new face of man and woman friendship in today's life. This may look like the fall of the China wall for histrionics, but it is a fresh lease of life for decaying cinema of Bollywood. Yash Chopra and Aditya Chopra need applause for their guts to move on with the time and Siddharth Anand a pat on his back for being so daring in his first attempt on celluloid.
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'Salaam Namaste' is the first film of Preity Zinta after the much talked about alleged tape controversy of Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. Saif Ali Khan also proves that the coveted National Award given to him this year is not a sign of gratitude from the ruling party to lure the Pataudi family into politics (His mother Sharmila Tagore is the chief of Censor Board). Saif Ali Khan plays Nikhil Arora in 'Salaam Namaste'. He is a guy from Ludhiana in Punjab and is a typical Indian dude who doesn't see the first rays of the sun as his night starts only after the parties are over.
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He will also not like to make a career in a field that he feels is not fit for him. So, he makes peace with life by working in a dhaba kind of a restaurant in Melbourne and soon becomes chef on the block. Back in Ludhiana, his family is happy with sense of security of its future because their son is burning midnight candles for a bright future. Not very different is the story of cute girl Amber who has come to Melbourne to study medicine and gets a part-time job of a Radio Jockey.
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The tussle between the two begins when Nick doesn't turn up for a show that Amber hosts. To teach Nick a lesson, she follows Nick and eventually both end up sharing a common roof. The initial hiccups disappear and they fall in a relationship, but then Amber reveals the twist of the story of being pregnant (Preity did the role of an unwed mother in 'Kya Kehna' too, and in that film Saif was the culprit). The roller coaster relationship does a roller coaster post this revelation and one more special appearance by junior Bachchan tries to settle the dust.
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Produced by Aditya Chopra for Yashraj Films, 'Salaam Namaste' is a modern look at progressive relationships in the fast changing society. The story may find some resemblance in Saif's last film 'Hum Tum', but that is expected, as director Siddharth Anand was then involved in writing the script of 'Hum Tum'. Siddharth writes one more unique story for his own debut film. Though there have been films on relationships before marriage on celluloid, but Siddharth's attempt is his own.
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The very approach that creates the first unison between Nick and Amber is not only very well penned but is also executed very brilliantly. The restaurant scene where Nick shows his desi guts is another example of exuberant presentation of a mature story. Siddharth has taken utmost care in arranging the right crew for the film. Surely, Goel has given the right look to Preity with the innovative costumes. Abbas Tyrewala makes his mark in Yashraj Films with his dialogues.
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Full marks go to Sunil Patel for capturing the right mood through lenses and utilizing the breathtaking locales of Australia. Post- interval editor Ritesh Soni may have been a bit lazy in chopping off the scenes but overall his work is commendable. Vishal Shekhar adds another feather in their cap post 'Dus' for composing vibrant music with melodious tunes. The title track of the movies has already become the song of the nation.
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'Salaam Namaste' also proves versatility of Saif Ali Khan. He portrays a complex character with ease and in Preity Zinta he gets a nice companion too. The pair is marvelous and their joint magic works in favor of the film. Among others, Arshad Warsi scores a perfect ten for his brilliant timings, Similarly, Javed Jaffery is not far behind though he has returned to big screen after a long gap. On the whole, 'Salaam Namaste' is a winner at box office and another trump card for Yashraj Films that has been on a hit spree post 'Veer Zaara' and 'Dhoom'. A perfect watch for a perfect weekend!
