Sometimes a simple idea can be presented in a beautiful manner and the movie still manages to throw some new light onto a old story as well as completely entertaining the viewer which is something Yashraj did with HUM TUM. On the other hand SALAAM NAMASTE had a good idea on paper which goes totally awry on screen.
Siddarth Raj Anands story is good but filled with plotholes. The first half is well penned and the comic scenes have the required punch. But the second half is a complete mess! The film shifts between serious drama and comedy but fails to strike a balance between the two. The screenplay too has many flaws and is a big letdown but what ruins the entire movie is the faricial climax which is usually viewed in a David Dhawan or Priyadarshan movie-totally out of place.
The comic moments in the second half don’t gel at all with the dramatic moments and one finds it hard to take the film seriously at all even when it is trying to be serious. The viewer has witnessed the story many a times and Sidarth Raj Anand does try to give it a fresh twist but misses the mark.
One wishes that Anand had concentrated more on the interactions with Saif/Preity and Saifs change of heart rather than concentrate on sex jokes with Saif/Arshad as well as silly subplots involving Saifs jealous streak and a so-called ’’affair’’ with a blondie which never really happened.
The worst offence is the entire climax sequence which is in bad vein. Just when you expect the movie to take a serious turn and the drama to unfold the movie takes a bizzare comic turn straight out of a David Dhawan film on Ecstacy. The actors lose the plot.....the writing loses the plot....and the director loses the plot! The constant lifting of the skirts to see whether the babies have come out as well as the slapstick humours falls flat on its face. All I can say to Mr Anand is please put in more effort into the whole product next time. Yes-the film does have certain scenes which are superbly directed ....but as a whole product the movie fails to deliver the goods! Note to Sidarth Raj Anand for the future..please be certain about what you’re making...whether its a romantic film laced with comedy or a outright zany comedy..but don’t go to the extremes with both!
Expectations were high from Saifali Khan given his recent National Award for HUM TUM and excellent performance in PARINEETA and Saif disappoints big time!
Preity Zintaa disappoints in a role that could’ve been a lot more.The film doesn’t advance her as an actress at all. She excels in the comic scenes, and is superb in the emotional scenes but fails to leave an impact in the dramatic showdown with Saif. Even her kissing and sex scenes are shot aesthetically. Jugal Hansraj is average in a poorly cast role.
Abhishek Bachchan comes in the last 10 minutes as what could be called the WORST CAMEO appearence I have seen in a long time. Abhishek earlier had a cameo in Yashrajs HUM TUM which was full of dignity and Bachchan managed to leave a mark. Here he comes in comic role whichs lacks the desired impact. He plays a zany, goofy, lost and whack doctor who comes in for the delivery of Preity/Tanias babies but keeps forgetting everything. Abhishek doesn’t suit this role at all and one feels sorry for him as he is made to act like a BUFFOON.Cringe!
All up where does that leave SALAAM NAMASTE? A HUGE DISaAPOINTMENT.Skip it like hell!