Well for starters if you even want to enjoy the value of half the money you spend, Please forget all the reviews etc of the movie that you have either watched or read before stepping into the cinema hall.
Salaam - E - Ishq is basically a love story of 6 different couples i.e Ashu and Tehzeeb(John and Vidya), Shiven and Jiya(Akshay and Ayesha), Rahul and Kamini(Salman and Priyanka), Vinay and Seema(Anil and Juhi), Raju and Stefani( Govinda and the British girl - Sorry for forgetting her name) and ofcourse Sohail and Isha.
Ashu and Tehzeeb:
Ashu and Tehzeeb are a journalist couple who live life their way until an accident on the inaugral run of a train which tehzeeb is covering makes her lose all her memory. John and Vidya essay their parts with consummate ease. This is easily one of john’s best performances as he desparately tries to bring back tehzeeb’s memory in the process even pleading to his father( who is against Ashu marryng a Muslim) to be angry hoping that it may strike a chord.
Shiven and Jiya:
Akshay Khanna has finally made it. A superb portrayal of a confused young man whether to marry or not in the process packing some fun filled moments like’the BAKRA’.Ayesha who is also Juhi’s sister in the film has done a clean job. Finally love succeeds over ego and hasty decisions in this story.
rahul and Kamini:
This is the pair that really spoils the pace of the movie. Kamini is a wannabe actress but already an item girl tries a publicity jig to impress Karan Johar and professes to the media that she loves someone called rahul. Sallu makes an entry here as a rahul that even Kamini doesnt know. They go to London where Kamini has a show for Anil Kapoor’s friend. They a strike a deal for 1 crore rupees for Salman to be a part of this comic publicity jig that would finally enable Karan Johar to pick Kamin for his next movie. It all revolves as to how Kamini rejects Karan Johar for a life with Rahul.
Vinay and Seema:
the perfect life in a wealthy London suburb until oneday Anjali comes into vinay’s life nad everything goes haphazard. Anil Kapoor looked awful with that shaved look he tries on for Anjali’s sake. Everything comes out with Anjali demanding Vinay to come with her to Paris but finally after one of the most hilarious bit of serious acting from Anil, Juhi both of them reconcile and go to Jiya’s marriage( Ayesha)
Raju and Stefani:
One of the better pairs in the movie its great fun with Govinda waiting for his dream girl who finally arrives in the form of Stefani. Stef has been ditched by Rohit who was her boyfriend in UK but came to India bcos he wanted to marry and Indian girl. They travel all over India and finally land at Rohit’s wedding with Ayesha Takia which is stopped. Wait Rohit doesnt wed Stefani but Akshay comes marries Ayesha and Stef chooses Govinda over rahul. Confusing huh
Sohail and Isha:
Well it is a struggle for Sohail to make love to his wife after their marriage and is one of the funniest pair of all. they deserved more screen time poor ppl.
Overall the first half was very nice and cosy as u take the full first half to get a hold of the characters and then when u know the characters Salman and Priyanka spoil the curry and finally the climax just raises the drooping shoulders a bit. Overall I would say out of the 120 rupees I spent for the movie, its worth rs. 60 and the movie is toooooooooooooooo long that at a point of time u feel like getting up and going home.