How do you know that Saif Khan and Preity Zinta are Indians?
Because the movie’s called Salaam Namaste. And because there is a stone carving of Ganesh outside their house.
That’s as Indian as the movie is really about. Salaam Namaste is set in Melbourne, Australia, and the characters in the movie are not shown to be Indian in any way. Unlike other NRI films of the past, there’s no Karva Chauth, or the Mandir scenes in this movie. There’s not even the customary Indian Shaadi song. In fact, there is no Shaadi as well. Because this movie is exactly about that. No Shaadi, only Live In. And that’s how Salaam Namaste chugs along.
Nick (Saif) is a qualified architect who follows his passion and becomes a head chef in a restaurant serving Indian Food. Amber (Preity) is an aspiring surgeon who doubles up as an RJ (inspired from Kareena Kareena on Zee TV) in a local Indian FM Station. What starts off as a feud between Nick and Amber (note how carefully the names have been chosen to do away with any Indian connection) then turns into physical attraction (Physical because Nick keeps repeating that she is very beautiful and that’s why he wants to live-in with her).
Soon, they move-in together, with the initial plan to live in separate rooms. But it’s only a matter of time before the walls crumble, and the beds unite. Shockingly, these moments are explicitly shown to a YashRaj films audience. The movie then turns into a Nine Months rehash, with Amber getting bumped-up, and then getting all sentimental about the baby inside. Nick, true to his character, rejects the baby, and is very pragmatic about his idea of happiness, which does not feature marriage and kids anywhere. After several little plots and some forgettable songs, the climax finally has Nick proposing to Amber on way to helping her deliver twins.
Arshad Warsi, playing Saif’s buddy, is good in his role, as usual. Tania Zaetta of AXN fame plays Arshad’s wife, and just manages to convince. Jugal Hansraj plays a little cameo, and looks pretty handsome. More handsome than pretty, finally. Maria Goretti has a 2 second guest appearance as well. But the best performance comes from Javed Jaffrey, who plays the corny landlord to perfection. ’’Kicks of the ghosts, don’t listen to words’’ Javed thunders (’’Laathon ke bhooth, baaton se nahin maante’’). Quite easily, Javed walks away with all the laughs.
Saif and Preity have walked through their roles with consummate ease, having played the NRI yuppie in countless films in the past. Saif is great as usual with his comic ways, and Preity is peppy throughout most part of the movie. But what is surprising is the fact that Preity has done a Mallika in this movie. The smooches have been shown as really intense ones, unlike the usual ’’peck on the lips’’ that top heroines would normally agree to do. Preity and Saif have gone a step further in bringing out the passion in a Live-In couple which Bollywood had not dared to capture within the realms of mainstream commercial A-grade films till now. But with Salaam Namaste, Bollywood has dared to depict the changing trends of Indian youth, where conventions mean very little, and convenience means everything.
With a generous dose of skin and affection on display, the movie stands out for its bold theme. The music, however, is rather poor, and does not match up to the YashRaj standards. The ending is rather silly with Abhishek Bacchan roped in to play the Stupid Doctor. If Nine Months was what they intended to copy, Abhishek’s doctor was well off the mark compared to Robin Williams in the original movie.
The movie is rich in feel and visuals, and is certainly watchable . But when you walk out of the theatre, there is nothing to carry with you.
Unlike the usual YashRaj movies, Salaam Namaste lacks soul. And that might just be its undoing.