2008 Woodie Awards
Bollywood Comes to Northampton
Shaoli Ghosh
Issue date: 4/7/05 Section: Arts
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The director of "Bend it like Beckham" has made an Austen classic into a Bollywood film. Mirmax outbid several other film companies to gain distribution rights to the film, expecting the same success as "Bend it Like Beckham."
"Bride and Prejudice," an adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," is the newest film by Gurinder Chadha. For those who don't know, Bollywood films follow a very distinct formula: basically a Kate Hudson film post-"Almost Famous" with singing, dancing and no suggestive sexual behavior. They last longer than three hours. This film follows the formula, with lavish colors and visual imagery. It doesn't intellectually impress, but we are put in an entertaining world.
Bollywood star and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai plays the beautiful and intelligent Elizabeth as Lalita Bakshi. Rai has become a hot commodity for Hollywood and will soon star opposite Meryl Streep in "Chaos." Rai does a fair job portraying the willful and strong heroine, but she doesn't wow me.
Martin Henderson, who starred in "The Ring" as Naomi Watts's love interest, plays Mr. Darcy. However, Henderson lacks the appropriate charisma and acting skills to pull of Mr. Darcy's smug appearance.
The film does keep me in my seat with minor scenes like when one of Lalita's sister displays her dancing skills with the "Cobra" dance. The reaction by the guests is priceless and gives us one of the many laughs from the movie.
The film is currently being shown at the Pleasant Street Theatre.
"Bride and Prejudice," an adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," is the newest film by Gurinder Chadha. For those who don't know, Bollywood films follow a very distinct formula: basically a Kate Hudson film post-"Almost Famous" with singing, dancing and no suggestive sexual behavior. They last longer than three hours. This film follows the formula, with lavish colors and visual imagery. It doesn't intellectually impress, but we are put in an entertaining world.
Bollywood star and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai plays the beautiful and intelligent Elizabeth as Lalita Bakshi. Rai has become a hot commodity for Hollywood and will soon star opposite Meryl Streep in "Chaos." Rai does a fair job portraying the willful and strong heroine, but she doesn't wow me.
Martin Henderson, who starred in "The Ring" as Naomi Watts's love interest, plays Mr. Darcy. However, Henderson lacks the appropriate charisma and acting skills to pull of Mr. Darcy's smug appearance.
The film does keep me in my seat with minor scenes like when one of Lalita's sister displays her dancing skills with the "Cobra" dance. The reaction by the guests is priceless and gives us one of the many laughs from the movie.
The film is currently being shown at the Pleasant Street Theatre.