"Dostana", set amid the crayon-box colors of Miami's South Beach, opens with the industrial-strength sex appeal of Shilpa Shetty cavorting in turquoise waves with a bevy of toned, tawny babes and guys. She slithers and shimmies around the two heroes, Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham, who enthusiastically appreciate her attentions. Both men wake up beside a pretty girl the next morning. This is to vehemently establish the male leads' hetero status forladies and gentlementhey will spend the rest of the film portraying each other's boyfriend in what is being marketed as India's first gay comedy. "Isn't it quite the leap from an earlier film's "It's all about loving your parents." tagline to "It's all about loving your same-sex partner." in "Dostana"?" a journalist asked producer Karan Johar. With admirable verbal agility, Johar shot back, "It's still all about loving. Whom you choose to love and how is your prerogative!"
Lust for affordable housing makes Sam (Abhishek) and Kunal (John) play gay to beat the "female tenants only" rule of the ownersa comical Sindhi matron and her nieceof a sumptuous beach-front apartment with two rooms to let. When Neha (Priyanka Chopra) arrives, Aunty announces she's found the safest roommates to share the sprawling premises and split the mortgage. With typical Indian squeamishness about sexuality, she explains, "They're not like us--they're, er, different." "You mean they're not Sindhi?" "No, they're, um, modern." "So are we!" retorts the niece. So Aunty, red-faced, comes clean: "They are each other's boyfriend-girlfriend." "Why didn't you just say gay?" says her with-it niece. Such exchanges characterize this deliciously satirical, moderately racy look at Indian manners and mores. The comedy springs from the generational divide and the peculiarly Indian mania for maintaining social niceties even when it is excruciatingly painful to pretend.
The first act unfolds briskly. When the two guys discover the niece is both hot AND single, they realize upholding their deception will be impossible. About to confess the truth, they hear that applications for permanent resident status by same-sex couples are fast-tracked by US Immigration, so they keep up their charade. This is probably bending the truth for cinematic purposes, so don't rush off yet to the nearest US embassy or consulate clutching the hand of a real or pretend same-sex partner.
Within close proximity and shared quarters, a sweet friendship forms between the three: Neha and the boys hang out, go shopping (as all girls and their gay best friends must), and watch scary movies together. Naturally, both guys fall in love with her. An additional suitorNeha's hunky new boss (Bobby Deol)turns the romantic triangle into a romantic rectangle. When Sam and Kunal attempt to sabotage her budding romance with the boss, Neha concludes that they are doing it because they have the hots forget thisher boss.
So far, so good. The action flags in the second act, with repetitive spy-versus-spy tactics, but the mood remains genial and ingratiating right up to the unanticipated resolution.
The humor refrains from getting mean-spirited, and a couple of scenes are inspired. The scene with Neha's gay former boss (Boman Irani), the mother of one of the boysand a swishy US Immigration official doing a truth-check on our "gay" coupleall showing up at the apartment at the same time qualifies as high farce. Another marvelously nonsensical scene has the guys debating possible gay sub-texts in old Hindi movies.
Remarkably, this mainstream film steadfastly resistsall the way throughfrom revealing to the mother that her son is really straight, and she must make her peace with his homosexuality. The ever-reliable Kirron Kher plays the drama-queen mother with a touching blend of the comic and poignant. Abhishek and John excel as Sam and Kunal. John happily flaunts his well-muscled body for the camera; his fashion photographer character is amiable and not terribly bright. It's John's first time being showcased in a big-budget film, and he doesn't disappoint. Abhishek does not boast John's physique, but his male nurse character is the cleverer one, delivering most of the film's zingers. The two convincingly portray the strong friendship at the film's core and share superb chemistry. Priyanka, revealing an unexpected flair for comedy, basks in the attentions of three dashing men, and glows for it. Neha must look like someone three grown men would fight over, and Priyanka is up to the challenge. Bobby Deol, as the restrained straight manno pun hereto the flamboyant Abhishek and John, shows great dignity. I loved the ogre Aunty (Sushmita Mukherjee) with her age-inappropriate clothing and too much makeup, but a softie at heart.
Unsurprisingly, Hindi films have discovered the hedonistic charms of South Beach; its candy-colored splendor is the ideal backdrop for "Dostana". Director Tarun Mansukhani makes a self-assured debut, keeping things light and frothy and steering away from too much sentimentality, though some judicious editing would have helped. The bouncy music (Vishal-Shekhar) suits a cast of characters in a state of arrested adolescence. My favorite song, the rueful "Kuch kum" plays in the background.
Interestingly, Karan Johar sets his more controversial films in the US. His adultery-themed drama took place in New York; now with gay-friendly "Dostana" also having an American setting, one wonders if this is a significant clue to any cultural righteousness. Is the permissive or progressive (depending on one's point of view) USA Johar's geographical escape hatch? Is he saying "Shah Rukh and Rani had an adulterous affair, but their characters were American, and that sort of thing happens there all the time" or "It's okay to be gay, but that would only fly in the West."? No doubt, Karan Johar can explain with some nimble quip, but it does beg the question.
I enjoyed "Dostana" for what it was, but hope for the day I can review a serious, thought-provoking film like "A Wednesday"the sort of film never released abroad. Sex sells, baby, and so we'll never lack for a "Dostana"!
Lust for affordable housing makes Sam (Abhishek) and Kunal (John) play gay to beat the "female tenants only" rule of the ownersa comical Sindhi matron and her nieceof a sumptuous beach-front apartment with two rooms to let. When Neha (Priyanka Chopra) arrives, Aunty announces she's found the safest roommates to share the sprawling premises and split the mortgage. With typical Indian squeamishness about sexuality, she explains, "They're not like us--they're, er, different." "You mean they're not Sindhi?" "No, they're, um, modern." "So are we!" retorts the niece. So Aunty, red-faced, comes clean: "They are each other's boyfriend-girlfriend." "Why didn't you just say gay?" says her with-it niece. Such exchanges characterize this deliciously satirical, moderately racy look at Indian manners and mores. The comedy springs from the generational divide and the peculiarly Indian mania for maintaining social niceties even when it is excruciatingly painful to pretend.
The first act unfolds briskly. When the two guys discover the niece is both hot AND single, they realize upholding their deception will be impossible. About to confess the truth, they hear that applications for permanent resident status by same-sex couples are fast-tracked by US Immigration, so they keep up their charade. This is probably bending the truth for cinematic purposes, so don't rush off yet to the nearest US embassy or consulate clutching the hand of a real or pretend same-sex partner.
Within close proximity and shared quarters, a sweet friendship forms between the three: Neha and the boys hang out, go shopping (as all girls and their gay best friends must), and watch scary movies together. Naturally, both guys fall in love with her. An additional suitorNeha's hunky new boss (Bobby Deol)turns the romantic triangle into a romantic rectangle. When Sam and Kunal attempt to sabotage her budding romance with the boss, Neha concludes that they are doing it because they have the hots forget thisher boss.
So far, so good. The action flags in the second act, with repetitive spy-versus-spy tactics, but the mood remains genial and ingratiating right up to the unanticipated resolution.
The humor refrains from getting mean-spirited, and a couple of scenes are inspired. The scene with Neha's gay former boss (Boman Irani), the mother of one of the boysand a swishy US Immigration official doing a truth-check on our "gay" coupleall showing up at the apartment at the same time qualifies as high farce. Another marvelously nonsensical scene has the guys debating possible gay sub-texts in old Hindi movies.
Remarkably, this mainstream film steadfastly resistsall the way throughfrom revealing to the mother that her son is really straight, and she must make her peace with his homosexuality. The ever-reliable Kirron Kher plays the drama-queen mother with a touching blend of the comic and poignant. Abhishek and John excel as Sam and Kunal. John happily flaunts his well-muscled body for the camera; his fashion photographer character is amiable and not terribly bright. It's John's first time being showcased in a big-budget film, and he doesn't disappoint. Abhishek does not boast John's physique, but his male nurse character is the cleverer one, delivering most of the film's zingers. The two convincingly portray the strong friendship at the film's core and share superb chemistry. Priyanka, revealing an unexpected flair for comedy, basks in the attentions of three dashing men, and glows for it. Neha must look like someone three grown men would fight over, and Priyanka is up to the challenge. Bobby Deol, as the restrained straight manno pun hereto the flamboyant Abhishek and John, shows great dignity. I loved the ogre Aunty (Sushmita Mukherjee) with her age-inappropriate clothing and too much makeup, but a softie at heart.
Unsurprisingly, Hindi films have discovered the hedonistic charms of South Beach; its candy-colored splendor is the ideal backdrop for "Dostana". Director Tarun Mansukhani makes a self-assured debut, keeping things light and frothy and steering away from too much sentimentality, though some judicious editing would have helped. The bouncy music (Vishal-Shekhar) suits a cast of characters in a state of arrested adolescence. My favorite song, the rueful "Kuch kum" plays in the background.
Interestingly, Karan Johar sets his more controversial films in the US. His adultery-themed drama took place in New York; now with gay-friendly "Dostana" also having an American setting, one wonders if this is a significant clue to any cultural righteousness. Is the permissive or progressive (depending on one's point of view) USA Johar's geographical escape hatch? Is he saying "Shah Rukh and Rani had an adulterous affair, but their characters were American, and that sort of thing happens there all the time" or "It's okay to be gay, but that would only fly in the West."? No doubt, Karan Johar can explain with some nimble quip, but it does beg the question.
I enjoyed "Dostana" for what it was, but hope for the day I can review a serious, thought-provoking film like "A Wednesday"the sort of film never released abroad. Sex sells, baby, and so we'll never lack for a "Dostana"!