Yuvvraaj - Preview

NOT A REVIEW - Just wondering how much drama makes melodrama and how much melodrama makes intolerable melodrama...

The promo has Katrina Kaif giving Salman Khan a piece of her mind where she vehemently asserts that he is a "hardcore anti-family man". And she doesn't let you miss that accent. So, bang! You know this one is about rapidly deteriorating family values.

There is something very irksome about being preached to on how the present generation has no feelings and all that matters is money. This irritation only solidified with the following quote from the director's interview with Mid-day

In 1988, when I made Ram Lakhan, Anil's character considered his older brother Jackie to be like Ram. That doesn't happen anymore. The world has changed. Now the brothers are thinking, "Jab baap jayega, yeh sab property main hum sab partners hain." Money has taken over emotions and relationships, values and tradition. That is what I observe today, and that is what Yuvvraaj reflects.

Hmph...me no likes the prejudice against my generation. But, then you remember which generation he comes from and realize his difficult predicament -

To be a director, you have to be in perfect health. All your faculties have to be working. It is not like lawyers and doctors the older you are, the better you are at your job. At 60-plus, if I have to make a film catering for the 20-plus, it is a tough job.

So you take the characters he'll portray with a pinch of salt and move on. What terrifies me is that on the lookout for new emotions, he finds this the most interesting (from the movie's official blog) -

We have always seen enemies fighting but it is very interesting to see brothers within a family fighting each other.

Uhhh...Mahabharat, anyone? Granted Mahabharata is much more interesting and intriguing than Ramayana, but it certainly is not new!

And then there is this tidbit on why he has a new woman as his lead lady with every movie. It's juicy fodder for women's lib -

Audiences...like newer actresses, they want fresh faces. Heroines bechari jaldi buddi ho jaati hain. Finally, it is the hero who matters on the screen.

Ouch! But the woman in question, doesn't really mind as per this bit from an interview with The Telegraph -

He is someone whose cinema I have admired. It is so larger than life for me. So when I was offered the film, it really didn’t matter what I was doing in it. I think every actress wants a chance to work with Subhash Ghai. At least once.

As you say woman, as long as you promise not to hold on to this expression for, like, forever.

And wait, things get scarier, the director continues with -

I've left no stone unturned to showcase the film and picturize the songs on a grand scale, no tiny screen can give you the rich visual experience and orchestral sound that you would only experience on the big screen.

*ahem* looks like Mr. Ghai has rated the movie for us already! Let's see - grand scale, rich visuals, great sound all add their bit to the drama. And when all put together, there's huge potential for melodrama. Not to mention that the sets look like they are out of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie.

So, music seems to be the highpoint of the movie. And I'm a huge fan of Taal's music when Subhash Ghai and A. R. Rahman got together. But this review by an avid blogger, Ramanand isn't very flattering -

I blame Subhash Ghai - I think he's finally got to Rahman, whose clever ploy of working at odd hours kept the Guy out of harm's way during previous collaborations. This one must have been made in broad daylight, which Ghai channeling Laxmikant-Pyaarelal. The result is a very confusing medley of styles and songs, and a subdued Gulzar.

As far as I'm concerned, haven't heard the music and anyway, any music takes a while to grow on me.

But a ray of hope comes from "The Hindu" -

If sources are to be believed Anil's reference point in "Yuvvraaj" is Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump".

But we have the final blow in the form of a caveat from Ghai again -

Yuvvraaj is more of a feel-good film rather than great film. Coz all great films happen by accident not by conscious attempts, isn't it?

For now though, all focus on trying not to judge the book by it's cover.