While the world is going wild over India, it seems that India is going wild over the rest of the world, as illustrated in one of the Bollywood Masala Film Festival’s many romantic comedies, Kismat Konnection. This is yet another Bollywood production set almost entirely overseas, in which Toronto becomes an idyllic space of romance and passion. Here, the songs are performed at happening Western nightclubs, amongst flashing neon advertisements, and aboard river cruises. There are a couple of saris, but the majority of dancers seem to have discarded traditional Indian gear in favour of short skirts, baseball caps and denim. The storyline also seems to have taken some of its cues from recent American romances, like Lilo’s Just My Luck. Shahid Kapoor plays Raj, a promising graduate whose attempts at employment are constantly thwarted by poor fate, or kismat. This all changes when he literally runs into the beautiful (and already betrothed!) Priya (Vidya Balan). It seems like hate-at-first-sight for the two of them, but plenty of trite dialogue and emotional music help indicate the inevitable. Despite his better judgement, the struggling Raj quickly realises that Priya may well be some sort of lucky charm, and that it is only with her by his side that he will ever succeed. It’s in no way a particularly extraordinary film, but it is extremely watchable. Despite its typical three hour duration, the action is fast-paced, the dialogue is snappy and the musical numbers are well spaced-out, so the film thankfully does not feel its length. Kismat Konnection may serve as the perfect introduction to the Bollywood genre; light-hearted, a little daggy, very fun.
Race is also set beyond India – this time in the more affluent corners of South Africa, where brothers Ranvir (Saif Ali Khan) and Rajiv (Akshaye Khanna) both enjoy lives of excessive decadence. From the film’s opening shot, its style and pace are made clear. We see a slick blue car crash into a large truck, spin repeatedly through the air (thanks to some rather dubious CGI) and then crash upside down onto hard road below. The occupants remain anonymous, but we’re clearly expected to care about their identities. A fast-flicking, MTV-styled opening then introduces us to the main characters and their interests; extreme sports, horseracing, beautiful women and alcohol. From here on in, things get complicated. The film morphs into a series of implausible, unbelievable twists and turns, interspersed with scenes of Western glamour. There are huge racetrack parties, chandelier-lit balls, fashion parades, flawless suburbs, and luxurious cruises. There are broken hearts, fake relationships, multiple betrayals, murder plots, and excessive amounts of intrigue. Add a desperate secretary and a very intense police officer mid-way through, and the craziness just goes through the roof. With its non-stop intensity, implausible plot and excessively dramatic performances, Race is a real struggle. This film reeks of a very conscious attempt to recreate American action films, but it has failed to include any form of relief or character connection. Without any of that classic Bollywood comic relief, this is simply a contrived action film with a couple of saucy dance numbers.
