Saawariya
| Saawariya | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Sanjay Leela Bhansali |
| Written by | Prakash Kapadia Vibhu Puri |
| Based on | White Nights byFyodor Dostoevsky |
| Produced by | Sanjay Leela Bhansali |
| Starring | Ranbir Kapoor Sonam Kapoor Rani Mukerji Salman Khan Zohra Sehgal |
| Narrated by | Rani Mukerji |
| Cinematography | Ravi K. Chandran |
| Edited by | Bela Sehgal |
| Music by | Monty Sharma |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing International |
Release date |
|
Running time | 138 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹45 crore[2] |
| Box office | ₹39.22 crore[2] |
Saawariya(transl. Beloved) is a 2007 IndianHindi-languageromance filmproduced and directed bySanjay Leela Bhansali,based onFyodor Dostoevsky's 1848 short storyWhite Nights.The film marked the debut ofRanbir KapoorandSonam Kapoor.It was the last film appearance of bothZohra SehgalandBegum Parabefore their deaths. Co-produced bySony Pictures Entertainment,it is the firstBollywoodfilm to receive aNorth Americanrelease by a Hollywood studio[3]and is one of the first Bollywood films to be released onBlu-ray Disc.[4]
Saawariya wasreleased on 9 November 2007, and turned out to be acommercial disaster.It received mixed-to-negative reviews upon release, with praise for its soundtrack, production design, grand artistic approach and performances of the cast; however, its story, screenplay and pacing received sharp criticism.
At the53rd Filmfare Awards,Saawariyareceived 6 nominations, includingBest Supporting Actress(Rani Mukerji) andBest Music Director(Monty Sharma), and wonBest Male Debut(Ranbir Kapoor) andBest Male Playback Singer(Shaanfor "Jab Se Tere Naina" ).
Plot
[edit]The story is narrated by Gulabji, aprostitutewho frequents RK Bar, the town's most luxurious club. The bar's lead singer, Raj, whom she affectionately calls "Saawariya" ( "beloved" ), is a free-spirited and kindhearted man. Despite knowing what Gulab does, Raj is friendly to her, and unlike other men, is kind to the other prostitutes, trying to brighten their sad lives. When he tells Gulab that he needs a job and somewhere to stay, she tells him that there is only one woman who'll give him a place to stay: Lillian – but she allows only those she likes.
Raj meets Lillian and they have an emotional conversation, during which Lillian reveals she had a son who left her many years ago to join the army and never returned. She lets Raj stay with her because he reminds her of her long-lost son. That night, Raj meets a mysterious girl. He tries to talk to her, but under the wrong impression, she shouts at him to go away. Raj tells her that he will, on the condition that he would escort her to safety, lest someone with bad intentions trouble her. As predicted by Raj, a drunkard begins following her and Raj saves her from him. After that, she allows him to escort her home. Raj discovers her name is Sakina and falls in love with her.
Raj decides to confess his feelings to Sakina. He resigns from his job to meet her and calls her but she ignores him. He gets angry with her but the pair reconcile. He takes her to his favourite place, on the top of theclock tower.There, Sakina reveals that she is in love with a man named Imaan. Imaan had left but promised to return for Sakina onEid.It has been a while but she is still waiting for him faithfully. Hearing this, Raj becomes heartbroken and does not confess. However, he refuses to believe that there is an Imaan. He asks Gulab for advice, who advises him to tell Sakina how he feels. With the entire neighbourhood cheering him on, Raj decides to propose to Sakina on the night ofEid.
He takes Sakina to RK Bar and sings his favourite song for her: "Saawariya". Sakina remembers that it is time to meet Imaan and leaves. Following her, Raj tells her that he has discovered that there is no Imaan. Sakina tells him to let her go. Hurt, Raj goes to Gulab, saying he wants to sleep with her. Gulab, who loves Raj, is deeply hurt and gets Raj thrown out onto the street, where he is beaten up by a few of Gulab's henchmen. He returns to where Sakina is waiting. Imaan has still not arrived. Sakina, heartbroken, becomes sure that Imaan will not come back so she decides to be with Raj. Raj tries to make Sakina happy and succeeds. When they are returning home, they pass the bridge where they first met and see Imaan waiting for Sakina. Sakina hesitates as she steps toward Raj. Raj however tells her to go with happiness and Sakina reunites with Imaan. Imaan asks her if she is willing to accept a sad life with him to which she says yes and they both walk away together.
The movie ends with Raj walking away while reminiscing about the sweet moments he spent with Sakina in a style similar toRaj Kapoorfrom the filmShree 420(1955).
Cast
[edit]- Ranbir Kapooras Ranbir Raj Malhotra
- Sonam Kapooras Sakina Khan
- Rani Mukerjias Gulabji
- Salman Khanas Imaan Pirzada
- Zohra Sehgalas Lillian a.k.a. Lillipop
- Begum Paraas Nabila/Badi Ammi
- Vibha Chibberas Naseeban
- Atheya Chaudhri as Jhumri Aapa
- Kenny Desai as Mr. D'Costa
Production
[edit]Bhansali initially wantedRani MukerjiandSalman Khan's extended guest appearances to be hidden from the public,[5]but later announced that they would appear in the film in supporting roles.[6]
Elaborate sets for the film's imaginary city, complete with lakes, streets, shops, signages and a clock tower, were designed by the production designerOmung Kumar,who had previously worked with Bhansali onBlack(2005).[7]
The first official teaser of the film was accessed byNew York Timeson 25 August 2007.[8]The first screening was held on 28 October 2007, though only for those associated with the film.[9]
This film was released on 9 November 2007, clashing with another Bollywood filmOm Shanti Om,starringShahrukh Khan,andDeepika Padukone.
Soundtrack
[edit]| Saawariya | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack albumby | ||||
| Released | 19 September 2007 (India) | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 47:44 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Sanjay Leela Bhansali | |||
| Monty Sharmachronology | ||||
| ||||
The soundtrack album of the film is composed byMonty Sharmaand lyrics were written bySameer.The soundtrack was released to mixed reviews on 19 September 2007.Indiafmgave the album 3 out of 5 stars, saying, "The title song would be remembered for months to come, if not years, the others do not really go that extra distance."[10]According to the Indian trade websiteBox Office India,with around 10,00,000 units sold, the film's soundtrack album was the year's fourteenth highest-selling.[11]
| Song | Singer(s) | Duration | Picturised on |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Saawariya" | Shail Hada | 02:45 | Picturised onRanbir KapoorandRani Mukerji |
| "Jab Se Tere Naina" | Shaan | 04:44 | Picturised on Ranbir Kapoor |
| "Masha-Allah" | Kunal GanjawalaandShreya Ghoshal | 05:28 | Picturised on Ranbir Kapoor andSonam Kapoor |
| "Thode Badmaash" | Shreya Ghoshal
Composed By –Sanjay Leela Bhansali Lyrics By –Nusrat Badr |
03:19 | |
| "Yun Shabnami" | Parthiv Gohil
Lyrics By –Sandeep Nath |
05:15 | |
| "Daras Bina Nahin Chain" | Richa Sharma,Shail Hada andParthiv Gohil | 04:45 | |
| "Sawar Gayi" | Shreya Ghoshal | 03:42 | |
| "Jaan-E-Jaan" | Kunal Ganjawala & Shreya Ghoshal | 05:59 | Picturised on Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor |
| "Pari" | Kunal Ganjawala | 05:19 | Picturised on Rani Mukerji and Ranbir Kapoor |
| "Chhabeela" | Alka Yagnik | 05:23 | |
| "Saawariya" (Reprise) | Shail Hada | 03:06 | Picturised on Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor |
Reception
[edit]On thereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,38% of 21 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5/10. The website's consensus reads: "It's pleasing to the eye, butSaawariyastruggles to fill its runtime with a story whose clichés unfortunately outnumber its points of interest. "[12]Metacritic,which uses aweighted average,assigned the film a score of 44 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[13]
Shubhra Gupta ofThe Indian Expresscriticized the screenplay of the film calling it "static", adding that "Saawariyais an act of supreme self-indulgence ".[14]Jaspreet Pandohar ofBBCrated the film 2 out of 5 writing, "It's a clear case of self-indulgence and theatrical style over substance; with the director paying little attention to fleshing out the skeletal screenplay, preferring instead to focus on coaxing 'good-looking' performances from his young muses."[15]
Accolades
[edit]| Award[a] | Date of ceremony[b] | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filmfare Awards | 16 February 2008 | Best Supporting Actress | Rani Mukerji | Nominated | [16] [17] |
| Best Male Debut | Ranbir Kapoor | Won | |||
| Best Female Debut | Sonam Kapoor | Nominated | |||
| Best Music Director | Monty Sharma | Nominated | |||
| Best Lyricist | Sameer Anjaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Nominated | |||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Shaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Won | |||
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | 6–8 June 2008 | Best Supporting Actress | Rani Mukerji | Nominated | [18] [19] |
| Best Male Debut | Ranbir Kapoor | Won | |||
| Best Music Director | Monty Sharma | Nominated | |||
| Best Lyricist | Sameer Anjaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Nominated | |||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Shaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Won | |||
| Best Female Playback Singer | Shreya Ghoshal– ( "Thode Badmash" ) | Nominated | |||
| Producers Guild Film Awards | 30 March 2008 | Best Male Debut | Ranbir Kapoor | Won | [20] [21] |
| Best Music Director | Monty Sharma | Nominated | |||
| Best Lyricist | Sameer Anjaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Nominated | |||
| Sandeep Nath– ( "Yun Shabnami" ) | Nominated | ||||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Shaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Won | |||
| Best Art Direction | Omung Kumar,Vanita Omung Kumar | Nominated | |||
| Best Choreography | Ganesh Hegde&Pappu Mallu– ( "Yun Shabnami" ) | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound Recording | Resul Pookutty | Nominated | |||
| Screen Awards | 10 January 2008 | Best Male Debut | Ranbir Kapoor | Won | [22] [23] |
| Best Female Debut | Sonam Kapoor | Nominated | |||
| Best Music Director | Monty Sharma | Nominated | |||
| Best Lyricist | Sameer Anjaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Nominated | |||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Shaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Ravi K. Chandran | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Direction | Omung Kumar | Nominated | |||
| Best Choreography | Ganesh Hegde&Pappu Mallu– ( "Yun Shabnami" ) | Nominated | |||
| Stardust Awards | 25 January 2008 | Dream Director | Sanjay Leela Bhansali | Nominated | [24] [25] |
| Best Supporting Actress | Rani Mukerji | Nominated | |||
| Superstar of Tomorrow – Male | Ranbir Kapoor | Won | |||
| Superstar of Tomorrow – Female | Sonam Kapoor | Won | |||
| Standout Performance by a Music Director | Monty Sharma | Won | |||
| Sanjay Leela Bhansali | Nominated | ||||
| Standout Performance by a Lyricist | Sandeep Nath– ( "Yun Shabnami" ) | Won | |||
| New Musical Sensation – Male | Shail Hada– ( "Saawariya" ) | Nominated | |||
| Zee Cine Awards | 26 April 2008 | Best Male Debut | Ranbir Kapoor | Won | [26] [27] [28] |
| Best Female Debut | Sonam Kapoor | Nominated | |||
| Best Lyricist | Sameer Anjaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Nominated | |||
| Best Male Playback Singer | Shaan– ( "Jab Se Tere Naina" ) | Won |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ab"Saawariya".Variety Insight.10 November 2007.Retrieved24 May2021.
- ^ab"Saawariya – Movie".Box Office India.
- ^Chhabra, Aseem, "From Bollywood to Chinatown: Warner Bros. teams with India for 'Chandni Chowk' martial-arts musical",Film Journal International,14 January 2009
- ^"Bollywood Comes to Blu-ray with 'Saawariya'".High-Def Digest.3 January 2008.Retrieved5 February2011.
- ^"Rani Mukherji to play courtesan in Saawariya".9 November 2006.Retrieved30 September2007.
- ^"Rani plays a prostitute in Saawariya".8 January 2007.Retrieved30 September2007.
- ^Deepanjana Pal (September 2013)."Places Other Than This".The Big Indian Picture.Retrieved26 December2013.
- ^"mid-day.com".Saawariya Debuts in New York Times.Retrieved16 September2007.
- ^"'Saawariya' first screening held ".Retrieved30 October2007.
- ^"Music review".27 March 2006.Retrieved21 September2007.
- ^"Music Hits 2000–2009 (Figures in Units)".Box Office India.Archived fromthe originalon 24 June 2010.
- ^"Saawariya".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango Media.Retrieved16 July2022.
- ^"Saawariya".Metacritic.Fandom, Inc.
- ^"Saawariya".The Indian Express.Retrieved29 August2021.
- ^"Saawariya (Beloved)".BBC. 5 November 2007.Retrieved29 August2021.
- ^"Nominees – 53rd Annual Filmfare Awards".Bollywood Hungama.Bollywood Hungama News Network. 6 February 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2011.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Winners of 53rd Annual Filmfare Awards".Bollywood Hungama.Bollywood Hungama News Network. 23 February 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 22 November 2011.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Nominations for the IIFA Awards 2008".Bollywood Hungama.Bollywood Hungama News Network. 16 April 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 8 March 2010.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"IIFA 2008: And the award goes to..."CNN-News18. 9 June 2008.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^Bollywood Hungama News Network (14 March 2008)."Nominations for 3rd Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards".Bollywood Hungama.Archived fromthe originalon 21 September 2011.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^Bollywood Hungama News Network (1 April 2008)."Winners of 3rd Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards".Bollywood Hungama.Archived fromthe originalon 14 August 2011.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Nominees for 14th Annual Screen Awards".Bollywood Hungama.IndiaFM News Bureau. 2 January 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 29 April 2009.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Winners of 14th Annual Star Screen Awards".Bollywood Hungama.Bollywood Hungama News Network. 11 January 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2011.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Nominations for Max Stardust Awards 2008".Bollywood Hungama.Bollywood Hungama News Network. 25 December 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2011.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Winners of Max Stardust Awards 2008".Bollywood Hungama.Bollywood Hungama News Network. 26 January 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2011.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Nominations for the Zee Cine Awards 2008".Bollywood Hungama.Bollywood Hungama News Network. 1 April 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 23 March 2010.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Winners of the Zee Cine Awards 2008".Bollywood Hungama.Bollywood Hungama News Network. 27 April 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 14 August 2011.Retrieved1 June2022.
- ^"Zee Cine Awards 2008 winners".Zee News. 23 April 2008.Retrieved1 June2022.
External links
[edit]- 2007 films
- Sony Pictures Networks India films
- 2000s Hindi-language films
- Indian romantic musical films
- Columbia Pictures films
- Films directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
- Films based on White Nights (short story)
- Films shot in Maharashtra
- Sony Pictures films
- Films involved in plagiarism controversies
- Films about prostitution in India
- Indian intellectual property law
- Indian romantic drama films
- Indian interfaith romance films
- 2007 controversies