Another Bollywood comedy with Saif as the guy who's afraid to settle down and Rani as the refined, somewhat serious, sweetheart?
Bring it on!!
Yes, Hum Tum follows the somewhat played out formula of boy-meets-girl, with some songs thrown in, in typical Bollywood rom-com fashion. But you know what? I could watch ten more movies like this, and they could all star Saif and Rani in typecast roles, and I wouldn't complain! Maybe it's because I'm new to Bollywood territory, but for me their romantic comedies have Hollywood beat.
Hum Tum is no exception. While it wasn't one of my favorites, it was definitely enjoyable enough. Saif Ali Khan is super-easy to laugh at, and Rani is her usual classy self. The two of them breathe new life into the old phrase "opposites attract", and I enjoyed their pairing in Hum Tum.
Our friend Abhishek Bachchan makes a baby-faced appearance in the movie...and this marks the third time I've seen him and Rani "married" onscreen. Not that I mind. I'm just saying. Although, I suppose, in Bollywood-land, that's nothing remarkable.
The songs in Hum Tum weren't too impressive in my book (except for the catchy title song--that one was really pretty), especially the one Rani "sings" right before her wedding. I'm usually a huge fan of Ms. Mukerjee's facial expressions, but she made some pretty dreadful ones in this scene!
There were some really funny moments in the film, but in a very subtle way. I guess that's what I love about Saif's comedy style. I find myself laughing out loud at the littlest things, such as his goofy smiles that appear at just the right time, or his whiny complaining when things go wrong. Rani's elegant demeanor bounced well off of this, especially in the scenes where Rhea can't stand Karan. You actually believe that she hates him, and her annoyance seems relevant as they are worlds apart.
I did appreciate Hum Tum for not dwelling on Rhea's status as a widow. I can't recall that ever being a factor in Karan's decision to be with her.
I consider Hum Tum to be a romantic comedy anyone can enjoy. Because it's light and funny, rarely obnoxious or over-the-top, I could probably show this to any of my non-Bollywood watching friends. If you haven't seen it, you may want to give it a try.
Text © Copyright 2008 Nida Nazir
