Jeevi Rating: 3.25/5
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Arshad Warsi, Tania Zaetta, Jugal Hansraj
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Music: Vishal Shekhar
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Dialogues: Abbas Tyrewala
Cinematography: Sunil Patel
Stunts: Sharmista Roy
Story - Screenplay - Direction: Siddardh Anand
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Theatrical release date: 9th September 2005

Aditya Chopra seems to have mastered the technique of doing the remakes of Hollywood flicks and minting money by packaging them successfully. Salaam Namaste is no exception. This film is a bland rip-off of British comedy flick Nine Months (Hugh Grant & Julianne Moore - 1995). Hmm… it took 10 years to copy that film in India. Does the living-in concept work in Indian backdrop? No! Because Indian society tend to attach social stigma to it and people start living for the society than themselves. Hence, he created the characters as NRI's settled in Australia with no attachment towards their family members and parents. Let us go into the details of basic storyline now -

Nikhil Arora (Saif Ali Khan) hates his parents for naming him so. He is more interested in recipes than the engineering school in Australia his father forced him to go. He becomes an architect by academics, but his heart belongs to cooking. In no time, he changed his name as Nick in stead of Nikhil Arora and joins as chief cook in a restaurant called 'Nick in Time'. He loves to be called as Nick!

Amber Malhotra (Preoty Zinta) escapes from routine life in Bangalore and is on hot pursuit in completing her medicine in Melbourne. She does not have enough money to lead a comfortable life, hence joins as radio jockey for an Indian program called 'Salaam | Namaste' where she interviews Indian accomplishers living in Australia.

Amber works as per the clock and hates people who are insensitive and unpunctual. Due to certain circumstances, the opposite poles of Nick and Amber attract each other. Nick falls in love with amber, but afraid of the commitment. Hence he proposes her that they could stay together in same house to understand each other. Over a period of time, if they like each other then they could get the relationship further.

Once they start living in together, they share a great emotional compatibility and physical chemistry. They indulge in sex and due to failure in precautions, Amber becomes pregnant. Amber love kids and Nick hate kids. Nick advices Amber of an abortion. But she wants the kid. This conflict of interest results in separation. The rest of the story is all about how they get back to each other and realize their strengths and weaknesses.

Let's talk about the 27 year old kid Siddardh Raj Anand. He definitely hold potential to churn out blockbusters. He added new perspective to it and made sure that there is something for all the urbane crowds. But why waste all the enthusiasm and the effort remaking a film, when the talent shows promises in moments like ---

1. Nick saying hi to Amber when she crosses his car. And he was speaking to her and he did not know that it was her he was speaking to.
2. Saying I Love You to Amber while giving a live interview on Salam Namaste.
3. The way Javed Jaffery says something in English to the blond he lives with and she asks 'sorry' and he coolly replies 'exactly'.
4. When Amber explains to what extent the pregnant ladies go to eat the things they like.
5. The situation where Amber asks for ice cream.
6. When the kid in stomach of Amber make the parents unite with small movement in stomach.

After watching the film I just could not help draw analogies between 9 months and Salaam Namaste

1. Both (Hugh Grant & Julianne Moore) of them are already in love when the film started. Since Hindi film's duration is more, a drama is established where they accidentally fall in love with each other.
2. Girl is fond of kids and guy is sick of kids
3. They separate due to the fact that girl is pregnant and she wants to have the baby instead of abortion.
4. The ultra sound reports give a result that the girl is blessed with twins.
5. The finale of both friends (Saif & Arshad) taking videos of child births while Abhishek Bachchan performs the delivery.

When it comes to performance of the cast, I would rate Saif Ali Khan's performance as the best. He seems to have mastered the art of histrionics to the minute level. He could generate a minute and definite expression with his subtle change of body language. Saif is the best among the actors today and he seems to be improving leaps and bounds with each film. Preity Zinta is definitely a fine actress with lots of dignity and sense of traditional histrionics. She never tends to go overboard, but gives her finest performance with in the limits prescribed for her by Indian film lovers. The one who impressed me a lot is Javed Jaffery who did the role of a landlord. He is simply adorable with his nonsensical English that would throw into fits by laughing at it. Arshad Warsi is natural as the guy who experienced too many things in life in order to steal somebody else's bride and marry her. Jugal Hansraj is adequate as a prop to create a slight misunderstanding between the lead pair.

From the technical departments, what awed me is the photography. We cannot give the cinematographer whole credit because it also involves a tremendous effort from art director (for searching the right locations) and graphics guys (for making the FX appear pretty natural). Music by Vishal Shekhar is adequate and suits the mood of the film. However the costumes designed for Saif Ali Khan appear too feminine.

On a whole, the first half of the film bores you a bit as the purpose of the film is revealed only during the interval episode. The second half seems to be adequate with director getting enough grip on the proceedings. As a guy who already saw 9 Months, the storyline of this film did not excite me as I knew what is going to come in the next scene. Otherwise, it might hold some curiosity to the viewers who are not aware of Nine Months. On a whole, Salaam Namaste film makes a slightly above average film for all its pros and cons. The urban crowds would have an inclination towards film. However, the masses are deprived of any elements that keep them on tabs. You may watch Salaam Namaste once.