Why wasn't this released in the United States? It's FANTASTIC!
I am of very little Indian descent, nor do I speak Hindi. I actually caught this on Netflix. I have never been a Bollywood fan. Some of the movies I saw parts of in the 80's and 90's never quite appealed to me. Many felt a bit over the top, which I don't like in American films either. But I am a romance fan. Every so often I look through the foreign films. I've seen quite a few wonderful ones. And the story on this caught my attention.
I became an instant fan of this movie. It is wonderful. The subtitles are almost unnecessary because the feel of the movie, the acting, the characters, and the music tell most of the story. The music director for this put the perfect music to each section. And I have already downloaded most of the songs for my cell phone music. No denying this music gets you singing along. For the first time in my life, I wished I knew my great great grandmother who was of Indian descent from India. I wished I understood the language the more I watched this movie (I saw it a few times right off the bat) to catch all the nuances of the script that subtitles don't do justice to.
I wanted to know why this wasn't released in the United States. We have a very large Indian population, not only in major cities (I'm from New York) but also in the South. Many Indians live here and I thought it would appeal not just to them but also to Americans like me who would now go to a theater to see a movie like this. I have begun watching more Indian movies and enjoying some of the new ones that have come out recently. I just read the main characters playing Prem and Sandhya will be in another film that is now shooting, and I would love to see it when it comes out in a theater, rather than wait for it on Netflix or somewhere else if Netflix doesn't carry it.
This movie for me was incredible. I learned a lot about the Indian culture, and although I am a Christian and do not embrace their religion, I can embrace the wonderful qualities of family, honor, etc. I loved that the families were always together to support each other and take part in things in their lives. I loved how the children touched their elders/ parent's feet. At almost 60 years old, I would now like to visit India one day (my bucket list), and even learn enough Hindi to get around.
This is a wonderful film. Some people say it is predictable. I agree. And in all the right ways! I would have been disappointed if any other type of ending than Prem falling in love with his wife was done! The actors are incredible and made this totally wonderful. The race is exciting and wonderful, as the husbands shoulder the responsibilities of marriage carrying their wives. Please release these in the United States, not just for Indians, but other Americans to watch and enjoy. I almost missed my new favorite romance!!!!