Director: Rakesh Roshan
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Ameesha Patel and Anupam Kher
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actors in Bollywood are as celebrated as Hrithik Roshan. Following rise to stardom during the 1990’s, Roshan has become one of the greatest actors in the Indian film industry. Whether it’s friends on road trips, soldiers or star-crossed lovers, Roshan has played many strong characters. Arguably, Roshan’s finest strength as an actor has been his bravery. By his abilities to portray characters which are compelling, Roshan has created a legacy that is lasting. He has often been one of those rare actors with the abilities to create compelling characters through charisma. Shining a bright light in darkness, Roshan has become one of the greatest actors in the Indian film business. A respected icon in India, Roshan has become one of the best actors in Bollywood Cinema. Throughout a lasting career, Roshan has made great films which are without a doubt worth seeing.
I’m a huge fan of Roshan and adore all films he has made in his career. However, “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” definitely stands out as being his most charming movie. Released in 2000, Rakesh Roshan’s movie offered a powerful portrait of doomed love. Packed with strong musical sequences, engrossing storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a breathtaking Bollywood romantic drama. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance by Hrithik Roshan, who embodies a man experiencing conspiracies which cause tension. Although “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” is a riveting Bollywood romantic drama, it isn’t a flawless film. The movie is unevenly paced, building towards a melodramatic ending without a resolution. Nevertheless, it offers strong entertainment that will absolutely without a doubt satisfy fans of Hrithik Roshan.
“Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” tells a story of a rich woman that falls in love with a singer with price to pay. Ameesha Patel plays Sonia, a wealthy woman from a rich family in India. Sonia has always shared a strong bond with Rohit (Hrithik Roshan), whom she has loved dearly. However, Sonia’s dreams to become married to Rohit are shattered by a murder. When Rohit is murdered, Sonia’s dreams of marriage are shattered. All hope appears to be lost for Sonia until she stumbles across a lookalike of Rohit years later. Faced with the serious dilemma, Sonia questions whether she will ever be able to move on from death of a lover causing trauma.
Rakesh Roshan is fascinated with stories of romance that face tensions. His iconic film “Koyla” offered a powerful portrait of love affairs that face trauma in India. With “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai”, however, Roshan made his first ever doomed romance drama. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the struggles faced by couples impacted by a tragedy, but he succeeded. Using stunning cinematography, Roshan captures a couple that endures doomed relationships causing tragedy. Evoking Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People”, Roshan expertly uses montages to capture hardships experienced by ordinary people. For instance, montages elevate the romance scene. During this heartfelt scene, Sonia and Rohit spend valuable time among each other before his tragic murder. Using strong montages, Roshan creates a portrait of love that’s engaging. Montages are tricky techniques. As Karan Johar’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” claimed, montages enhance Bollywood films about lives of dysfunctional families. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Using engaging visuals, Roshan captures hardships faced by couples which are falling.
Another strong aspect of “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” that merits appreciation is production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood romantic films which you will ever see. Roshan deftly uses cross-cutting to stage musical sequences involving lives of singers that are engaging. For instance, cross-cutting elevates the Na Tum Jaano Na Hum song. During this memorable song, Rohit and Sonia spend valuable time with each other sharing love of music together. Using strong cross-cutting, Roshan crafts a romance that’s engaging. Furthermore, the musical score is marvellous. It gives the film an engaging atmosphere capturing burden lovers facing broken marriages bear. Using strong production, Roshan captures lovers facing tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” is a Bollywood movie that’s engaging. The film is extremely well-written, and effectively uses plot twists to capture tensions faced by couples that are torn apart by grim tragedy. Evoking Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”, Roshan successfully uses plot twists to capture lovers that face lookalikes causing sorrow. Throughout the movie, Roshan effectively uses plot twists to capture lovers facing tragedy. For instance, plot twists elevate the lookalike discoveries scene. During this surprising scene, Sonia is shocked to discover a lookalike of Rohit that bears a resemblance to her lover following his death. Through entertaining plot twists, Roshan creates a portrait of romance which audiences can relate to. Plot twists are not easy techniques to use in Bollywood movies. As Roshan’s “Krrish” suggested, plot twists elevate sci-fi blockbusters. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through an engaging screenplay, Roshan captures the complicated lives of lovers facing a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Hrithik Roshan gives one of his best career performances as Rohit. In the breakthrough role making him a star, Roshan showcased his strengths as an actor. Roshan excels at portraying romantic heroes in danger, and “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” demonstrates his best qualities as a movie star. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: bold, charming and riveting in his most iconic role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, bravery and reckless spirit of a man that faces broken marriages which endure destruction. It’s a powerful performance by one of the most celebrated actors working in India today.
While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Roshan, the supporting cast is excellent and worthy of recognition. Ameesha Patel is amazing, capturing charisma of a woman that loses her lover in an accident causing trauma. Anupam Kher is astonishing, and brings out the fear of a father that cannot accept his daughter’s romantic affair that causes despair. Lastly, Johnny Lever merits appreciation. As a bumbling police officer, he brings hilarious comical relief to the film.
Despite its strong performances, however, “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” can’t quite capture romantic relationships in an authentic way. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks engaging pacing. Roshan’s choices to integrate subplots about serial killers into the movie is admirable but hinders pacing. Due to this faulty technique, scenes which capture the lives of killers aren’t always as engaging as Sonia’s romantic relationships. As Sanjay Gadhvi’s “Dhoom 2” suggested, subplots about killers enhance Bollywood sequels. Therefore, “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” is one of those Bollywood movies which not everyone will adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Hrithik Roshan would absolutely enjoy “Kaho Na Pyaar Hai” and so would audiences seeking heartwarming entertainment. A bold Bollywood romantic drama, it honours an actor that’s beloved in India.
Nearly 30 years following the release of an iconic Bollywood movie about a woman that seeks to solve the mysterious murder of her lover, it’s a remarkable reminder of an Indian actor with a charismatic nature that hasn’t ever lost his abilities to produce memorable films throughout his career that audiences across the world treasure.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 