Rangeela

Rangeela -- Colorful

MAIN CAST:
Urmila Matondkar -- Mili
Aamir Khan -- Munna
Jackie Shroff -- Raj Kamal

BRIEF PLOT OVERVIEW:
The innocent Mili often dreams of becoming a film heroine. Her best friend, a mischievous wastrel named Munna, just dreams of marrying Mili, though he keeps his feelings hidden. Things get complicated when film star Raj Kamal spots Mili dancing on the beach and apparently makes all of her dreams come true.

FILM -- 5/5
Rangeela opens in the best way possible, given its storyline: credits roll over still images of Bollywood stars, then "Rangeela Re" starts up. It really sets the tone of the film and fits the plotline! There are some wonderfully-written scenes in the film, like the part where Mili makes Munna practice a script with her. I want to punch the choreographer, though, because some of the dancing is absolutely RIDICULOUS. At least the picturization of "Kya Kare Kya Na Kare" more than makes up for that fault. The costumes are equally hideous at certain points, especially on the Aamir Khan front. That fishnet shirt has to go! The physical faults are minor when you take in to account how damn sweet Rangeela is! It tugs on your heartstrings, which is a must for a masala romance. It won't win any awards, but it's an awesome flick that will win you over in a matter of minutes.

CHARACTERS -- 5/5
I have to admit that Urmila Matondkar wowed me in Pinjar. Of course, I didn't expect quite the same level of intensity in a fun masala flick like Rangeela, but I was still hoping she'd be a bit less wooden when she cries. She's great when she dances, however, and she's so damn beautiful and charismatic that her faults are readily forgiven. Plus, she mellows out and relaxes in the role as the film progresses. Aamir Khan's Munna is great fun, a tramp with a heart of gold that really grows on you. The longing in Munna's eyes when he looks at Mili is so heart-wrenching, and his love for her is very innocent and genuine. Rangeela is the film that made me fall in love with Aamir Khan. Unfortunately, the chemistry between the two is kind of "meh" when they dance, although it's much more palpable when they're just hanging out together. Jackie Shroff is very intense and brooding one moment, fatherly and sensual the next. I liked him in this film, and by contrast with Aamir Khan, Shroff's chemistry with Urmila is super-hot. They have less of a "love and comfort" affair and more of a "sensuality and burning gazes" sort of chemistry. The supporting cast is also excellent. Major kudos to the lovely Rema Lagoo and the hilarious Rajesh Joshi!

SOUNDTRACK -- 5/5
How could you not love this soundtrack?! It's one of my absolute favorites, and "Rangeela Re" is so incredible! "Mangta Hai Kya" is unique and is a real treat to dance to. Udit Narayan's vocals on "Kya Kare Kya Na Kare" are so clear, clean, upbeat, wonderful...it's like people always say, "You can hear his smile!" "Tanha Tanha" gets stuck in your head almost instantly. And don't miss it in-film, cause Urmila looks hot like WOAH. "Hai Rama" is very Indian and so sexy in-fil that it's hard for the song to maintain the fire without Urmila dancing to it. "Pyar Ye Jaane Kaise" is the only low point of the soundtrack for me, because I think Suresh Wadkar's voice is way too young-sounding for Jackie Shroff, and it's a bit slow. It's not a bad song, I just don't like it as much as I like the rest of the music. The lyrics are standard masala fair, but the soundtrack is so damn awesome otherwise that I don't even mind. Rangeela is a permanent member on my top 50 list, and it sometimes nudges its way on to my top 10. If you don't like the 80s or new wave, you might not be as enthusiastic about the music as I am.

OVERALL -- 5/5
Like most masala flicks, you can't watch Rangeela and expect a serious film. You have to send reality on vacation and just enjoy the colorful, crazy ride that is Rangeela. It's sweet, it's fun, it's sugar and spice and everything nice, and it's one of my favorite Bollywood films. I like to compare it to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge: both films are full of rocky patches, but they come out as real gems! Add in the great soundtrack, the massive replay value, the feel-good factor, and a bucket full of charm, and you've got a flick that's worth every penny.

TOTAL SCORE -- 20/20 (perfect)