The Story:
'Bollywood Hero' is a musical 3-part miniseries shown on the IFC Channel about Chris Kattan and his journey to Mumbai to become a leading man in Bollywood. After having some successful runs as a comedian in America, Kattan wishes for more and soon discovers that making it in Bollywood is just as hard and he has to start from scratch.
After failing to snag a lead role in Hollywood, a Bollywood director named Monty (Ali Fazal) offers Kattan a role in a Bollywood film titled "Peculiar Dancing Boy". Chris Kattan accepts the role and announces to the media that he's leaving Hollywood and flies to Mumbai to start his career as a Bollywood actor.
When he arrives in Mumbai, he meets his co-stars - Bollywood starlet Lalima Lakhani (Neha Dhupia) who will play his leading lady, and British actor Reg Hunt (Julian Sands) who will play his father. He also meets Monty's older sister Priya Kapoor (Pooja Kumar), who is the film's producer. Priya and Lalima have their doubts that Chris doesn't have what it takes to star as a leading man. In order to learn how to be a good actor in Bollywood, Chris seeks help from Monty and Priya's grandmother Beeji (Ruma Sengupta).
What follows is a series of comical errors that has Chris Kattan humiliating himself in front of the whole country. Chris Kattan tries to improve his image, convinces a former Bollywood starlet named Kunti (Rachna Shah) to get out of retirement to star in his movie, and helps finish the film. Thorughout this journey, Chris faces cultural differences, self-discovery, and love.
The Cast:
Chris Kattan as Himself: A comedian who goes to India in hopes of making it big as a leading man in a Bollywood film.
Pooja Kumar as Priya Kapoor: The film's producer and director Monty's older sister. She begins to doubt Chris Kattan's skills as an actor, but in the end she thinks he is worthy.
Neha Dhupia as Lalima Lakhani: A leading Bollywood actress of the film. She turns out to be a nemesis of Chirs Kattan after a humiliating act he has done to her.
Ali Fazal as Monty Kapoor: The director and Priya's younger brother. He planned to make his directorial debut by directing a international love story told through dance.
Julian Sands as Reg Hunt: A British veteran actor who plays the father of Chris Kattan's character in the Bollywood film. He gets romantically involved with Kunti, with whom he shares a romantic past with.
Rachna Shahas as Kunti: A retired Bollywood starlet who spent the remainder of her career in an ashram. She soon gets rediscovered by Chris Kattan when he searches for his leading lady. She rediscovers her love for Reg when she comes back in the spotlight.
Kip King as Himself: The crazed and troublesome father of Chris Kattan.
The Crew:
Directors: Bill Bennett and Ted Skillman
Producers: Fran Calderone, Chris Kattan, Carmen Cuba, Sabrina Dhawan
Distributor: IFC
Writers: Benjamin Brand, Laurie Parres
Cinematography: Tobias Hochstein
Choreography: Longinus Fernandes
Music: David Bergeaud, Niels Bye Nielsen
Lyrics: Michael Penn
Cast: Chris Kattan, Pooja Kumar, Neha Dhupia, Ali Afzal, Julian Sands, Rachna Shah
Special Appearances By: Maya Rudolph, Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Coolidge, Kip King, David Alan Grier, Alanis Morissette, and Andy Samberg
What Worked:
One word can describe this show: hilarious. Watching Chris Kattan trying to be a leading man in a Bollywood film was indeed a funny idea. I think that Chris truly stole the show. The film had a lot of funny moments by showing Chris in comical situations he can't seem to get out of. Pooja Kumar is as great as ever with her director-type character showing her mean yet sweet side. Neha Dhupia in her first international miniseries shows off her stunning looks as well as a cunning personality.
What Didn't:
The story overall seemed cliched borrowing some ideas from 'Lost in Translation' by giving some American comedian a role in a Bollywood film who has no idea how to speak the language. You may also get tired of Chris whining that he wants to be like Harrison Ford by becoming a leading man when all along, he is better off as a comedian. As for special appearances, actors like Keanu Reeves playing tweaked versions of themselves may get you tired where you may be thinking, "Been there, done that."
The Soundtrack:
David Bergeaud and Niels Bye Nielsen has really made this soundtrack worth listening to by combining Western and Indian music to provide this certain flavor. 'No Myth' performed by the Bombay Dub Orchestra was a great reimagined peace from Michael Pennwho originally sung the song. Most of the songs were sung by Michael Penn and some others were by upcoming talented groups. The only two original Bollywood songs in the movie that you will find is "Bachna Ae Haseeno Revisited" from the film Bachna Ae Haseeno' and "Dhooh Taana".
Slated Or Rated:
If you want pure entertainment by seeing an American comedian who embarrasses himself in a foreign country and tries to fix a Bollywood film, then I recommend you to watch this program. The dance numbers will leave you speechless and laughing at how Chris dances with his funny moves.
Rating: 3/5
No comments:
Post a Comment