John Abraham and Vidya Balan
Tehzeeb (Vidya Balan) and Ashutosh (John Abraham) make an ideal husband-wife. She wakes in the morning to the glint of a diamond pendant, a gift from her loving husband on their marriage anniversary. Two years ago they had eloped to Mumbai and got married. Today they are completely obsessed about each other

Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla

In a sprawling house in London, Vinay Malhotra (Anil Kapoor) lives with his caring wife Seema (Juhi Chawla) and lovely daughters. He has everything a man can ask for: a picture perfect family, a secure job (as a PR executive) and financial security.

Akshaye Khanna and Ayesha Takia

Shiven (Akshaye Khanna) is the most eligible bachelor in Delhi. He is engaged to Gia (Ayesha Takia) and the two are set to marry in the next 10 days.

But the thought of marrying scares Shiven. So he breaks off his engagement with Gia.

Govinda and Shannon

Govinda plays a taxi-driver Raju Taxiwala. Every morning he drives from his Chandni Chowk home to the airport, stands in the long queue and watches the door of the airport with the hope that his dream girl Stephanie (Shannon Esrechowitz) will return some day.

Then that fateful day comes and Stephanie walks out of the door. But she has come back not for Raju but to look for her boyfriend Rohit Chaddha.

Che Che's big comeback:

John and Vidya Balan:

http://www.salmankhan.net/forthcoming/salam-e-isq.asp

.

Salaam E Ishq is a film based on various relationships and how these affects the one concerned.

Directed by Nikhil Advani, this film is already generating tremendous interest with the UK audience. Wait for its release very soon.
.

Salaam-E-Ishq - World Wide Premiere

.

SALAAM E ISHQ OPENS AT THEATRES NEAR YOU ON JAN 25/07: THE ONE THAT IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A COMEBACK FOR QUITE A FEW PAST BIG ACTORS

.

A REVIEW OF: LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI

.

Producer: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Dia Mirza, Jimmy Shergill (S.A)
Music: Shantanu Moitra
Lyrics: Swanand Kirkire
Genre: Comedy
Recommended Audience: General
Approximate Running Time: 2.5 hours
Film Released on: 01 September 2006

Munna and Circuit are back! The lovable goons embark on their new adventure with LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI. The first part [MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S.] was a mesmeric experience and it's indeed a tough task to come up with a worthy sequel/follow-up. Will LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI meet the monumental expectations? Will Munna and Circuit's escapades and antics in LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI supersede the adventures and frolics in MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S.?

Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Rajkumar Hirani have a tough job on hand and a major responsibility on shoulders. But there's good news... Like its predecessor, LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI is a sparkling example of qualitative cinema. LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI not only entertains, it also enlightens. LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI is forward-thinking, but also makes you recall your roots. It promises lots of laughs and also a heartwarming message.

Director Rajkumar Hirani strikes a fine balance between humor and emotions. The comic portions are executed with panache, the drama is attention-grabbing and the emotional quotient is strong enough to turn you moist-eyed. The marriage of humor and emotions as also technique and content is what drives LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI to the winning post.

There are movies aplenty, but very few remain etched in your memory and possess recall value. LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI is one of those films. Indisputably and undeniably, this Munna-Circuit outing is worth the price of the ticket and more.

All you want to tell Chopra and Hirani is, Lage raho with the Munna-Circuit series!

Munna [Sanjay Dutt] is in love with the voice of popular Radio Jockey Jhanvi [Vidya Balan]. Her effervescent greeting of 'Good Morrrrning Mumbai' on her daily radio show makes Munna's heart skip a beat each time he listens to her.

Life is beautiful for Munna. His 'dadagiri' business is flourishing and he listens besottedly to the radio for hours every day, he dreams of marrying Jhanvi. There is just one minor problem: Jhanvi thinks Munna is a 'Professor of History'.

And in all her innocence, Jhanvi even invites Munna to give a history lecture to her family. Poor Munna! What should he do?

As Munna tries to sort out this minor entanglement in his otherwise perfect life, Circuit [Arshad Warsi] comes up with a bright solution. And then, the most unusual thing occurs in Munna's life. He comes face to face with Mahatma Gandhi.

LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI is one of the best-constructed, funniest and most clever comedies to grace motion picture screens in recent years. It's pretty evident that Hirani and his team of writers [screenplay-dialogues: Hirani and Abhijat Joshi, screenplay associate: Vidhu Vinod Chopra] have invested ample time on this script. LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI doesn't bear any similarity to any released film [Hindi or Hollywood] and that's such a welcome relief. In fact, the USP of the film are portions between Mahatma Gandhi and Munna, which is a brilliant stroke from the writing as well as execution point of view.

But there are minor aberrations in this otherwise smooth journey. Munna's transition to a radio jockey and playing the role of a counselor seems a little far-fetched. However, one must add that despite this oddity, the sequences between Sanju and Jimmy-Parikshit Sahni and also with Dia Mirza subsequently keep you glued to the screen, not as much for the writing, but due to Hirani's master execution.

Similarly, the focus in the post-interval portions suddenly shifts to the love story between Munna and Jhanvi and you sorely miss the maddening conversation between Munna and Circuit. Again, the romantic portions are well executed, so you don't really mind this glitch.

Hirani's command over humor, drama and emotions is exemplary. Note the sequence when Munna slaps Circuit and tenders an apology after Mahatma Gandhi tells him to; it brings tears to your eyes instantly. The sequences between Munna and Circuit are, of course, the mainstay of the enterprise. Some of the sequences -- Munna readying to participate in the radio-quiz, Munna-Jhanvi's meet in the college campus or Munna-Circuit landing up behind bars -- are hilarious. Moreover, the entire track between the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and Munna is exceptional. To his credit, Hirani treats the second installment of the Munnabhai series with as much flourish as he treated the first.

Shantanu Moitra's music is soothing. 'Samjho Ho Hi Gaya' and 'Bole To Bole Kaisi Hogi Hai... Lage Raho Munna Bhai' are the best tracks, but what elevates the tunes is their picturization. Both the numbers are full of vibrant colors and imaginatively filmed. 'Pal Pal Har Pal' also comes at the right place and even its filming is eye-catching. Cinematography [Muraleedharan C.K.] is first-rate. Dialogues are wonderful and those between Munna-Circuit abound in wit and hilarity.

The characters populating LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI are strongly written and effectively portrayed. Sanjay Dutt lives the character of Munna. He gets the best of lines and delivers them with relish. His is a wonderful, larger-than-life performance and he knows just how to present Munna best. Watching Sanju's tour de force is one of LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI's chief pleasures.

Arshad Warsi is superb. There are very few actors who have an unmatched timing for comic scenes and Arshad ranks prominently in the list. Even a smirk or an exclamation makes you flex your facial muscles. There's no denying that Arshad matches up to Sanju at every level, in every sequence.

Boman Irani proves yet again that he's an actor with an infinite range. He's at crossroads with Munna in the second installment as well; this time he plays the conniving person who wants to usurp a mansion. He's excellent.

Vidya Balan is only getting better with every release. If she was confident in her debut film PARINEETA, she acts like a complete pro in her second outing. Also, she looks extremely photogenic in a glam role. Jimmy Shergill has a brief part and he does it well. Ditto for Dia Mirza; she's perfect. Abhishek Bachchan, in a cameo, adds to the star quotient.

Dilip Prabhavalkar [in the role of Mahatma Gandhi] is up to the mark. However, the makeup could've been better. The six senior citizens are lovable, especially the actor enacting the role of a Parsi gentleman. Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Parikshit Sahni and Saurabh Shukla are appropriate.

On the whole, LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI is a sparkling follow up to MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S. Its strength lies not just in Munna and Circuit's chemistry, but also reliving the teachings of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. Qualitatively, it's a worthy sequel and not to be missed and even at the box-office, LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI will march towards the winning post in the next few days.

.

A MIXED EMOTION MOVIE, ONE THAT WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH A LOT AND MIGHT ALSO CAUSE A TEAR:

Lage Raho... tells the story of local gangster Munna and his lost the plot sidekick Circuit (Warsi). Munna falls in love with a sprightly Mumbai radio DJ - Jhanvi (Balan). Enamoured by her ramblings on life, love and how we should make the most of both of these, Munna hatches a scheme to meet her by winning a competition on-air. The competition is about Gandhi, and in typical hoodlum style Circuit and co. kidnap Mumbai's finest professors, historians and brainboxes to help win the competition... at gunpoint.

He does, but in the throes of meeting and trying to impress her puts himself forward as a professor with a deep knowledge and passion for Gandhiism. Here comes the glitch... Impressed by his candour Jhanvi asks him to come over to her house where she lives with her grandfather and his elderly friends to deliver a talk on the Mahatma. An old people's home of sorts, they're huge fans of Gandhi, and Munna can't fake it this time. On scouring through history books divine intervention comes in the form of Gandhi himself, and the spirit of non-violence shows Munna the path forward with love and life.

.

Quote:
Winners: 13th Annual Star-Screen Awards
By IndiaFM News Bureau, January 7, 2007 - 05:58 IST

Best Film
Lage Raho Munnabhai (Vidhu Vinod Chopra)

.

Vidya Balan

The beautiful Vidya Balan plays Jhanvi – a Radio Jockey and her effervescent greeting of 'Good Morning Mumbai' on her radio show makes Munna's heart skip many beats.

Viewers' take:

Best sequel that bollywood has produced so far, even though there are not many sequels in the history of Hindi films. But, I think this sequel gives bollywood directors more confidence for making even more sequels! I live in Toronto, and I went to the bollywood movie theatre thinking that there wont be many people in the theatre and it will only be mildly crowded. But I was wrong! It was a house full! Thank god I booked the far/centre seats in advance. This movie started off with a blast. Circuit was soooo funny in the first half, but the second half belonged to Sanjay Dutt. The jokes were even funnier than the original Munnabhai M.B.B.S, and I'm not saying that out of utter excitement, I'm saying this because its the truth. Sanjay Dutt's acting was superb as always. But I did kind of think that Arshad Warsi was better in the first. But the jokes saved him. Even short circuit(Circuit's son) provided many laughs. Vidya Balan acted well, it was good to see Sanjay Dutt and Vidya Balan back together after Parineeta. Well, all I can say is that Rajkumar Hirani didn't disappoint, and went over what the standard expectations for a sequel are. I do think that Lage Raho Munnabhai is better than the first, but some people will think otherwise. Anyway, I'll just give you one suggestion....go watch this movie as soooooon as possible!!

.

Lage Raho Munnabhai
After sweeping the audience off their feet in Munnabhai MBBS , the preposterous Sanjay Dutt – Arshad Warsi combination is all set to strike again in Lage Raho Munnabhai .

Jimmy Shergill plays Victor D'souza – a young man who struggles to make it big, Victor commits one grave mistake that ruins him completely. Munna encourages Victor to take the brave step of starting afresh and makes the young man realize that life is full of second chances.
.

VIDYA BALAN: AN UPCOMING ACTRESS TO TAKE NOTE OF:

The Palakkad girl Vidyabalan earned good name with her film 'Parineeta'. That film was released in 2005. However, she made her screen presence in 2006 through 'Lage Raho Munnabhai'.

However, Vidyabalan claims that the gap was not due to her fault but incidental. She says, 'Several of my films are getting ready for release during this one year. Last year, only one film hit the screen, but many other films are ready for release this year and the wave would begin with 'Guru' to be released on January 12. My next film 'Salaam-e-Ishq' would be released on January 25, 'Ekalavya' on February 16. Not only this, 'Hallabol, Hey Baby' and 'Chandramukhi' are also ready for release in 2007. It is not simple to come before the audiences with six big films in a single year. Definitely 2007 is my year.' One more thing is that she is making her debut in Telugu with 'Shankar Dada Zindabad' and that is also slated for release this year.

.

When caught up with the director Rajkumar Hirani, the producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Munnabhai himself for their reactions after winning the poll.

Hirani said, "I was very scared about the film, but Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) and Vinod were confident." But did Vidhu Vinod know the sequel was better and bigger than Munnabhai MBBS? "I knew it was better. But I wasn't bothered about it being bigger," he said. Munna on the other hand wants to play the character of Munnabhai till he is 80 years old he says. "Munnabhai was straight from my heart. It was woven very well," Dutt said.

Vidhu Vinod added, "The character of Munnabhai should never die. As long as Sanju is alive, we will continue making Munnabhai.""We are writing the script and it's growing. We want Munna and Circuit to go to America," Hirani says.

So do the audience pin their hopes on Munnabhai Part III?

Another Munnabhai in the making?
.

Munna Bhai too good

Lage Raho Munna Bhai is a very humurous movie .Vidhu Vinod Chopra,Sanjay Dutt,Boman Irani Arshad Warsi ,and Jimmy Shergill magic is back .They have done superb roles .There is a new actress Vidya Balan ,who has done very good work in the movie.Gandhiji guides Munna, who starts a new life based upon Gandhism,particularly non-violence and truth,which he calls Gandhigiri.He advocates Gandhigiri with the help of his friend circuit(Arshad Varsi) who describes the October 2 holiday as dry day since alcoholic beverages are not sold on this day.This movie reminds us of the Gandhiji and his principles, which we have forgotten.There are some instances in the movie which are very funny.
First is when a son was going to commit to suicide when he realizes that he has done a mistake
Gandhiji gave him the courage to speak the truth .we begin to remind the Gandhiji's principles of speaking the truth and forgiveness.
Second is when a person who splits in the front of a person's house.Instead of criticizing and fighting ,the person didn't say anything and gave him a big smile.we begin to remind the Gandhiji's principles of non-violence and embarrassing the wrong person.
Third is when a girl went to choose a boy.Gandhiji preached that a person should be judged by the behaviour ,he do with his fellow men.That was awesome.
Fourth is when an old person was not getting his pension.He embarrassed the person at the desk by giving his medicines,clothes and everything.
Fifth is when a daughter was criticizing her parents because they have done a mistake.Gandhiji's principles of respecting ur parents and speak the truth came into limelight.

Songs in the movie are very good.
Pal Pal Pal har Par kaise katega yeh Pal is very melodious.
Others songs like Anne CharAnne Bache hai CharAnne ,Samjho Ho hi gaya are faboulous and make us laugh.

There are lots of humourous scenes in the movie.People listening the radio and getting emotional and laugh by the real life situation on the radio.
Bomi Irani plays a good role in the form of a sardar.
Diya Mirza and Jimmy Shergill plays a good role.
Abhishek Bachan has a guest appearance in the movie who marries the Diya Mirza inspite of knowing the truth.

.

Will try to have a critical view of Lage Raho Munnabhai: next

Can't seem to find any critical review of the film, seems that the critics also got hooked to Munnabhai

Boman Irani

The immensely talented Boman Irani plays Lucky Singh – a loud rich Punjabi builder. A colourful character, Lucky's priorities in life are money and family, and he is willing to go to any length for both. When he's not multiplying his money, Lucky is busy adding to his vast collection of doctored photographs, which have him standing next to the likes of George Bush. Has he ever been to the US? Of course not!

M.P. seeks Padmashree for 'Munnabhai' makers

LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI continues to make news!

Makers of LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI got support from a lawmaker who demanded that they should be awarded Padmashree on the Republic Day. In his Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha, Shantaram Naik, Congress, said, "No books written on Gandhiji could make inroads into the minds of teenagers. The producer and director of LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI should be awarded Padmashree on the occasion of the coming Republic Day."

.

Lage Raho Munnabhai becomes Tax-Free

The theory of Gandhigiri has taken over the country and now, to make it easier for people to watch the film, the government has curbed the entertainment taxes on the film. The tax free orders were given out after the screening committee set up by the government gave clearance for it.

However, the ticket rates of only the single screens will be slashed by 40 percent. The new multiplexes have the tax holiday policy, so there won't be many changes in the ticket rates. Though multiplexes which are more than three years old will be giving a 25 percent reduction on ticket rates. So, with everything working for Munnabhai, all we can say is Lage Raho Hiranibhai.

.

'Munnabhai' screened at the U.N.

On Friday, 10th November, LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI was screened at United Nations in New York at the Dag Hammarskjold auditorium. This was the first time ever that a full-length feature film in Hindi was screened at the U.N.

Shashi Tharoor, who introduced the film, warmly welcomed the film to the U.N. and appreciated its role in bringing Gandhi back into the public consciousness. In a humorous vein, he recounted how he was intrigued by the term ˜Gandhigiri' in the Indian media and tried to figure out what it meant.

There was thunderous clapping at the high points of the film, like the pensioner shedding his clothes. The applause at the end of the screening was unending. A vibrant question and answer session followed with director Rajkumar Hirani, writer Abhijat Joshi and actor Boman Irani, who flew to the U.S. for the screening.

.

Protests against Lage Raho Munnabhai

Lage Raho Munnabhai has now drawn flak from none other than Gandhiji's grand-daughter, Usha Gokani. According to her, the whole concept of 'Gandhigiri' is disrespectful to the teaching and philosophy of the man, who led India to independence through his grit and determination.

Explaining her dissatisfaction on the way the philosophy of Gandhi has been propagated in the movie, Usha Gokani said, "People misuse Gandhi's message and teachings all the time and interpret his philosophy according to their own whims and fancies.''

Youth Congress workers in Indore, led by Deepak Chhabara (NSUI activist) took to the streets and staged a protest against the movie by burning posters. They have demanded a ban on the film.

.

Munna's tryst with Oscars begins

LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI was the opening film at the University of Southern California's first-ever Indian film festival. The film was screened before a capacity audience at the Frank Sinatra Auditorium on 27th October to a rapturous response.

Students and faculty of the prestigious university clapped for minutes after the screening. A lively question and answer session followed with Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi, the producer-director-writer trio of the film. Almost all questions were prefixed with heartfelt praise for the film, with one member of the audience pointing out that the film was in the tradition of the great films of Charlie Chaplin in its capacity to make people laugh and cry.

.

Aane Char Aane

Lage Raho Munnabhai

.

Pal Pal Har Pal

Samjho Ho Hi Gaya

.

Samjho Ho Hi Gaya

.

07.18.06
"Munnabhai Lage Raho is not a sequel," says the Director

"I would like to reaffirm that Lage Raho Munnabhai is not a sequel to Munnabhai MBBS," says director Rajkumar Hirani. Then what exactly is it....Bole Toh Mamu? "My latest is a continuation of the concept. It is a different episode in the life of Munnabhai," he clarifies. ˜Munnabhai Lage Raho' is one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year as it hits theatres on September 1st. Starring Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan, Jimmy Shergil, Diya Mirza and Boman Irani, ˜Lage Raho' may be the biggest event in Sanju Baba's life after ˜Munnabhai'.Arshad Warsi who is basking in the glory of his latest release ˜Golmaal' owes his second innings in Bollywood to his ˜Circuit' act in Munnabhai MBBS a couple of years ago. Sanjay Dutt on his part wanted the title to be ˜Munnabhai Meets Mahatma Gandhi' but when an opinion poll seconded ˜Munnabhai Lage Raho' he decided to go with the flow. The promos of the film are already creating curiosity value on the small screen as Munnabhai plans to serenade the Multi Screens this September with his Robin Hood act. Once Again!

The DVD

Video:

Another nice mess. That's the only way to describe this dodgy DVD release of Lage Raho Munna Bhai by Eros International, a company that's never shy to boast about the massive quantity of films in their vaults or the equally hefty amount of cash at their disposal. When it comes to supplying quality products for their consumers however, they are clearly just as ill as Lucky Singh. This disc is in NTSC format, but has been copied from a PAL video source, which in turn has been improperly converted from a 24fps master. So not only are we getting the usual ghosting that goes with bog-standard interlacing, but duplicated frames as well giving a horribly blurred and jerky picture. Rounding off the muck-ups is a dreadful amount of MPEG compression problems that are also on display. Points may be awarded for some wonderful colour/contrast rendition, an absence of any print damage and a thankfully correctly-framed (if slightly cropped) anamorphic widescreen presentation, but this doesn't make up for such an amateurish transfer.

Audio:

Things happily improve somewhat on the audio front with a mostly clear 5.1 Dolby Digital track. Still, not all is well, as the mix sounds rather soft and weak, not packing the punch it should. Some of the dialogue tends to come across slightly garbled on occasion as well, which again sounded more a problem with the DVD encoding rather than the original recordings.

.

Special Features:

A bonus DVD comes bundled with this release and includes a five-part, 98-minute documentary on the making of the film and a short promo made up mostly of clips from both 'LRMB' and Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.. The documentary drags at times, but on the whole is an interesting enough look at the movie with all the main participants from the cast and crew offering their thoughts and, as always, gushing with praise.

No subtitles are supplied for the second disc (the majority of which is in Hindi), however the main feature on disc one includes an English subtitle track. With so much Tapori Hindi slang featured in the original dialogue (think Cockney or ˜Jive'), it was never going to be a simple job translating the lines in a coherent manner into another language while also maintaining the difference in speech and characterisation as well as the humour. Eros have made a fairly decent attempt at this and succeed at times, but too often the translations just wind up either too far out/crude or just the opposite by being overly formal. The song lyrics are particularly inaccurate and bare little resemblance to the original lines. Eros also distributed 'LRMB' in English theatres where it ran with a completely different and far more credible subtitle translation, so I can't fathom why the same track couldn't have also been featured here.


.