A Movie Nearly Every Night: Asoka

Asoka (2001)
Director: Santosh Sivan
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa

A somewhat random moment of singing and dance ... I love Hindi cinema

Title change to the blog since Beatles Rock Band arrives tomorrow and that will cut into movie watching, but also because I still haven't finished this one. At this point I'm not even sure when Netflix will be getting it back. It's only 2 hours and 30 minutes, which is short for Bollywood, but it was mom's birthday and we had to go to the market and I'm only an hour and half into it so far and now it's time for bed. I've got another hour, but I'm too old to stick it out tonight. Besides, this first half has given me plenty to go on and I'm pretty sure it'll end in somewhat the same fashion it started in.

See, it's my theory that you can tell the story of any Bollywood film in 5 minutes or less. Actually, if it takes more than 2 minutes, you're just using too many articles and prepositions.

There's this guy, Asoka (Shah Rukh), and he's a prince, and he leaves the kingdom because his half-brother wants to kill him, and he meets this princess, Kaurwaki (Kareena Kapoor), and she's not really a princess, but that's another story, and they get married. Now he's going back to his kingdom because his mother is sick. An hour and a half into it and that's all that's happened. I suspect it will pick up and he will kill some people when he goes home, but if you know your history (and anyone with access to Wikipedia does, come on) you know that he's going to eventually be an emperor and then convert to Buddhism. There's your final hour.

Shah Rukh is lovely and silly and all those things he tends to be in pictures -- and I have no problem with that. If you've got a good schtick you should make it work until the well runs dry. He's got maybe 10 - 12 years left of it, I'd say. Play it out, my man.

Pre-Buddhism Asoka ... he was a violent cheater, but kinda charming

There's singing, dancing, non-kiss love, meaningful stares and plenty of hair swinging. It's everything I expected so far and more.

But, yes, it's a little silly.