Customer Reviews (4) 
Awesome
Gift reciepient thrilled.Packaging very secure, shipping times as stated.Would buy from seller again.
Bunty aur Babli, they be kickin' it
I absolutely had to have Bunty aur Babli for Aishwarya Rai's sizzling cameo appearance in the musical number Kajra Re (a song which took India and my little piece of America by storm), but I really enjoyed this movie on its own merits.Yes, the story is a tad far-fetched, but who cares?This is Bollywood, after all.We're talking great performances (including those of the formidable father-son tandem of Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan), incredible songs, and lots of laughs.Rani Mukerji, an actress I was unfamiliar with, proved to be nothing short of delightful (even during her several crying jags).This really is a movie you can enjoy over and over again.
Rakesh (Abhishek Bachchan) and Vimmi (Rani Mukerji) represent many a village youth who dream of thwarting tradition and finding wealth and fame in the big city.Rakesh comes from Fursatganj in Uttar Pradesh, and he is a born schemer always on the make for a big idea.Vimmi, from Pankinagar, dreams of being a supermodel and can't stand the thought of being forced into a marriage with someone she doesn't even like.Both Rakesh and Vimmi decide to run away to realize their dreams, but their plans are quickly squashed in Lucknow.Then fate draws them together, and Bunty and Babli are born.Setting their sites on Bombay, they con a man who scammed Rakesh out of a lot of money in order to get the travel funds they need.It doesn't stop there, though, as they fully embrace their Bunty and Babli personas, gaining widespread notoriety from all of the increasingly elaborate and highly profitable schemes they pull off.They soon become cult heroes of a sort to the youth of the country, as even the most powerful of men and women fall victim to their daring plans.They even succeed in "leasing" the Taj Mahal to a fabulously wealthy American businessman for his wedding.They can be anyone or anybody, from real estate tycoons to tour guides to spiritual gurus to government ministers.So, yes, they technically are desperately wanted criminals - but you can't help but love them as they run their scams, argue back and forth, and eventually fall in love.One man who doesn't love them, though, is DCP Dasbrath Singh (Amitabh Bachchan), who devotes himself to bringing Bunty and Babli to justice.
The music of this film is amazing.Kajra Re was a huge hit, but it's only one of several fantastic songs to be found here.Dhadhak Dhadhak sets the stage of the main characters' optimism and determination to pursue their dreams, while the title track manages to epitomize their irresistible personalities.As for just how big those dreams are, the elaborate Broadway-esque musical number Nach Baliye gives you a pretty good idea.Nach Baliye doesn't get mentioned as much as the other musical numbers, but I absolutely love this infectiously energetic song.Chup Chupke is a wonderful love song that beautifully frames Bunty and Babli's romantic relationship.And, of course, there is there is the rap song B n B (performed by Blaaze), which features Amitabh "Uncle D" Bachchan in the promotional video that also runs alongside the closing credits.
Like many Bollywood releases, Bunty aur Babli features a bonus DVD full of wonderful extras.This hours' worth of material includes the B n B video featuring Amitabh Bachchan, an MTV "Making of" look behind the scenes of the B n B video, a feature on "The Making of Bunty aur Babli," a number of deleted scenes and outtakes, a look at the official music release for the film, a theatrical trailer, and a number of television promos.It's just an embarrassment of riches that makes this a must-have item for any and all Bollywood fans.
Just a lot of fun, if you're willing to suspend disbelief
Bunty aur Babli is the story of two small town kids with bigger aspirations.They meet up while trying and failing to achieve their dreams.The young man gets cheated out of his dream, so together they cheat the man who cheated them.Taking on the pseudonyms Bunty and Babli, they travel around India, dressing up as various types and stereotypes, defrauding people of their money.
In real life, many of the scams the characters run would never work.In real life, they would have been caught within a matter of months, because the would have been easily recognized.Reel life in Bollywood, however, is a different matter.The police officer trying to track them down says that nobody knows what they look like.(Really, their disguises aren't that good).But if you are willing to ignore these factors, the movie is a lot of fun to watch.
The acting by Abhishek Bachchan as Bunty is great, and his father, Amitabh, as the police officer is also great.The film makes a couple of jokes about their real life relationship.Rani Mukerji is a bit disappointing in this role.She has done better.
The music, possibly the most important part of a film in this genre, is good fun.
One criticism about the DVD is that there are no Hindi subtitles.This is true of almost all Hindi films.What do hearing impaired Hindi speakers do?
UMM...IT'S OKAAAY...BUT THANK GOODNESS FOR AISHWARYA RAI
I guess it was bound to happen. This is gonna be the first Bollywood film I'm rating as less than 5 stars ('course, I only started viewing Bollywood not more than 2 months ago). Bunty Aur Babli is a so-so film, about 2 and a half hours long, and is definitely more of a rental. Hated to say that because I'm becoming a fan of Abhishek Bachchan, whom I've seen in Kuch Naa Kaho and Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, two most definitely superior movies.
So, the plot: Rakesh (Abhishek Bachchan) is a man determined to escape his humdrum, small-city life and opts to leave home when given an ultimatum by his father to either show up in a job interview or not come home at all. Rakesh, you see, has come up with the perfect business scheme, which he believes will propel him to immediate financial success. Meet also Vimmi (Rani Mukerji), who wants more of life than to become a typical arranged bride and thus runs away, pursuing her dream to become Miss India. Both of these young hopefuls' plans go awry. Then they meet and Rakesh and Vimmi become Bunty and Babli, scammers extraordinaire, bilking people of their riches and then sharing the wealth with the poor and downtrodden. Halfway thru the film enters Dashrath Singh, a stoic, bulldog of a policeman played in full taciturn glory by iconic actor and Abhishek's father, Amitabh Bachchan. The remainder of the film tells of DCP Singh's frustrated attempts to capture the carefree criminals, who had by then become modern day legends.
This is my first time watching Amitabh Bachchan, who is big in India and, frankly, I found him only serviceable, as I did the rest of the cast. I've noted that I've become a fan of young Abhishek Bachchan, but in this effort, while he doesn't embarass himself, I feel that he isn't as good as he was in the other movies I've seen; Rani Mukerji is cute fluff, whose acting is basically good here but who, at one point, annoyed me with her incessant, unconvincing crying. Incidentally, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but this might be the first movie that both the Bachchans have been in.
The musical numbers, I must admit, took turns in alternately grating on my nerves or boring me to a clock-watching frenzy ("isn't this dang song over yet, already?"). There are only 2 musical numbers I enjoyed. One ("B & B) takes place in the closing credits, with an MTV-like video of the elder Bachchan portraying his policeman character rapping/lipsynching in English - it cracked me up. The other one is the penultimate number, "Kajra Re" (Night Eyes), a specialty item featuring Aishwarya Rai, wherein she engages the two Bachchans in a smoking dancefest - very cool, with Aish very hot. Three minutes of this lovely creature will make the viewer forget all about the movies's female lead, old what's-her-face? To be utterly honest, Ms. Rai is the main reason I purchased this movie and, yup indeedy, she raises my eval of this flick from an initial 2 and a half stars to a full 3 stars. Someday I plan to marry her and then we'll reside in a glorious castle on the moon.
To sum up, Bunty Aur Babli is a good-natured, pleasant enough viewing experience, with no airs of self-importance or grandeur. It cheerfully knows what it is and hams itself up to the hilt. It won't challenge your mind or tug at your emotions. It definitely won't make you think or fall into a deep reverie. But if you've got nothing better to do one evening, pop this musical-comedy dvd in, sit back, suspend critical judgement as hard as you can (remember, this is Bollywood), fastforward thru the musical numbers if they get to be too much, and be gentleon the actors. They're all better than this movie.
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