Saawariya (2007/Blu-ray + DVD-Video)

 

Picture: A-/B-     Sound: B/B-     Extras: C     Film: C

 

 

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya (2007) is from India and one of their various Bollywood studios that make more films than even Hollywood, but quantity is not quality, yet Hollywood keeps hoping they can get some imports in and create a cashstream if only U.S. audiences would become interested.  This is from the boy-meets-girl-meets-fantasy cycle and at 138 minutes, wears thin quickly no mater how much money is up ion the screen.

 

It relies heavily on its leads, but as appealing as they try to be and as much energy as everyone puts into this, that makes it no better than the U.S. equivalent and the result is a gaudy run-on that is forgotten as soon as you stop watching.  If the gamble is that you will enjoy it as entertainment because it is exotic and different, that is just not enough to make this work.  Well, at least it looks good on Blu-ray and not bad on DVD.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image is shot on film, is very colorful as so many films from India are, often imitating the old Classical Hollywood cinematographic style, but too often in such films is style over substance.  Director of Photography Kavi K. Chandran, I.S.C., is one of the few reasons this was picked up for U.S. release and you get plenty of demo moments, but the number of such Blu-ray titles out there that deliver the same and better make this for videophiles and fans of such films only.

 

The Dolby True HD 5.1 sound on the Blu-ray and Dolby Digital 5.1 version on the DVD have volume issues that have you going for the remote/volume button.  There is no excuse or reason for this to be so, but someone did not re-EQ this correctly.  Extras include the opening night footage and featurette Making The Music.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo