Paheli

This movie is perfect in every respect. I don't understand how this film was a flop in India, but they seem to understand the power and limitlessness of love better than anyone in Hollywood. This film is like a folk tale but it has an ageless quality to it that most folk tales don't have. It feels like it could be happening right now and it feels very truthful and relevant to everyone because everyone dreams of being loved like this. When I first saw Shah Rukh Khan's character Kishan, I was disappointed. I tend to expect Shah Rukh to be immediately magical and romantic but his character is a cowardly, shallow little man that is completely under his father's thumb (he seems to be afraid of his father). And his mustache and bad hat don't help matters. He can flippantly say to his sobbing new bride that he'll only be gone for five years, leaving her alone in a strange house with his family whom she doesn't yet know. He is obsessed with counting every penny he just spent on their wedding and he barely looks at his gorgeous new bride (Rani Mukherji) who is so sweet and so hopeful. You're pretty much hoping Kishan will meet some rabid camels on his travels to make more money. Then Shah Rukh appears as a ghost in the guise of Kishan and you sigh with relief. Although Rani's character Lachchi mistakes him for her husband, only kinder, the ghost lets her know he is a ghost and lets her decide to let him in her life or not. I like how they imply that a ghost is a better man than a man. That a ghost tells the truth when a man would lie and a ghost freely speaks his love and shows appreciation for his wife when a man doesn't feel it to be necessary. I love the spirit puppets that are like the ghost's conscience. This is the most romantic movie I've ever seen and it's so sweet and enchanting and soul-bending. There's not even any kissing, just nuzzling and caressing, and yet it is so passionate you feel like you should look away and yet you can't. It's very nice to see Juhi Chawla and Shah Rukh in a movie together again. Everyone in this movie does such a flawless job. Shah Rukh is tender and real and stunning, Rani is the definition of grace and beauty. This movie is three hours long, as all Bollywood movies are, but it passes so quickly, too quickly. I've watched this twice in a day many times. The soundtrack is epic and sweeping and has the full range of hopeful songs, sad songs, and celebratory songs. The first time I watched the movie, the minute the movie ended I was on the computer ordering the soundtrack. One of the best movies ever made, one of the best soundtracks ever made, breathtaking spiritual love story, gorgeous people, remarkable scenery. If you are reading these reviews and are considering purchasing this movie just stop, put it in your cart, check out and count the days until it arrives and be giddy.

The plot of the movie has been described in other reviews on this board. Suffice it to say that, as in many Shah Rukh Khan films, there is an underlying message in the plot, which is that spirit animates beauty and that we are more than the sum of our bodies.SRK is well known as the King of Bollywood, but this does not begin to capture the ability of this actor to go beyond acting and to actually become the charcater he is playing. In this film, he plays the role of the husband and the role of a ghost posing as the husband in the husband's body. There are no artificial props indicating a switch in charcaters, but you can tell who is the husband and who the ghost because Khan's face literally changes. So, to call Khan the King of Bollywood is to demean the standing of a very fine actor, a world-class actor, whose presence would grace any screen and production--be it Indian, British, or American. In fact, it is my belief that American producers will soon come to recognize this man's talent and worldwide appeal and will begin to offer him substantial roles.The other great feature of this film is Rani Mukherji as the wife. She is also a very fine dramatic actress, quite equal to the task of playing opposite Khan. There are several scenes in which she dances in a traditional Indian style and she floats above ground as a flash of fluid color. Beautiful.This has not been one of Khan's more commercial films and it did not do terribly well in India. But it is a film well worth having in your library.

This product exceeded my expectation. I use it frequently. It came in a colorful and sturdy package. This is a fantasy, with mystical features similar to the story in the movie "Meet Joe Black" with Bratt Pitt, only it's in a Hindu version. Lots of enjoyable color, music, Romance, and humor. A young woman enters into an unhappy arranged marriage because not realizing what was going to happen, her new husband immediately leaves on a business trip that will keep him away for several years. Meanwhile, a spirit being takes interest in her immediately after seeing her. The spirit transforms himself into the image of the woman's husband and thus the Romance begins between a spirit being and the woman who's grieving because of being separated from her husband. How the story plays out from there, the various circumstances that take place and certain entertaining events make the movie well worth viewing. Of course the language is in Hindi but it has English subtitles. Nonetheless, the movie is well worth that small inconvenience. Shah Rukh Khan is superb portraying both characters, who are almost nothing alike.

A uniquely, entertaining folktale of a ghost who falls in love with a bride and seizes the opportunity to take the bridegroom's place when the bridegroom who, on the wishes of his father, departs for a few years on business the day after his marriage because it was considered an auspicious time for this. Months pass before the bridegroom realizing his mistake starts yearning for his wife. He sends a letter to his Father wanting news of the family. Confusing episodes caused by the ghost, follows the letter and the letter carrier. The bridegroom then hears news of his wife's pregnancy and birth of the baby and returns home to deal with the situation! A double role both suitably played by Shah Rukh Khan as both ghost and bridegroom. Who wins the bride is the story of love and dedication. A great movie to watch and for the outcome!

Best Bollywood romance... Ever

La película llegó bien envuelta y sin problemas. Buena calidad.

I recommend this movie to any viewer who loves a romance -- the heroine has an option: to love the ghost who is taking her husband's place or to wait five years for her husband's return. AND since the ghost is Mr. Khan, why not!!! This is a fabulous story that can be viewed by the entire family.Enjoy!!!

Loved each and every part of dis mvie.enjoyed watching d different SRK.Packing was nice nd price is also good.every1 who wishes to see a different srk is gonna love dis 1

Paheli ist ein Film nur für Frauen ;). Es geht darum das sich ein Geist verliebt und den Platz des Mannes einnimmt, der 1 TAg nach der Hochzeit auf eine 5-jährige Reise geht, um für seinen Vater noch mehr Geld zu erwirtschaften. Der Film ist sehr gefühlvoll. Die Spezialeffekte fand ich persönlich sehr gut gemacht. Der Film ist eine einzige Romanze und daher "nix für unromantische Männer" ;)

"Life, burn slowly" -Dharelee jeli (?) in Hindi- is the title of one of the songs inside this Indian film. It is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, and, like the rest of the film, tells us to enjoy life as we get it. Ironically, it is a ghost (Sharukh Khan) who must show us how much life is worthwhile.The plot for this wonderful Indian movie is inspired on an old folk tale, a love story that tells the dilemma faced by Lachcho when an incarnated ghost takes the place of her absent husband. The husband (played by Sharukh Khan, too) has never really been anything but cold towards her, giving more importance to material gains than to his new relationship, and not caring for his new wife's feelings to the point of abandoning her in pursuit of riches after the wedding night. In steps the ghost, who fell in love with the young bride after just a glimpse of her while she was travelling to her new home. The ghost is grateful for this opportunity of tasting life in the place of Lachcho's reluctant husband, but immediately decides against doing this at the cost of Lachcho's feelings or dignity: he tells her from the beginning that he is not her husband, declares his love and lets her decide what she wants to do.This opportunity to decide is a deeply moving moment for Lachcho, who has never in her life been asked her opinion, not even about her own life. And this dilemma provides the vehicle for one of the movie's most important themes: the dignity that comes with making our own decissions and taking responsibility for our lives; a dignity that, unfortunately, is denied to many women.How like Bollywood to make a film that can be "read" at several levels, where there is all the glamorous entertainment typical of Indian films -music,songs, gorgeous clothes, bright colours...- and ethical themes that provide food for thought. And it really is like that: Sharukh Khan is his old charming and adorable self (and getting better and better at acting; I hope he NEVER retires !!!), Rani Mukherji has just the right chemistry for him, none eclipsing the other (although she's strikingly beautiful and quite a good actress), the music and songs have to be some of THE BEST I've ever heard in my life, the local setting in Rajastan is so intriguing that it takes an effort not to begin packing your bags to go there immediately.And all in all, the "paheli" or dilemma/riddle for me is....how can you pretend to have any kind of relationship with someone if you don't give him/her the oportunity to choose? The answer is that this is, of course, impossible: there is no love without freedom of choice.