Pyar to hona hi tha (1998)

प्यार तो होना ही था

After some weighty discussions about feminism and Partition, it was definitely time to write about something with a bit more levity.  Fortunately Pyar to hona hi tha ("Love had to happen") was there to do the job.

Sanjana (Kajol), an orphaned Indian living in Paris, is engaged to her sweetheart Rahul (Bijay Anand).  Rahul's business takes him on a trip to India, where he is swept off his feet by a sexy modern vixen named Nisha (Kashmira Shah), and breaks his engagement to Sanjana.  Heartbroken, Sanjana heads to India to win him back.  On the way, she meets the roguish thief Shekhar (Ajay Devgan), on the run from his one-time friend, Police Inspector Khan (Om Puri).  Circumstances conspire to strand Shekhar and Sanjana in Shekhar's village, where she learns that inside scoundrel there beats a heart of pure gold.  Shekhar agrees to help her win back her lost love.  Sanjana and Shekhar pretend to be lovers to make Rahul jealous.  But as the film's title suggests, it's not long before the pretense becomes reality.

Pyar to hona hi tha is an innocuous and pleasant romance.  Like any romance, its charm depends upon the appeal of its principals, and they deliver well enough to make the movie engaging and sweet.  Kajol is talented at physical comedy, and that talent is put to good use in Sanjana's clumsy streak; her klutziness is cute and funny (though, unfortunately, it has no real bearing on the story).  And Ajay Devgan is better here than in some films where he broods and mopes incessantly; Shekhar is permitted moments of insecurity that show through his facade of cool.  The result is an endearing pairing that the viewer can really root for.  

I've been told that Pyar to hona hi tha is a remake of a Hollywood romance flick called French Kiss.  I've never seen the original, but most people seem to think the filmi touches are an improvement.  I guess that Bollywood really does have a way with romance.  Some of the better filmi elements in Pyar to hona hi tha are the songs, which are very cute; they are mostly innocuous pop, but surprisingly catchy.  There are entertaining picturizations too, especially the village engagement party and a trippy song that takes place on an airplane.  The latter includes segments having different musical styles, including a qawwali and a uniquely filmi adaptation of the Macarena.   The less felicitous additions from the filmi bag of tricks include a couple of lengthy car chases and a random, unnecessary shooting and hostage sequence in a shopping mall.  On balance, though, Pyar to hona hi tha offers a pleasant helping of everything one might require of a Hindi popcorn romance. 

Greta of Memsaab Story, with whom I watched Pyar to hona hi tha, considers the film a sentimental favorite; here's what she has to say about it. 

Comments

[maxqnz]

This sounds like a nice light watch, thanks Carla. I really enjoyed French Kiss, which also worked because of the chemistry between its leads, Kevin Kline and Meg Ryan. I'm interested in this one because in the few movies I've seen them in, Mr and Mrs Devgan score close to zero in onscreen chemistry, so it will be interesting to one that bucks that trend. If I can find it.

Maxqnz - watch U Me and Hum - some onscreen chemistry is there bet Mr & Mrs Devgan. Ajay Devgan has done a good job directing the movie.

Meg Ryan is my fav actress too. Haven't seen French Kiss - will try to watch it sometime

Meera

[maxqnz]

"Maxqnz - watch U Me and Hum - some onscreen chemistry is there bet Mr & Mrs Devgan"

I shall add that to my list. Sadly access is still a problem up here in Aotearoa. With the nearest BW cinemas 350-400 kilometres away, and only one local DVD rental with a decent stock, it's hit and miss here.

[memsaab]

maxqnz: PTHHT is pretty easy to find, I think it's always been quite popular :-)

Carla: Hindi Popcorn Romance (Hindi Hookah Romance?) is the perfect way to describe it!!! (and actually, many of my favorites...I don't know what that says about me!) Was great fun to see it again with you.

[maxqnz]

"maxqnz: PTHHT is pretty easy to find, I think it's always been quite popular :-)"

"Easy to find" doesn't really apply here, especially to movies from before 2000. I have to save my anas and wait for a really good deal from Nehaflix to make up for the cost of shipping. I sometimes think my attachment to carla's blog is proof of my masochism, for that very reason. :)

[bollyviewer]

Hmm.. how about calling it a "chaat romance" as "popcorn" doesnt quite do justice to all the masala ingredients in the movie ("chaat" is a spicy Indian snack redolent with all sorts of scrumptious flavors). ;-D

@maxqnz: rajshri.com and bigflicks.com have recently acquired film rights to loads of great oldies and make them available online for free viewing (low resolution video) or paid download (high quality video). You may be able to view some of the movies Carla talks about, there! (Most of the movies arent sub-titled though.)

[Advait]

I cant really remember this movie very well was aages ago when I first saw it..

One thing that did stand out for me from memory that this was the first movie Kajol appeared in after her sabbatical after she got married to Ajay... and correct me if Im wrong but I also think it is the first time they have appeared togather in a movie?

[maxqnz]

I hope this is OK, asking this here. Neither Nehaflix nor Eros has this DVD, so I'm looking for recommendations of other reliable online resellers who might have it in stock. It seems par for the course in my experience that a DVD described as pretty easy to find should in fact not be. None of the local sources I use has it, and the two biggest and most reputable online sources don't either. :(

[Download Movies]

This movie is really good and you can download this movie from http://www.filmisnow.it// site!!!

[Shruti]

French Kiss is definitely a better movie in all respects ( can't say that about the songs though... :D ).
Actually, I saw PTHHT first and did yawn quite a few times. Only when I saw French Kiss, then I realised what a bad remake PTHHT was !

When I saw PTHHT again after seeing French Kiss, I was severely disappointed for many reasons:

- The movie was copied scene-to-scene. Absolutely no imagination was used on the part of the Indian remakers. Except for the village part, maybe...

- Kajol *copied* Meg Ryan's expressions in sooooo many
scenes, I was about to cry..
Let me make it clear that Kajol features in my list of Top 3 favourite (contemporary) Bollywood actresses. But the screaming, the facial expressions.. everything was copied. :(
Looks like Kajol did her homework well, but didn't expect this from her. :-/

**List of copied scenes and situations:

- The brown bag which the heroine carries.. (C'mon guys, you could've changed it to green or red or at least black, but NO !)

- The scene where Rahul (Charlie) is coming down in a transparent elevator in the hotel with his 'slut' girlfriend, and Sanjana (Kate) faints.

- Kajol (Meg Ryan) yelling at the hotel manager (concierge).
Could have used some innovation there !!
I swear I was living the character of Kate during this scene in French Kiss, but the parallel scene in PTHHT hardly made me squirm.
The screaming part was done OK by Kajol, but not nearly good enough...

- Sanjana (Kate) imagining where she wants to be in the future, and turning back to see Shekhar (Luc) instead of Rahul (Charlie).

- The policeman chasing Shekhar (Luc) storyline.

- Klutziness of Sanjana (Kate). Mag Ryan, I bow down to thou.... :)

This list is far from exhaustive. Just a glimpse of pathetic remaking in Bollywood.

OK.. well... I admit, there were some differences between the two movies... Kevin Kline was bloody awesome in his role of the unkempt, mannerless Frenchman, but Ajay Devgan was not even half as good. There's some originality....

And oh yeah, the freaking awesome chemistry between the
leads in French Kiss. :))))