Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

 

      A classic Bollywood film that displays the structure, music, and heart of Bollywood. The relationships between characters, as well as the light-hearted drama are the reasons that Bollywood is so popular.

    For a movie that is over three hours long, the story never slows down or becomes tedious. If you don't like bombastic musical numbers, then this is not the movie for you. Each musical number plays a vital role in the story, playing up relationships or big events like weddings. They may last longer than a typical musical number in a Hollywood film, but each moment is vital to getting that melody stuck in you head. Many of the songs are long in order to drill the musical themes into your head, so once the theme repeats during an emotional moment, you're reminded of the larger musical number.

    One of my favorite numbers was the wedding song. Displaying the preparations for an engagement, Anjali and Aman sing their parts with their respective genders, using playful lyrics and body language to show how joyful this moment is supposed to be. The choreography and camera work engulf you in this exciting celebration.

    Although much of this film is lighthearted, the director does not back down from the emotional story beats. The beginning of the movie opens up with one of the main leads dying from childbirth, leaving her husband and new-born daughter behind. In the flashback with Rahul, Tina, and Anjali, the audience is trying to figure out who Rahul ended up marrying, and who died at the beginning. The revelation of this answer is both solemn and encouraging, because although Tina did not survive, Anjali is still alive and in love with Rahul. The development of new conflicts throughout the story keep it interesting to the audience. As soon as one question is answered, a new conflict arises, creating more questions for the audience.