Product Details

• Actors: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Upen Patel, Rishi Kapoor, Javed Sheikh
• Directors: Vipul Amrutlal Shah
• Format: NTSC
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Eros Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: December 15, 2007
• Run Time: 132 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0016GON32
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #231,665 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "This is the time for true love.", June 3, 2007

By 

H. Bala "Me Too Can Read" (Just moved to posh Marina Del Rey, CA - where if you drop a quarter, why, you just keep on walking) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Namastey London DVD (DVD)

For unabashed, expansive love stories which dwell in that exalted state of heartbreak, go no further than a Bollywood film. NAMASTEY LONDON, which came out in 2007, is only the latest example of this Indian cinema's penchant for giddy, achy romance and go-all-out musical numbers. I happen to think that this picture is a Bollywood gem and shouldn't be missed.

Jasmeet (Katerina Kaif), who prefers to be called Jazz, is a bright and beautiful Indian girl who was born and raised in London and, thus, has picked up westernized sensibilities and a modern attitude. Jazz insists that she is British and scoffs at the idea of marrying a nice Indian boy, even going so far as to sabotage her parents' attempts to introduce her to one. Instead, she hooks up with her British boss, the urbane Charlie Brown (yes, Charlie Brown), who boasts Prince Charles for an acquaintance. Finally, Jazz's partying lifestyle becomes too much for her father and he acts. He convinces his daughter to go along on holiday to India, where he has Jazz run a gauntlet of prospective husbands. But the suitors prove to be hopeless and weird. At this time, enter Arjun.

Arjun (Akshay Kumar) happens to be the son of a friend of Jazz's dad, and Arjun fancies Jazz. Soon, a marriage is arranged, to Jazz's vehement objections. But Jazz tricks Arjun into flying to London on their wedding night. Once in London, she refuses to acknowledge the wedding's legitimacy and proclaims herself a single girl, with the intent of marrying her British boyfriend. Arjun is heartbroken but decides to remain in London until Jazz's wedding to Charlie. In the limited time left him, Arjun hopes to win his wife's heart.

Let me say this, I love this movie. It's breezy and delightfully contemporary. At 2 hours 12 minutes, this one is shorter in length than the Bollywood norm and that, perhaps, helped the film as, this time, the script had to be trimmed of fat, leaving no room for non sequitur subplots. Whoever wrote the story knew how best to tug at your heart strings. There are tiny but perfect romantic moments here which provide intoxication for the soul. Attractive leads Akshay Kumar and Katerina Kaif provide sizzling chemistry as they turn in performances which I soon won't forget. True, it took me a while to like Akshay's character as his Arjun seemed to be too much the laughing, rustic Punjabi yokel who guzzles milk straight from the cow. And yet, once in London, he reveals his true mettle. Out of his element, unable to speak English, Arjun remains steadfast and clings to his love for Jazz. This love is the primary driving force which enables him to accomplish all that he does in his stay. Accomplishments which seem ordinary. But, on closer look, the things that Arjun does for Jazz are quite remarkable. This is the best I've seen of Akshay Kumar. As much as Katerina dominated the first half of the movie, Akshay owns the second half. Just watch this man, the ache in him as he gazes at Jazz. The wistful, self-mocking grin he flashes. Arjun is perfectly aware of the situation and its implications (his family in India thinks him still happily married) but what else can he do but try his best to win the unattainable girl? And if he can't win her love, then, at least, be in her company for as long as possible. Yup, this is good acting by Akshay.

Katerina Kaif complements him wonderfully. Katerina is still fairly new to acting. NAMASTEY LONDON is her second film with Akshay Kumar, the first being the 2006 release Humko Deewana Kar Gaye. Born in London in real life, of a British mum and an Indian dad, she was dubbed by other actors as it was felt her skill with the native Indian tongue wasn't nearly proficient enough. Here, for the first time, she gets to dub her lines in Hindi. Acting wise, Katerina hits all the right notes. She integrates personal growth into her character. Initially a spoiled, hip girl who only wanted to have fun and who scorned the Indian lifestyle, Jazz matures in her ways and eventually changes her outlook and her preferences, thanks to Arjun's presence and influence. Yet, even with this maturity, Jazz retains her vibrancy. The camera wonderfully catches the expressions on her face every time she looks at Arjun, expressions which transition from bemusement to confusion to appreciation, and, finally, to tenderness.

NAMASTEY LONDON does engage in unsurprising nationalism here (the film even momentarily becomes a travelogue for India) and portrays several of the Brit characters in less than complimentary light. From Charlie's making fun of Indian dances at a rugby match to old Mr. Pringle's civilized racial slurs to English parents who, before they allow their daughter to marry Imran, Jazz's Pakistani friend, demand that he change his name to Ian or Immanuel, give up his religion, and sign paperwork indicating that he isn't involved in terrorist acts. Now that's cold.

The sub-title work stumbles in places, never more glaringly than when it butchers the Pussycat Doll's "Don't Cha" lyrics as "Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?" becomes "Don't you wish to gulp Haywards hot like me?" On the positive side, there's an extensive "Making Of" segment, gratifyingly sub-titled in English for us who are Hindi-challenged. The songs are all fantastic (and how rare is that?), from the hip, disco-trendy "Dilrooba" to "Rafta Rafta," with its explosion of brilliant colors, and to the wistful and hopeful "Yehi Hota Pyaar." There's also the brief, heartachy interlude of "Veeraniya," but the most effective and most fun track is "Chakna Chakna" which showcases a riveting performance by Akshay. The songs in London, by the way, are an even bigger hoot when one factors in that these numbers jarringly utilize British back up dancers.

I've a few favorite moments in this film. The amusing bit with the ridiculous suitor obsessed with Indian soaps is one. Then, following Arjun's quiet declaration of love to Jazz, the song "Yehi Hota Pyaar" shows fleeting scenes of Arjun running into her all over London, which includes a moment I particularly cherish (I dunno why, exactly), of Jazz having a footwear malfunction and Arjun helping her out. I also enjoyed Jazz's discomfort in India (which is presented humorously), the rugby match, Rishi Kapoor's droll supporting turn as Jazz's dad, the dancing in the dark, and Arjun's patriotic speech, with Jazz translating, to the condescending Mr. Pringle. Most of all, I enjoyed the romantic essence of the film. Really, is there anything more elegantly heartbreaking than unrequited love? NAMASTEY LONDON would have you believe: no.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite enjoyable 4 star movie, December 23, 2008

By 

Lyn Taryn "Lyn Taryn" (Melbourne Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Namastey London DVD (DVD)

This is a 'will she marry the guy the parents want and return to India or follow her heart' movie.
Akshay does a good job with the gentle romantic part. Katrina Kaif is very good as the sassy Indian cum London girl.
It also has some good songs -some worth downloading.
Even though it is set both in the UK and India it retains its full Bollywood flavour (unlike some of the less satisfactory attempts to blend the cultures). Enjoyable Bollywood fare.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth Watching, September 30, 2010

By 

Jennifer Hopfinger "bollywoodticket" (Chicago, IL, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Namastey London DVD (DVD)

Their first film together--'Humko Deewana Kar Gaye' (2006)--was a disappointment, but Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif sparkled in 'Namastey London'--her first major hit and his first of four hits in 2007, including another with Kaif later that year, 'Welcome.' They co-starred in the blockbuster 'Singh is Kinng' the following year. But 'Namastey London' remains their best outing together--and one of Kaif's best films.

In only her fifth Hindi movie, Kaif's still a little green, but her promise starts to show here. She plays Jasmeet, who goes by the nickname "Jazz," a London-born girl with India-born parents. With her mother's encouragement and to her father's dismay, she's thoroughly British--in the way she thinks, dresses, and socializes. The role was likely not a stretch for Kaif, who is half-British herself and was raised in the West.

Actor Rishi Kapoor as Jasmeet's father, Manmohan, nearly steals the show. He's no stern villain who only sees his daughter as a reflection of his own honor. Rather, he's like most dads--caring, concerned, struggling to let go of his adult child, worried she's making the wrong choices (which she is), and completely at a loss about what to do about it. Sick of dragging his drunk daughter out of clubs and horrified that she's engaged to her thrice-divorced boss, Charlie (Clive Standen), Manmohan tricks Jazz into going on a family vacation to India with the intention of marrying her off to an Indian while they're there. He thinks he's doing what's best for her when he betroths her to a rural rube, Arjun (Akshay Kumar).

Back home, Jasmeet's friend Imran (Upen Patel) is disowned by his Pakistani father, Parvez (Javed Sheikh), for moving in with his girlfriend Susan. When Imran gets a desperate call from Jazz in India, he advises her to go along with the wedding--because God only knows what her brutish fiancé might do to her if she refuses--return to London, and point out to everyone that the marriage isn't legal in the UK, and then no one can force her to do anything. Which is exactly what she does--and then proceeds with her wedding plans to Charlie.

But it turns out that Arjun is a good guy who really loves her and he sets out to win her heart by letting her go and being her friend, with the hope that she'll pick him once she gets to know him. Charlie is such a jerk that even his own father tries to warn her off and Arjun cherishes her so honorably that it's hard to understand what takes her so long to make up her mind.

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