Guzaarish (English Subtitles)

First off, I have to say that this movie robs me of any credibility when it comes to my ability to be objective. For the most part I try to make these reviews balanced, and funny. (I know I fail more often than not at the funny) Unfortunately, there are times when one cannot even attempt at leaving personal beliefs and circumstances out of art. For me, this is one such time. From the opening scene my point-of-view is unashamedly biased. Why, you may rightfully ask? To that question I can only reply, because Ethan and I have a very similar perspective of the world. We view it in treacherous bodies confined to wheelchairs, beds, and couches. In my case my Cerebral Cortex was damaged some time during or before my premature birth resulting in Cerebral Palsy. Ethan's plight was born from an accident. Either way, when you live at the mercy of a fickle and treacherous body which slowly robs you of independence and freedom, you can't help but see life differently from the vast majority of your fellow human beings. So yes, I can't be objective because I've got quite a bit in common with the hero. He's got a radio station, I have this lovely laptop which allows me to indulge my great passions the chief of these being words. Speaking of words, I've picked up quite a bit of Hindi from this raging Bollywood addiction and I have to say that next to Pyar, (love) I'm enthralled with the word Guzarish, (Request) and yes I did spell it properly, Hindi movie titles usually add or subtract letters in words to suit numerology. Guzarish is a powerful word, to request is more than just to ask, it's deeper than that. Which brings me to a lesser reason of why I can't be objective about this film, the request itself, the guzarish to die. Because of my faith, the sanctity of human life is non-negotiable, in other words I would never kill myself or ask another person for assistance to end my life. Now you may rightfully be thinking, "why you little hypocrite! How can you possibly rate this movie five stars when you believe Ethan shouldn't make this guzarish?" Good question! Frankly I haven't decided if I'm hypocritical or not. All I am certain of is I understand the most important thing that makes this movie so important to me. I understand WHY! I understand why Ethan has made his request, I understand why his best friend decides to fight for him, I understand why it breaks the heart of the woman who loves him more than her own life, but stands by him anyway, I understand why his doctor cannot and will not condone it, and I understand why his mother loves him unconditionally. It's the WHY that makes this film work. I admit, I'm no Ethan. I have my hands, my lungs work just fine, my kidneys are great, I'm not even paralyzed. I've just gotten too old and too weak to haul myself around on my legs. I can feel just about all sensation, although as the years pass it decreases in certain areas. Unlike Ethan, I live in constant agonizing pain that never lets up for a moment. There are other difficulties that I face and I've got no hope for major improvements, forgive the expression, 'it all goes down from here.' So there are days when I really wish I didn't wake up. But whenever I watch this movie it hits me, "This man can't feel the touch of his loved ones. This man can't hold a baby in his arms. This man will never make love to the one person he loves with the very deepest parts of his heart and soul! This man can't even hold his mother's hand! This man can't break things in a temper." Then I wonder, which is worse feeling nothing, or pain so bad it drives you crazy sometimes? I've come to the conclusion neither is worse, it's all a living hell. But at least my thing doesn't condemn me to a slow and terrible death. Poor Ethan, not-so-fortunate. So yeah, I totally understand why he's made his guzarish, but like his doctor, I can't agree with it. Ethan's flaw isn't selfishness, it can't be selfish to want to spare his loved ones witnessing the inevitable death he's destined for without intervention. Nobody with a heart wants their loved ones to have the agony of sitting by helplessly watching them suffer. I speak from experience. Ethan's flaw is weakness, he simply cannot face the end he's being forced to have. I don't blame him for that! After so many years of fighting and overcoming he's run out of strength, and he doesn't have the capacity to draw it from others. I don't agree with his solution but I do understand. My compassion, my empathy, my own suffering compels me to understand, and because of it I cannot and will not condemn. That doesn't mean I'm on his side, I'm not! If I'm on anyone's side it's Sophia! If there's one thing that's kept me from making my own guzarish over the years it's the simple fact that my loved ones need me alive because they NEED to give me their love. You can't give love to a corpse. Sophia needed to love Ethan more than he needed to die! Ah Sophia, as much as I see myself in Ethan I also see myself in her. Another reason I've never made a guzarish, is that you can't *give* love if you're a corpse. Giving love is a powerful reason to live, and in Sophia's case heal from an abusive husband. If there is one MAJOR flaw in this film it's that Ethan never acknowledges that what he's doing is taking away Sophia's greatest happiness, loving him. Granted she knows, he knows, and he knows, she knows, he knows, (yes I'm going for a tiny bit of levity) but still, would an "I'm so sorry that I'm too weak to endure what's next," be out-of-line here? As a woman, I don't think so! Now enough of this sentimental stuff! Time to get down to the nitty-gritty of movie greatness. Production: Sanjay Leela Bhansali is one heck of a director! Okay my favorite is still Ashutosh Gowariker is still my favorite! He made, Jodhaa Akbar (Three-Disc Collector's Edition) people, and it doesn't get better than that! But Mr. Bhansali is pretty darn close! Like Mr. Gowariker, he creates images like fine paintings on screen. He is one obsessively intense micro-manager, and it works! Every sight and sound is exquisite to experience. I appreciate someone with a vision and the talent to get it. But I just have to say, from the interviews I've read he's a very intense personality, to put it mildly. I think he's the Van Gough of Hindi films. I love Van Gough, but I'm glad I'm not a Bollywood actress that's for sure! Good thing his stars aren't so sensitive, and cue the "love letters" they start now! First up: My Hindi film queen, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan! This is actually, the last film she's done since her pregnancy and birth of her little daughter. In other words, it's been three years! Now I'm all for taking time out to be mama, I wish more people liked raising babies better than making money. That said, if you're an actor and you're going on hiatus for a while leave with an ASTOUNDING role! Mrs. Rai Bachchan is a very smart lady. She played all her cards right, she paired with a director who considers her his favorite muse, she teamed up with her best leading man (on film) these two have some white hot chemistry Dhoom 2: Bollywood Movie , and she made sure she got a juicy non-item-girl role with a slamming dance number. Now that is using your brain! Also I have said this many, many, times this poor woman is tragically underrated as a superior actor simply because God decided to break the mold when her DNA was being mixed. Yes she's beautiful! As Ethan says "I don't call her sister" how can he? But this woman is so much more than just beautiful! As great as the script and the Director of this film is, Sophia wouldn't exist without Mrs. Rai Bachchan, ergo Ethan wouldn't exist! Not even the Shashensha of Bollywood can do everything alone. Hrithik Roshan, or as I like to say, here is what would happen if aliens abducted Errol Flynn, Paul Newman, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly mixed their molecular structure and deposited this new amazing creature on planet earth! I've pontificated at great length about how super he is in everything he does, but this (until I see Agneepath) is the culmination of every power. Perfection, sheer, unadulterated, perfection in every way! As I mentioned I live in a chair myself, and I can tell when an "able-bodied" actor just sits in one and la ti da's it. Mr. Roshan is not a la ti da! In fact, he did just as good as Sam Worthington did in AVATAR. He let the chair become his body, and he never once twitched a finger! Why wasn't this movie submitted for Oscar consideration? I can't choose a favorite scene, but I do know the one that made me believe he was Ethan. I won't say what happens but it involves a vase, and all I could think was, "he gets it! He knows exactly what it is to be trapped inside your own body!" This man, possibly one of the absolute greatest dancers of all time understood the rage and helplessness of being denied control over his physical self. That's not acting, that is truth! O-Zeem-O-Shashensha! Shernaz Patel, is one of my very favorites now. It's hard going up against two of the most amazingly beautiful and talented people in creation and play the guy's best dosti (friend) who also happens to be a woman. But Devyani is quite a wonderful dosti, and she reminds me of some of my many good guy-friends that I occasionally flirt with on a day when I need cheering up. Come to think of it, she also reminds me of my two tigress sisters. By the end of the movie I want her to hug me too! And I want a chai and gossip fest but... Yeah. Suhel Seth, Scary brilliant! I have flashbacks to my childhood and a certain Doctor who absolutely refused to put up with my nonsense! Oh boy, I know the movie is in Hindi, but I rarely needed the subtitles to know what he was saying. I love watching him. Okay I admit it, there is one major thing about this movie I'm not too keen on. Aditia Roy Kapoor, AKA: Omar, Omar, Omar, Omar! I don't know if I wasn't keen on Omar, or I just don't like the actor. I keep thinking to myself, "why can't this guy be played by, Imram Khan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, or even Harman Bawjea!" All of whom I like to watch so much more than Mr. Roy Kapoor. Omar, or more likely, the actor irritates me to no end. Thankfully, his seniors make him relatively obscure. Special shout out to Mama Isobel! AKA Nafisa Ali, what a lady! As if I hadn't been crying enough she made me lose all control, and then she... whoops I won't spoil. Music: UDI! Is just great, but Mr. Roshan ACTUALLY singing "What A Wonderful World" made me forget about Louis Armstrong for a split second. I think I might have committed a sin by saying it, but lying is a worse one. There are other amazing songs as well so Mr. Bhansali is also a great musical director. Even if he didn't believe his hero at first when he mentioned he could sing! Oh to be a fly on that wall, or nose. I've rambled quite a bit, but this time it's personal. But then the best art challenges you and makes yourself aware of things in your heart you didn't know were there. This movie shows me something new about myself every time.

Loved this movie, I thought the acting by Ashwariya and Hrithik was fabulous....more serious than usual, and an interesting subject for a Bollywood movie. The only thing I did miss were more dance numbers, but the ones that were there were wonderful. HIGHLY recommend this.

I am not a fan of Bollywood, as a matter of fact, Guzaarish was the third Bollywood film that I've watched in my entire life. The first one I've watched while visiting a friend of Afghan origin. I thought that the Bollywood films with the energetic dancing and emotional outburst were a bit too much for my taste. With all that said, imagine my delightful surprise to find out that Guzaarish was a Bollywood film!! While searching Youtube, I've accidentally stumbled upon the song 'Smile' by composer Charlie Chaplin. The haunting video clip moved me; so, I've decided to go ahead, 'take the plunge without the parachute'(quote/unquote by Ethan Macaranhea) and ordered the DVD. Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are exceptional gifted actors. They can 'act' without much 'moving', the expression in their eyes, the shake of their heads, even the silence speaks and convey message. The setting was meticulously done: the big mansion with its great halls, lots of green plants clinging to the fertile damp soil, metaphorised its owner's strive to live despise his condition. The music in the film was beautiful, haunting, sad and joy at the same time. The climatic music at the revealation scene was poignantly done. Great cheer to director Sanjay Bhansali! And the dancing! Ah, what can I say? Hrithik Roshan is .. WOW! I was watching the movie when my mom walked in at the scene Hrithik danced to his magic act, and she asked 'Who is this great dancer?'. The way he has expressed himself through his dance movements is divine! a devotee to the performing art. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's flamenco inspired dance was sensous, joyful, captivated and how's she executed those hand dance movements is beyond me! I was enjoyed 'Guzaarish' with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithink Roshan so much that after I finished with 'Guzaarish', I searched and also ordered DVD 'Jodhaa Akbar' so that I enjoy their talent once again in different setting.

A very unusual story of love, loss, jealousy, forgiveness, and inner strength. Hrithik Roshan plays a magician/dancer who can leave his Indian audiences spellbound with his talent and intense showmanship. (Think David Copperfield, as a dancer and aerialist.) the greatest magician in India becomes a victim of treachery and reinvents himself as a popular DJ, writer and inspirational speaker in Goa. The estate to which he has retreated is breathtakingly beautiful, and the people he has surrounded himself with are talented and loyal. But there comes a time when the joy and meaning of his sheltered life begin to fade, and he requests an end to it all. Guzaarish - Hindi for "request" - follows the lives of this strong-willed man and the people who love him, as he attempts to challenge his country's laws against euthanasia. A surprising and touching treatment of moral and ethical issues. It's a gorgeous film to see, beautifully acted, and not without humor or surprises. There is no category you can put this one in, except perhaps Great Romances. There are subtitles, fortunately, to help you through this complex plot. See it, and be prepared for some intense emotions, as this skillfully written film forces you to consider a contemporary ethical debate in our society.

Excellent et surtout très différent de ce qui existe comme film... original et profond.

merveilleuse histoire ! merveilleux chants ! magnifiques acteurs ! Remarquables scénario et réalisation ! un film émouvant et enchanteur ! décidément le cinéma indien et ces acteurs méritent les plus hautes récompenses. l'occident devrait y réfléchir !!!

Guzaarish is truly a cinematic masterpiece. A movie which would be remembered and cherished for many years to come. Guzaarish brings back the successful pairing of Aishwarya - Hrithik and takes them to the next level after Dhoom 2 and Jodhaa Akbar, as both Aishwarya and Hrithik have delivered outstanding award winning performances in the movie. Guzaarish is also amongst Sanjay Leela Bhansalis best work along with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. The dvd also inculdes the making of Guzaarish, along with the deleted scenes and tv promos. A must have for all Aishwarya and Hrithik fans out there.

Arrived in good condition.

Here comes a movie that comes only once in a lifetime. Guzaarish shows you what romance actually is, what love actually is and what life actually is. The brilliance of this movie and the acting in it is unmatched. So is the direction of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Perhaps that's why it's screenplay is a permanent part of Oscar library. It's a masterpeice by a director who has given us Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. If you miss it you will miss the Romance of a lifetime. Because Hrithik, Aishwarya and Sanjay Leela Bhansali trio don't come together easily.