(Shaad Ali, India 2002, 138 min., 35mm, Hindi w/ English subtitles)
A.R. Rahman is now recognized as one of the premier composers of music for Indian film. He began his career in the early 1990s, bringing a Western inflection to his music while keeping an eye on tradition, as he does in this film, written and directed by the filmmaker who gave him his big break, Mani Ratnam. Adi (Vivek Oberoi), the son of a barrister, falls for Suhani (Rani Mukerji), a student from the railway district. They want to marry, but when their fathers don’t get along, the couple need to go out on their own, knowing that they can only keep their secret for so long. Cameos from two of Bollywood’s greatest luminaries shake up the ending of this romantic drama.
Introduction by and post-screening Q&A with Charity Lofthouse, Professor of Music at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
The Art of Music in Movies is supported by the Rodney Hatch Family at the Rochester Area Community Foundation.