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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Pathfinder Home Ent.
Salesrank: 15338
Released: January 1, 2005 |
| Our Price: $11.60 |
| Used Price: $9.39 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
BOLLYWOOD MUSICAL COLLECTION! Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) the daughter of singer Pandit Darbar (Vikram Gokhale) loves his student, Sameer (Salman Khan). However, Vanraj (Ajay Devgan) sends his proposal to her father. Sameer and Nandini are caught romancing each other, and as a payment for teaching Sameer music, Darbar demands Sameer forget Nandita. After the marriage takes place, Vanraj comes to know about Nandini’s love for Sameer. He decides to unite the lovers even in the face of ridicule by society and takes Nandini to Italy to search for Sameer. They find Sameer... but Nandini is now torn between Vanraj, whom she has come to respect and Sameer, whom she loves.
Straight From the Heart Reviews:
Straight From the Heart 
2009-09-04 - Great Bollywood movie! A little cheesy, but if you can get past that, it's entertaining.
Weird and entertaining 
2009-05-18 - I've had this movie on my shelf for a long time, and thought about giving it away because it seemed really... well... stupid. So, last night I was alone at home with nothing to do but give the movie another chance. It took me until maybe fifteen minutes to get into the movie with the first musical number, but after that I was hypnotized. It is a really strange movie and there are scenes I merely lift my eyebrow to. Something unique I have observed with Bollywood films is that they go either way in quality, but they never try too hard to impress an audience with facts and other trivial aspects. Their purpose is to serve the audience by entertaining with a classic storyline warmed by great performances, lavish colors and scenery, and catchy music/dances.
It wasn't until I finished this rather long movie sometime around two in the morning did I fully understand the worth of the story. It can easily be divided into two halves. The first accounts for the fun, flirtatious love between Sameer and Nandini. Not only do they have great chemistry, but I laughed a lot at their playful interactions. It is really sad when they are separated; however, this marks the next chapter of Nandini's complicated life. She is arranged to marry a man who is quiet, reserved, a relatively unsuccessful lawyer, but has a heart of gold and is dedicated to taking care of his beloved wife.
The first period of her marriage is marked by depression and longing for Sameer. She receives letters from her love that her husband, Ajray (sp?) reads accidentally. Hurt by her dishonesty, he does not wish to pursue a relationship with someone who doesn't return his love, and so he decides to travel to Italy with Nandini to help her find Sameer. A lot of things happen while they are there, and Nandini decides to give Ajray a chance by getting to know his true person. She comes to respect him, and comes to understand the meaning of love through his selfless actions. The concept of her deciding to stay with her husband is somewhat ridiculous in retrospect to the entire film, but it makes a lot of sense when it finally happens because Sameer and Nandini grow apart with the distance and difference in cultural background. To me, their relationship was genuine and sweet but they fought over petty things and handled their emotions like any inexperienced person would: obsessively.
However, Nandini's relationship with Ajray is mature, deep, and abiding. So, the story to me wasn't about two lovers trying to reconnect. It's a story about a person who comes to understand the meaning of love through her experiences.
Bollywood at its Best
2009-05-04 - I absolutely love this movie and would recommend it to everyone. Yes some parts are a little cheesy but the story as a whole is beautiful and compelling. I really like how the first half of the movie shows this bright sunny girl and the second half she is the complete opposite thus proving her versatility as an actress. I also love the music and dance sequences performed by Aishwarya Rai that leave you mesmerized.
A Magical initiation!
2009-02-20 - This sparkling romance was my first introduction to the magic and
art of the Bollywood movie! Since seeing it just a week ago, I have
watched 3 more -- leading to another introduction to the charismatic
actor Shah Rukh Khan, (whom I loved in "Devdas"). "Straight from the
Heart" aka "Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam" is a wonderful, romantic story
of young love (infatuation) vs. mature, lasting, true love.
THe song and dance numbers, particularly "Nimbooda", are all brilliant
displays of beauty, dance and sometimes, seduction.
All I can say is that once you have been thoughtfully introduced to the
art of the Bollywood movie, you will find yourself falling in love!
Straight From the Heart
2008-08-24 - Straight From the Heart is a beautiful movie that will appeal to many audiences. The plot is typical Bollywood, with the love triangle, the quest of youth to identify themselves as separate from their parents and upbringing (and end up identifying with those same ideals in the end), and the beautiful musical numbers and costumes.
The plot has been summarized already in previous reviews, so I will only describe a couple scenes. Watching Vanraj (Ajay Devgan) when he meets Nandita (Aishwarya Rai) for the first time perfectly portrays all those emotions of a shy person meeting someone very beautiful and outgoing. Although transfixed by her beauty, he is speechless when introduced. This scene is painful to watch because you feel Vanraj's shyness and pain. The next noteworthy scene is when Nandita begins to love Vanraj. She and Vanraj are in Italy looking for Sameer (part of Vanraj's selflessness--he takes his wife to Italy to look for her previous lover intending to hand her over and quietly leave). Nandita sort of freaks out and runs onto a bus without paying a fare. In order to fool the ticket taker, they pretend to be lovers and embrace. The slowness of this scene where Nandita begins to physically respond to Vanraj is particularly erotic, but in a completely opposite way from Hollywood films. They don't kiss, much less jump into bed right away. In fact, nothing happens except holding each other a bit tighter, and a brush of lips over his neck. But, it is a powerful scene due to its subtely. Adding to this slow buildup is that you also know that although they are married, they have yet to consummate their marriage. This is the first time she has allowed Vanraj to be close to her.
The only drawback to this movie is Sameer (Salman Khan). His character is played so over the top, it is a distraction.
