Cert 12A
140 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate injury detail and violence
I am regularly gratified by the kindness of people towards my blog.
Let's face it, all it really amounts to, is the warblings of a middle-aged bloke who has a bizarre obsession.
And yet there are folk who seem to be keen on it and none more so than one chap into whom I regularly bump during Bollywood screenings at Nottingham Cineworld.
He often makes anonymous comments on the blog and last night I pleaded with him to unveil himself because he is much more knowledgable than I on the subject and I think he deserves recognition.
Anyway, he not only introduced me to his wife and friends last night but he also bought me an ice cream!
Aside of this act of generosity, he also fills me in on Bollywood background info.
For example, I realised that actors mime their songs but he tells me that they mime the whole film and dub the soundtrack afterwards.
This is to allow those who speak one Indian language to appear in movies where another is used predominantly.
Confused? Well, for example, Dhanush is a star of Tamil movies (Kollywood) but makes his Bollywood debut in this Hindi film (although, to complicate matters even further, there is a Tamil version which is also being screened across the UK).
Dhanush stars as the son of a Tamil priest who falls, from an early age, in love with a Muslim girl (Sonam Kapoor).
However, she is banished when she finally reciprocates his love.
The plot then moves on eight years when she returns. He is still crazy for her but will her feelings be diminished?
Well, it being Bollywood nothing is simple, is it? And the relationship between the two is something of a rollercoaster.
As is often the case, I found the ground-laying of Aanand Rai's film a bit dull but after the interval the movie really comes into its own with drama and even tragedy to the fore.
This is more my cup of tea because sometimes I find the Indian obsession with song and dance a little overwhelming.
My Bollywood pal disagrees. He loves the colours and the excitement engendered by those set pieces.
He gave me my biggest giggle of the night by even suggesting they could be used in Hollywood films and reckoned that Fast And Furious 6 would have been an ideal opportunity.
I digress. I can see why Raanjhanaa has been a surprise Bollywood hit. Dhanush is infectious and Kapoor is an excellent foil.
I could have just done with more of the drama and less of the build-up.
Laughs: a couple of chuckles
Jumps: none
Vomit: yes
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 6.5/10