Movie Review Of "London Dreams"

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Movie Review Of "London Dreams"

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Salman Khan, Asin
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Director: Vipul A. Shah

Two childhood friends had little in common, except the connection their families had with music.

While Arjun’s (Ajay Devgn) life was consumed by a passionate drive to get on stage and realize his grandfather’s unfulfilled dream, Mannu (Salman Khan) had little interest in his father’s music instruments and was content with remaining a child at heart; bold, loud and boisterous, and enjoying the good things in life.

Never had they expected music to solidify their friendship and then test it with catastrophic results…

Arjun, an abandoned child, ran away from an uncle who was his only family in an unfamiliar land. He roamed the streets of London struggling to pursue his sole dream of foraying into the world of music and showmanship.

He forged a band with Zoheb (Rannvijay Singh) and Wasim (Aditya Roy Kapoor), two brothers who’d duped their relatives in Pakistan to travel to London in pursuit of their musical aspirations, and Priya (Asin), a beautiful and young music enthusiast.

Far away in Punjab (India), Mannu took to playing in local wedding bands to make ends meet. Shortly after bringing Mannu to London to make him a part of his band, Arjun realized that he had blundered by creating the biggest threat and obstacle to his ambition.

Manu, incredibly gifted, became an instant opiate of the masses with his unique and irreverent style of performing. What took Arjun years to achieve, Mannu did overnight.

Arjun felt betrayed by the God to whom he’d surrendered everything in exchange for eminence in music. His (Arjun’s) pangs of jealousy and insecurity became worse when Mannu won over his secret love, Priya.

Battling his inner demons and consumed by rage, Arjun devised a sinister plan to destroy his best friend and adversary.

Over a three-city tour spanning Paris, Rome and Amsterdam, Arjun sent a naïve Mannu on a downward hurtling rollercoaster ride of sex and drugs before a grand finale at the historic Wembley Arena, where Arjun hoped to regain and enjoy his moment of glory.

But as a rude shock awaited Arjun, it also turned into a humbling and introspective experience that taught him the real meaning of acceptance.

From Vipul Shah, the maker of supreme blockbusters as Namastey London and Waqt, London Dreams, lavishly mounted and embellished, is an intense and powerful drama about passion, ambition, envy and realization, with a distinct musical backdrop. With a stellar cast, it promises to be one of the most compelling motion picture experiences of 2009.