New Delhi:

Something strangely attractive about starting old Bollywood films again – especially what we once accepted – only to feel that they are not just in a bad age, they are practically fossils in old ideas. Directing Vipul Shah Hello London (2007) There is one such film.

When seen through today’s gene-Z lens, its bright outsiders find out a disturbing undercontinent of retrograde ideas, who have no place in modern storytelling.

Back during the day, it mesmerized the audience with its picturesque scenes, feel-gud romance and that iconic patriotic monotony. But when you remove the staller soundtrack of Nostalgia and Himesh Reshammiya, what is left is a film that sees retrograde ideas, casual misunderstandings and disturbing conservators as romance.

It is an old, once -trendy jacket cinematic counterpart in your closet – just to feel that it has found some seriously a problematic patch that you did not see earlier.

Hello london A British-Indian woman, who once considered a “bad girl” by Bollywood, symbolizes Jeset “Jazz” Singh (Katrina Kaif). She drinks, wears a short dress, and, heaven refuses, she likes her.

His traditional father (Rishi Kapoor) rejects his lifestyle and in the classic overbiering dad fashion, he manipulates him in Punjab. Once, he dodges him to marry an ordinary Punjabi farmer Arjun (Akshay Kumar), a symbol of the conservative “true Indian”.

Twist? Jazz declared the marriage invalid, once he returns to London, continues to date his rich British lover, Charlie (Clive Standen). Meanwhile, Arjuna patiently hovers in the background, determined to win it.

On the surface, it looks like a harmless Rome-Com about cultural clashes. But look closely, and it is clear that the film’s moral compass is heavy in favor of patriarchy.

Jazz, despite being an adult woman, is treated like a rebellious child. Her father not only disregards her autonomy, but also arranges a forced marriage – an illegal and deep -problematic work that the film is romantic.

Outside the personality, considered ‘acceptable’ by Indian cultural norms, the jazz as a story for a personality dare and mislead the jazz. Meanwhile, Arjun – the alleged hero – spends most of the films, ignoring their boundaries, calling firmness to romance wrong.

A particularly disturbing scene sees Arjun in the middle of the night to see the jazz of the intoxicated corner, pin it on a wall and covers his mouth. In the context of any real life, it will be considered oppression. Still the film shines on it, produces Arjun as a well -intent romantic, which is very ’emotional’ about his feelings.

Jazz resistance is not considered as a valid response to stalk and manipulation, but as a phase it should grow out. The message is loud and clear: men know the best, and women – no matter how free it is – just needs to be ‘guided’ by a consistent sufficient suit.

The deep roots of the film are not limited to Jazz. Her mother is written as a passive figure, which is constantly given by her husband. He made fun of not to know English, strengthened the idea that his role is to be silent and humble.

The father’s behavior is emotionally derogatory, yet the film justifies it as ‘good rearing’. The story hopes from the audience that he will sympathize with a person who gives his daughter a slut, calls his wife and takes his adult child to an unwanted wedding, all in the name of tradition.

Even the depiction of the film of Western culture seems aggressively simple. British characters are reduced into caricatures – arrogant, classist snobs are designed to create Indian values ​​that seem morally better.

The iconic “Mr. Pringel” monologue, where Arjuna has protected India’s achievements from sentimentality, feels less like a celebration of Indian heritage and feels like a nationalist job that is felt as a felt-good patriotism. The underlying message appears that the West corrupts, while India preserves purity – a legend that erases complications of migrant identity and represents cultural differences in black and white instead.

Perhaps the most disappointing is how Hello london Romantic control. Jazz’s final decision to leave his life in London and go to Arjun’s village is not considered as an agreement, but his father and Arjun were correct as ‘realization’.

Her dreams, her own understanding of her freedom and love has been rejected in favor of an ideal version of femininity – a one who fits very neatly within the traditional, patriarchal norms.

The film’s problematic ventures are wrapped in bright cinematography, attractive music and attractive performances, which makes its old message even more insidious.

Akshay Kumar’s charismatic performance almost stopped you for Arjun’s toxic firmness, while Katrina Kaif’s depiction of Jazz is so natural that her final ‘taming’ feels like betrayal with the first strength of the character.

18 years later, Hello london Once Bollywood sees women, relationships and identity, reminds us. Once a heart -wrenching love story was marketed which now looks like a unstable remnant of retrograde ideals.

For a generation that gives importance to consent, autonomy and mutual respect in relationships, Hello london Less than a romantic classic and more than the story of a precaution – a reminder who is not eligible to return all apathy.