Phil Goes Bollywood: COCKTAIL (2012) from Eros International - Novemebr 11, 2017

Ever since seeing the anniversary screening of DEVDAS a couple of months back, I have been itching to return to that magical and wonderful land called Bollywood! Eros International is one of my favorite distributors and back in 2012 they released a film that I've been wanting to see. So after all these months, I once again traveled back to India (as well as London) to watch the romantic comedy COCKTAIL.

Original Theatrical Poster (2012)

The film's official synopsis: Three friends Meera (Diana Penty), Veronica (Deepika Padukone) and Gautam (Saif Ali Khan) move into an apartment together. All is well until love enters their lives & adds more complications than they can handle. Set against the vibrant and luscious backdrop of London and Capetown, this is a comical, new-age and warm celebration of relationships exploring various choices that life may offer and the extra-ordinary choices that ordinary people make.

What I enjoyed about the film is that it takes place in the modern world, in this case London. Instead of having the film be a period piece like most Bollywood movies, it gives the audience that sense of reality, knowing it takes place in the here and now, so to speak. The other aspect is that the characters are all relatable; we can identify with them and their personalities and eccentricities. We have a friend who they remind us of, or we see us in them. This breaks down the language barrier, giving audiences that ability to become emotionally invested in these characters. Love and friendship transcends language, and thus, becomes the universal language for the whole human race.

Khan's portrayal of Gautam is something most men can relate to: a cocky, self-absorbed playboy who sees women as a conquest. Of course, we were all like that at his age. I for one used to pick up on women all the time during my 20's and early 30's. It's something we all go through, but in time, we find love when we least are expecting it. Padukone's character Veronica is the all-night party girl we all know and maybe even dated. But there comes that time when the bright lights start to fade and you are wondering is there anything more than this? Penty's Meera represents those people who have everything planned out, but come to the conclusion that life doesn't always go as planned. Together, these three cinematic individuals represent us in our youths, those who are in their youth and the discovery of what life offers us. All three of these talented actors did a phenomenal job and their on-screen chemistry is second to none!!

Director Homi Adajania (FINDING FANNY, BEING CYRUS) as well as screenwriters Imtiaz Ali and Sajid Ali did a fabulous job of crafting a movie that has a lot of heart, laughter and hurt. Adajania's directing really captures the emotional context of the script while showcasing both London and Capetown as characters in the film as well. Not a lot of directors try to display their surroundings as characters, which is really a shame. We see London in all it's eclectic beauty: the flashy lights of the nightclubs, the rainy skylines and the clash of its modern building and historical landmarks. Capetown is a tropical heaven on Earth. His set-ups and composition's are simple yet elegant and suits the film's themes perfectly.

Produced by Illuminati Films and released by Eros International on July 13, 2012, the film received positive reviews by several media outlets. The film was nominated for several awards from various awards shows and won five, including the UK Bollywood Cosmopolitan award and the Vogue beauty award for best female debut to Diana Penty in 2012 and the BIG Star Critics Award for Best Actress and OIFA and the Award for Best Actor Female to Deepika Padukone in 2013.

COCKTAIL is a wonderful and emotionally charged romantic comedy that reminds us that life is full of love and surprises!! If you think Bollywood movies are just about singing and dancing, then this movie will definitely change your opinion on them. 5 out of 5 stars!! Highly recommended!!

COCKTAIL is currently available on Blu-Ray,  DVD and VOD from Eros International Pictures. To purchase a copy for yourself, and to learn more about Eros and their film library, visit their website at erosnow.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!