Taal (EOTWS)

End Of The Week Shorts #35 extract: Taal (1999)

Taal is a victim of its own formula. It starts off by acknowledging that it is following the plot of a stereotypical Bollywood movie, but manages to subvert this with an hour of a truly sumptuous romantic musical. However, stepping away from the first third of this movie, it becomes all that it comments on, and thus constructs a formulaic story about true love prevailing. This is framed with cliches, tropes and some dry commentary on the bastardisation of art. Whilst the last two thirds of this movie are enjoyable and sprinkled with some great musical numbers, it simply fails to live up to the spectacular first hour. 

The opening and the music make Taal worthwhile, but the nature of its melodrama as it develops is ultimately a bit of a let down.