Bride and Prejudice
Gurinder Chadna, 2004, India (8.0*)
If you've never seen an Indian musical, this should be your first! It's a retelling and updating of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, hence the title. The incredibly beautiful Aishwarya Rai has the main role (thankfully), as the eldest of four unmarried daughters, Lalita, so naturally the film is about the father trying to marry off all his daughers, who have the be the most beautiful sisters in all of film history.
There are some very good musical numbers here, not as many as a western musical, but a rousing dance sequence involving hundreds of wedding party guests where its "men vs. women" is one of the best musical numbers I've seen on film; up one star for this alone. The ballads don't fare quite as well, but this is still Bollywood at its finest, joyous and exhuberant, and a good introduction to Indian films.
Note: Many consider Aishwarya Rai to be the most beautiful actress in the world (plus she can dance and sing), and I would heartily agree. (apologies to Scarlett, Halle, Eva and Salma - each has been dethroned!)
