Albela
Encyclopedia
Albela is a Hindi
film released on 20 April 2001. It was directed by Deepak Sareen and stars Govinda
and Aishwarya Rai
as the lead protagonists.
Upon release, the film opened to mixed reviews and was declared as an average performer at the box office.
) is an easy-going and popular tour guide. One day a fortune teller tells him that a blue-eyed princess from overseas will enter his life and change it forever. She is the dream girl that he has been searching for.
On the way from Austria
to an intended holiday in Singapore
, Sonia (Aishwarya Rai
) and her nanny
stop off in Mumbai. When their connecting flight is delayed Sonia decides instead to travel to Malaga (which is implied to be near Goa
), the birthplace of her mother, who died when Sonia was very young. Sonia has been brought up by her father (the Austrian Ambassador) since her mother mysteriously abandoned the family to return to Malaga. Although Sonia knows her father will be very angry with her - he hates India and Indians due to his wife leaving him - Sonia wants to see her mother’s grave for the first time. She convinces her father to let her stay in Malaga for a few days in order to fulfil her wish.
Upon arrival in Malaga, Sonia meets Tony and hires him to show her the area and to help her find her mother’s grave. As Sonia and Tony see the sights of Goa and find her mother’s grave, Tony begins to fall in love with Sonia and it appears Sonia is very fond of him. Unbeknownst to Tony, his childhood friend Neena (Namrata Shirodkar
) is in love with him and she does not take kindly to him spending all his time with Sonia.
One day when Sonia is travelling with Tony she sees a man in the distance. Flashbacks
show that the man is Prem Arya (Jackie Shroff
), an Indian journalist who Sonia met in Austria when he was interviewing her father. Prem and Sonia became friends, fell in love and hoped to marry. When Sonia’s father found out, he forbid them to marry because Prem is Indian, and although they are deeply in love, they agree to separate.
Returning to the present, Sonia is shocked to find Prem is in Malaga. When she sees that Prem has written an article about Tony and that they are good friends she asks Tony to organise a lunch on the pretence of meeting the author of the article. Prem agrees to the meeting and is startled to see Sonia. When Tony goes to order lunch, Sonia reveals to Prem that she is still in love with him and is sorry about having to leave him in order to keep her father happy. Prem tells her that there is no point in having these feelings as there is nothing either of them can do about it and, overcome by emotion, he leaves. When Tony returns from ordering lunch, Sonia says she wants to leave too, resulting in a very confused Tony.
The next day Sonia calls Prem and admits he still loves her and has not been able to stop thinking about her. They begin to spend time together and after returning from one outing with Prem, Sonia admits to her nanny that she is in madly in love with Prem and that he is a wonderful and kind person. Tony overhears this and believes Sonia is referring to her feelings for him. On another occasion Tony and Neena join Prem and Sonia on their outing. It is obvious to both Prem and Sonia that Neena loves Tony and so Sonia attempts to tell Tony that Neena loves him. Tony mistakes her comments and, in combination with what he has already overhead, believes that Sonia is trying to tell him that she loves him.
As Sonia and Prem spend time together, Sonia realises that her true happiness lies in being with Prem. Unfortunately Sonia’s father travels to Malaga to surprise her and discovers that Sonia has been seeing Prem again. He believes that she intentionally travelled to Malaga to see Prem and does not believe that it was a coincidence. He forbids Prem to see Sonia and orders Sonia to pack, intending to take her back to Austria straight away.
Sonia advises Tony that she will be returning to Austria and he is devastated. Sonia invites Tony to join her in Austria and Tony willingly accepts. Neena is extremely upset but Tony thinks this is because he is leaving her alone in Malaga - he assures her that he will find a job for her once he is settled in Austria and continues happily packing in preparation for his journey.
Sonia makes one last trip to the cemetery and is met by a priest who tells her the true reason of her mother’s return to Malaga. When she gets to the airport she is met by Tony who tells her that he cannot go with her to Austria anymore, he has discovered a message left for him by Neena, revealing her feelings and wishing him happiness in his new life. He tells Sonia that he knows she loves him and although he loves her in return, he realises that Neena relies on him and will not cope if he leaves. Achieving his dream of being with Sonia will be at the expense of Neena and he is not prepared to do this.
Sonia tries to tell Tony that she does not love him but he leaves quickly, not wanting a sad farewell. Sonia’s father makes derogatory comments Indians and about Tony not joining them, but Sonia defends Tony and tells her father of his sacrifice. After seeing this sacrifice, Sonia realises that she cannot give up Prem just to keep her father happy and begs him to let them marry. Her father still refuses and makes further derogatory comments about Indians and her mother and this is when Sonia reveals the truth – that her mother was diagnosed with a contagious disease and so made the sacrifice to leave the two of them and die alone in India, so that they would not get sick. She gives her father letters written by her mother (but never sent) and he apologises to Sonia and tells her to go to Prem.
Tony and Neena are happily sitting in a restaurant when Tony notices Sonia at another table with Prem. Tony believes Sonia has not left Malaga because she wants to be near to him (Tony). Tony comments that although she looks quite pale and sad, Sonia will eventually get over her feelings for him. At Sonia and Prem’s table, Sonia suggests to Prem that they should thank Tony because it was he who brought them together, and she also wants to clarify with Tony that she never had feelings for him. Prem stops her and advises that some dreams are so beautiful that they should not be destroyed - that it is better for Tony to believe that he gave up a princess for an ordinary girl.
from Bollywood hungama
said "On the whole, ALBELA has just one factor going in its favour; the fresh combination of Govinda and Aishwarya Rai which has helped the film take a good start, but poor direction and poorer script will mar its prospects after the initial craze declines. Its fall is inevitable!". N K Deoshi from apunkachoice gave three stars cited "In a nutshell Albela is a film that will appeal to youngsters who like complex love stories. Some tear-jerking scenes appear deliberate on the director's part".
The Hindu
cited "Albela brings Govinda and Aishwarya together for the first time. While Govinda attempts to step beyond the ribald street entertainer with his portrayal of the suave English-speaking guide, Aishwarya tries to prove that she can hold her own in front of the master of comedy. In their own way, both of them succeed. While Jackie and Namrata are adequate in their relatively smaller roles, it is the music of the film which does not quite get you humming out of the hall. It may not shower the bounties of spring on the producers but it is not too bad a proposition for this summer of relatively meagre takings". Rediff noted "The film is pleasantly enjoyable. Deepak Sareen (of Aaina fame) probably didn't think of making anything more than a family entertainer, which is exactly what this film is. Aishwarya, as usual, is a visual treat. The film is just another ramp for her to display her exquisite designer clothes. If only she paid more attention to her acting. Govinda is atrociously overweight, and has a tendency to mouth his dialogues as if everyone in the theatre had lost their hearing. On the other hand, Jackie Shroff steals the show -- no bulging bags under his eyes, and the actor looks good. Namrata Shirodkar is hardly present in the film. When she is, all she does is cry. So making out whether she can act or not is rather tough. The music, however, is the saving grace of the film".
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film released on 20 April 2001. It was directed by Deepak Sareen and stars Govinda
Govinda (actor)
Govinda is a Filmfare award-winning Indian actor and politician. He has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films. At the start of his career, his acting and dancing skills gained him widespread attention among film viewers. He later gained worldwide fame as a Bollywood icon through comedy films...
and Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
as the lead protagonists.
Upon release, the film opened to mixed reviews and was declared as an average performer at the box office.
Plot
Tony (GovindaGovinda (actor)
Govinda is a Filmfare award-winning Indian actor and politician. He has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films. At the start of his career, his acting and dancing skills gained him widespread attention among film viewers. He later gained worldwide fame as a Bollywood icon through comedy films...
) is an easy-going and popular tour guide. One day a fortune teller tells him that a blue-eyed princess from overseas will enter his life and change it forever. She is the dream girl that he has been searching for.
On the way from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
to an intended holiday in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Sonia (Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
) and her nanny
Nanny
A nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
stop off in Mumbai. When their connecting flight is delayed Sonia decides instead to travel to Malaga (which is implied to be near Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
), the birthplace of her mother, who died when Sonia was very young. Sonia has been brought up by her father (the Austrian Ambassador) since her mother mysteriously abandoned the family to return to Malaga. Although Sonia knows her father will be very angry with her - he hates India and Indians due to his wife leaving him - Sonia wants to see her mother’s grave for the first time. She convinces her father to let her stay in Malaga for a few days in order to fulfil her wish.
Upon arrival in Malaga, Sonia meets Tony and hires him to show her the area and to help her find her mother’s grave. As Sonia and Tony see the sights of Goa and find her mother’s grave, Tony begins to fall in love with Sonia and it appears Sonia is very fond of him. Unbeknownst to Tony, his childhood friend Neena (Namrata Shirodkar
Namrata Shirodkar
- Early life and family :Born on 22 January 1972 in a moderate Marathi-speaking family, Namrata Shirodkar is an Aquarian. She used to live in Khar, a suburb in Mumbai. Her sister is the actress Shilpa Shirodkar...
) is in love with him and she does not take kindly to him spending all his time with Sonia.
One day when Sonia is travelling with Tony she sees a man in the distance. Flashbacks
Flash Back
Flash Back is an album by the Japanese electronica group Capsule. It was released on 5 December 2007. This is their first original album to be released after the duo announced for a semi-hiatus way back summer 2007, after promotions for Sugarless Girl ended.-Track listing:Tracks in * indicate...
show that the man is Prem Arya (Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
), an Indian journalist who Sonia met in Austria when he was interviewing her father. Prem and Sonia became friends, fell in love and hoped to marry. When Sonia’s father found out, he forbid them to marry because Prem is Indian, and although they are deeply in love, they agree to separate.
Returning to the present, Sonia is shocked to find Prem is in Malaga. When she sees that Prem has written an article about Tony and that they are good friends she asks Tony to organise a lunch on the pretence of meeting the author of the article. Prem agrees to the meeting and is startled to see Sonia. When Tony goes to order lunch, Sonia reveals to Prem that she is still in love with him and is sorry about having to leave him in order to keep her father happy. Prem tells her that there is no point in having these feelings as there is nothing either of them can do about it and, overcome by emotion, he leaves. When Tony returns from ordering lunch, Sonia says she wants to leave too, resulting in a very confused Tony.
The next day Sonia calls Prem and admits he still loves her and has not been able to stop thinking about her. They begin to spend time together and after returning from one outing with Prem, Sonia admits to her nanny that she is in madly in love with Prem and that he is a wonderful and kind person. Tony overhears this and believes Sonia is referring to her feelings for him. On another occasion Tony and Neena join Prem and Sonia on their outing. It is obvious to both Prem and Sonia that Neena loves Tony and so Sonia attempts to tell Tony that Neena loves him. Tony mistakes her comments and, in combination with what he has already overhead, believes that Sonia is trying to tell him that she loves him.
As Sonia and Prem spend time together, Sonia realises that her true happiness lies in being with Prem. Unfortunately Sonia’s father travels to Malaga to surprise her and discovers that Sonia has been seeing Prem again. He believes that she intentionally travelled to Malaga to see Prem and does not believe that it was a coincidence. He forbids Prem to see Sonia and orders Sonia to pack, intending to take her back to Austria straight away.
Sonia advises Tony that she will be returning to Austria and he is devastated. Sonia invites Tony to join her in Austria and Tony willingly accepts. Neena is extremely upset but Tony thinks this is because he is leaving her alone in Malaga - he assures her that he will find a job for her once he is settled in Austria and continues happily packing in preparation for his journey.
Sonia makes one last trip to the cemetery and is met by a priest who tells her the true reason of her mother’s return to Malaga. When she gets to the airport she is met by Tony who tells her that he cannot go with her to Austria anymore, he has discovered a message left for him by Neena, revealing her feelings and wishing him happiness in his new life. He tells Sonia that he knows she loves him and although he loves her in return, he realises that Neena relies on him and will not cope if he leaves. Achieving his dream of being with Sonia will be at the expense of Neena and he is not prepared to do this.
Sonia tries to tell Tony that she does not love him but he leaves quickly, not wanting a sad farewell. Sonia’s father makes derogatory comments Indians and about Tony not joining them, but Sonia defends Tony and tells her father of his sacrifice. After seeing this sacrifice, Sonia realises that she cannot give up Prem just to keep her father happy and begs him to let them marry. Her father still refuses and makes further derogatory comments about Indians and her mother and this is when Sonia reveals the truth – that her mother was diagnosed with a contagious disease and so made the sacrifice to leave the two of them and die alone in India, so that they would not get sick. She gives her father letters written by her mother (but never sent) and he apologises to Sonia and tells her to go to Prem.
Tony and Neena are happily sitting in a restaurant when Tony notices Sonia at another table with Prem. Tony believes Sonia has not left Malaga because she wants to be near to him (Tony). Tony comments that although she looks quite pale and sad, Sonia will eventually get over her feelings for him. At Sonia and Prem’s table, Sonia suggests to Prem that they should thank Tony because it was he who brought them together, and she also wants to clarify with Tony that she never had feelings for him. Prem stops her and advises that some dreams are so beautiful that they should not be destroyed - that it is better for Tony to believe that he gave up a princess for an ordinary girl.
Cast
- Aishwarya RaiAishwarya RaiAishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
as Sonia Heinz - GovindaGovinda (actor)Govinda is a Filmfare award-winning Indian actor and politician. He has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films. At the start of his career, his acting and dancing skills gained him widespread attention among film viewers. He later gained worldwide fame as a Bollywood icon through comedy films...
as Tony - Namrata ShirodkarNamrata Shirodkar- Early life and family :Born on 22 January 1972 in a moderate Marathi-speaking family, Namrata Shirodkar is an Aquarian. She used to live in Khar, a suburb in Mumbai. Her sister is the actress Shilpa Shirodkar...
as Neena - Jackie ShroffJackie ShroffJackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
as Prem Arya - Saeed JaffreySaeed JaffreySaeed Jaffrey OBE is an Indian-born British actor, who has done numerous British movies. He was born in Malerkotla, Punjab...
as Ambassador Heinz - Maya Alagh as Nanny
Reviews
The film opened to mixed reviews. Critic Taran AdarshTaran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh is an Indian film critic, journalist, editor and film trade analyst. He is also a former producer and screenwriter. He is the son of film director and producer, B.K. Adarsh....
from Bollywood hungama
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama is a leading Bollywood entertainment website, owned by hungama.com....
said "On the whole, ALBELA has just one factor going in its favour; the fresh combination of Govinda and Aishwarya Rai which has helped the film take a good start, but poor direction and poorer script will mar its prospects after the initial craze declines. Its fall is inevitable!". N K Deoshi from apunkachoice gave three stars cited "In a nutshell Albela is a film that will appeal to youngsters who like complex love stories. Some tear-jerking scenes appear deliberate on the director's part".
The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
cited "Albela brings Govinda and Aishwarya together for the first time. While Govinda attempts to step beyond the ribald street entertainer with his portrayal of the suave English-speaking guide, Aishwarya tries to prove that she can hold her own in front of the master of comedy. In their own way, both of them succeed. While Jackie and Namrata are adequate in their relatively smaller roles, it is the music of the film which does not quite get you humming out of the hall. It may not shower the bounties of spring on the producers but it is not too bad a proposition for this summer of relatively meagre takings". Rediff noted "The film is pleasantly enjoyable. Deepak Sareen (of Aaina fame) probably didn't think of making anything more than a family entertainer, which is exactly what this film is. Aishwarya, as usual, is a visual treat. The film is just another ramp for her to display her exquisite designer clothes. If only she paid more attention to her acting. Govinda is atrociously overweight, and has a tendency to mouth his dialogues as if everyone in the theatre had lost their hearing. On the other hand, Jackie Shroff steals the show -- no bulging bags under his eyes, and the actor looks good. Namrata Shirodkar is hardly present in the film. When she is, all she does is cry. So making out whether she can act or not is rather tough. The music, however, is the saving grace of the film".
Soundtrack
| # | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Kaho To Zara" | Kumar Sanu Kumar Sanu Kumar Sanu Kumar Sanu Kumar Sanu (alias Kedarnath Bhattacharya , born in Kolkata, is a leading Indian Bollywood playback singer. He was awarded the Filmfare Best Male Playback Award over five consecutive years. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2009.... , Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik is an Indian singer who is ranked among the best Hindi playback singers of all time. She is a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award as well as a two-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Awards... |
05:19 |
| 2 | "Hai Mera Dil Tu" | Babul Supriyo Babul Supriyo Babul Supriyo is an Indian playback singer. He calls himself a clone of Kumar Sanu.He was born Supriya Baral, and spent his early childhood, and even graduated from university with that name. He would change his first name's spelling from Supriya to Supriyo as the former signified a female name,... , Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik is an Indian singer who is ranked among the best Hindi playback singers of all time. She is a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award as well as a two-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Awards... |
03:21 |
| 3 | "Pyaar Ke Jaadoo" | Udit Narayan Udit Narayan -Career:King of melody, Udit Narayan Jha was born on 1 December, 1955 in a village called Bhardaha in the Saptari district , Nepal. His father was Hare Krishna Jha and his mother was Bhuwaneshwari Devi.Narayan studied at P.B... , Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik is an Indian singer who is ranked among the best Hindi playback singers of all time. She is a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award as well as a two-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Awards... |
04:09 |
| 4 | "Haya Hoo Kya Masti" | Kumar Sanu Kumar Sanu Kumar Sanu Kumar Sanu Kumar Sanu (alias Kedarnath Bhattacharya , born in Kolkata, is a leading Indian Bollywood playback singer. He was awarded the Filmfare Best Male Playback Award over five consecutive years. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2009.... , Udit Narayan Udit Narayan -Career:King of melody, Udit Narayan Jha was born on 1 December, 1955 in a village called Bhardaha in the Saptari district , Nepal. His father was Hare Krishna Jha and his mother was Bhuwaneshwari Devi.Narayan studied at P.B... , Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik is an Indian singer who is ranked among the best Hindi playback singers of all time. She is a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award as well as a two-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Awards... |
05:15 |
| 5 | "Sarak Sarak Gayee " | Babul Supriyo Babul Supriyo Babul Supriyo is an Indian playback singer. He calls himself a clone of Kumar Sanu.He was born Supriya Baral, and spent his early childhood, and even graduated from university with that name. He would change his first name's spelling from Supriya to Supriyo as the former signified a female name,... , Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik is an Indian singer who is ranked among the best Hindi playback singers of all time. She is a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award as well as a two-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Awards... |
04:49 |
| 6 | "Hato Tum Baju" | Sonu Nigam Sonu Nigam Sonu Nigam is an Indian playback singer whose songs have been featured in numerous Hindi movies, as well as films in Assamese, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi and Kannada language. He has also released numerous Indi-pop albums and acted in a few Hindi feature films... |
04:50 |
| 7 | "Dil Hamara Hua Hai" | Hariharan Hariharan (singer) Hariharan , born 3 April 1955) is an Indian playback singer in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Bhojpuri and Telugu movies, an established ghazal singer, and one of the pioneers of Indian fusion music. His melody is strongly appreciated by the film fraternity... , Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik is an Indian singer who is ranked among the best Hindi playback singers of all time. She is a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award as well as a two-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Awards... |
04:21 |