A couple of nights ago, I ended up watching
The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants on Lifetime TV. When I first saw the movie on dvd several years ago when it first became available to watch, I absolutely loved it. Little did I know that I would fall in love with each one of the girls on-screen. Later I learn the movie is based on the best-selling young adult novels, with the same title plus four books total in series, by Ann Brashares. The sequel isn't as good as the prequel but it's still cute. Right now, I'm dying to read the series. I did read that the first movie follows the first book but the sequel combines the second and third parts of the book but mostly follows the fourth book.
Anyways, purpose of this post is for me to rant about how I would like to see Bollywood take on more movies with female friendship -- that would be sooo wonderful!! In the movie/book, it's about four girl friends who are have known each other since birth and are best friends in high school but ends up spending their summers finding themselves, their own identity. Before heading their own separate ways for the summer, they end up finding this "magical jean" that miracously fits each one of the girls. This is strange since all four of them have different body shapes. The girls all agree to share the magical jeans on their own journeys to bring them good luck. After one of the girl's week is over, she must mail to the next one and do so throughout the summer.
Of course, Bollywood ends up adding its own flavor and oomph to make it different. Instead of a high school feel, I would rather have an end-of-college feel where each one of the girls would find her own identity.
With my thought-processing mind, this is how I would cast each girl with a few twirks of my own. Not thinking too much about casting the other people in the movie, circling the characters from the movie.
Bipasha Basu as Bridget, the jock
Bridget is beautiful, athletic, independent, daring, and courageous. Her friends look at her as the strongest but she actually is very vulnerable. Her quick-non-thinking decisions end up hurting herself. Her mother committed suicide not too long ago and this has hurt Bridget. However, she doesn't show her emotions and drifts away from her father and twin brother. The long, beautiful, long blonde hair is one of Bridget's physical appeal but others look at her as a dumb blonde. She is very well-toned and is really good at playing soccer. During the summer, she ends up going to soccer camp and ends up meeting a really good young soccer coach name Eric. Both end up having some feelings for each other. Why does Bridget end up being unsure of her feelings? How come her impulsive decisions make her self-destruct?
Bipasha is perfect because of her athletic look. She is Brand Ambassador of Reebok and known as the sexiest women. During the shooting of
Dhan Dhana Goal, she played soccer with her beau, John Abraham. Instead of Bipasha having long, blonde hair, I would prefer the story focus on her dark skin. Even though she is beautiful and athletic, others will still snub her because of her dark skin. Plus with Bips' performance in
Chehraa, I can see her as the girl who seems so strong but hides all her emotions inside. Add in the sexy business woman in a man's world in
Corporate, who has tough skin but sensitive side.
Aishwarya Rai as Lena, the shy and beautiful
Lena is shy, beautiful, soft-spoken, and takes life too seriously. She has a younger sister, Effie, who is totally different from her -- she's outgoing and flaunts her sexuality. But they do get along, although Effie doesn't feel close to Lena. In Lena's spare time, she draws and is a wonderful artist. With a Greek heritage, Lena ends up spending her summer in Greece with her grandparents. Upon arriving there, she ends up meeting Koscos, who is infatuated with her beauty. Because she thinks this is the only reason why he is interested, she decides to dislike him. On top of that, Koscos' grandparents and her grandparents do not get a long. It would not be right. However, Lena is falling for him. She doesn't understand why she can not speak up and stand up for herself. Her other three friends are definitely more out-going and speaks their minds, but why can't she do the same thing?
Aishwarya is perfect because of her praised beauty. She is one of the most beautiful women in the world and took the Miss World title. Instead of a Greek background, since Aish was born in Mangalore, the story would be interesting to see Aishwarya visit her grandparents there. Aish is not known to be a great actress but she has given good performances in films like
Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Choker Bali -- I can see her as the girl who is beautiful and shy who finally ends up speaking up for herself.
Genelia D'Souza as Tibby, the Rebel
Tibby is the rebel, wears black clothing with streaks of blue hair and piercings, and the only friend who ends up staying back home while her three best girl friends are in another place having fun in the summer. That sucks! Therefore, she ends up recording a "suckamentory." She loves filming and ends up meeting a 12-years-old girl, Bailey. Great, a little girl to tag-a-long. She already have young siblings and don't need another youngster to tag with her. For some reason, Bailey loves hanging with Tibby and volunteers a lot of her time to help Tibby with her movie. Can a young girl teach Tibby that life doesn't have to suck all the time and make the best of what you have?
Thinking of someone to cast as Tibby was a hard choice. When I was thinking back of all the sassy girls I liked on-screen, I finally came to a conclusion - Genelia. Why not? She has that spunk. That sassiness I love in the films I've seen of hers. Bollywood has only seen her shine in
Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. They have yet to see her in Kollywood -
Sachien- and Tollywood -
Happy &
Bommarillu. Plus she has sported that blue-streak-highlight look in the Kollywood movie,
Boys, which I have yet to see!
Ayesha Takia as Carmen, the Vivicious and Hot-Tempered
Carmen is the half Caucasian, half Puerto Rican friend who consistently brings the four best friends together. On top of that, she's vivicious, hot-tempered, moody, sensitive, you name it. She is the most curvacious one saying the jeans won't fit her but it does! Her life is thrown upside down when her father decides to re-marry a beautiful, blonde woman leaving her Latino mother, who she is really close to, and her behind. This makes Carmen believe her father was "upgrading" to a better life since she will have a beautiful step-sister as well. Why can't Carmen tell her father how she truly feels inside? Why is it easier to get mad at people you love?
Initially, I was thinking about Genelia as Carmen. But I had to think of a more curvacious Bollywood actress. Therefore, I finally came down to Ayesha. Plus it helps Ayesha has a mix heritage -- her father Gujarti and her mother is half British, half Maharashtrian. Ayesha can pull off the hot-tempered girl. She is actually quite underrated. To me, Carmen is the backbone of the sisterhood with the strongest and interesting part. Ayesha has played in different roles -- from
Socha Na Tha to
Dor, she has proven her versatility.
Every now and then, I watch a Hollywood movie and wish to see it in Bollywood. This film is one of them.
