Rating: 
Summary: Light as Feather, Delightful Heather; Decent Romantic Comedy
Review: Let me first remind you this; "The Guru" is not exactly a "Bollywood-Meets-Hollywood" film. It's more like "Boogie Nights" in romantic comedy style. And you see lovely Heather "Roller Girl" Graham as a porn film star (this time with clothes on, however).The film's real star is Jimi Mistry ("East Is East") as handsome dance instructor Ramu Gupta living in India, dreaming of success in America. Determined to make it there just like his hero John Travolta's Danny in "Grease," he goes to New York City only to find that cold reality. The only chance he got is a porn film, and he blows it because of very embarrassing situation. But he has a pep talk about sex from his co-star Heather Graham, and because of that advice accidentally is mistaken as a genuine New Age "guru" by Marisa Tomei's character. Ramu gets famous, with a help from unsuspecting Graham, among those people who are willing to pay for any good, enlightening advice on life -- and it's New York you know that -- and he is about to be big when he knows that he is using her. And moreover, he seems to have fallen in love with her. The story is too contrived, and the script is too ineffective to be really interest us. Ironically the "guru" part is not as good as romance part, lacking the power to convince us of the situation. It is the characters that make up for the loss of plot coherence, brightening up with their good and delightful performances. Let's forget about Ms. Graham's "Killing Me Softly" debacle for she is very charming, and so is Ms. Tomei, the latter even given a brief moment of displaying her sexiness you usually miss in her films. But the most impressive is Jimi Mistry, always funny and likable even doing the most silly gags (see his auditioning dancing). As to the Bollywood elements, "The Guru" succeeds in mixing them with Hollywood romantic comedy formula. The dancing and songs look like real Indian films, and the music is aptly the combination of traditional instruments and techno pop. I only regret that they use too few moments showing these "Bollywood" musical set-pieces. The rest of the film is made from rather clithed ingredients from usual rom-coms and tired jokes including the ones about gays. Light as feather, but still funny thanks to the able actors included, "The Guru" is a romantic comedy with a twist. But the twist is too slight, and if you have not seen those delightful "Bollywood" films, I recommend you should see one of them first, or soon after watching this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Hilarious. A Genuinely Hysterical Comedy
Review: Like the first Austin Powers film, which didn't do that well in its original release, this movie should grow and grow in popularity as people learn about it through word of mouth. I have to admit it didn't sound all that great based on the description. BUT... From almost start to finish it's touching, funny and has great performances from Heather Graham, Marisa Tomei and the lead actor. It's about redemption, love and well, sex. So unless you are someone who is deeply hung up about the idea of a young Indian man coming to America in hopes of becoming a star. He eventually does so, but not inthe way he expected. Through a comedy of errors, he becomes the nation's greatest self-help and sex guru. Along the way he falls in love with Heather Graham, who is herself leading a double life - trying to pull herself out of a job as the funniest porn actress ever and marry her religious fireman boyfriend. If you remotely like comedies, you'll probably love this film. I haven't laughed so hard outside of a Mike Myers comedy. Christine Baranski as an Upper East Side of NYC socialite is especially good as Tomei's mother.
Rating:
Summary: Something for everyone
Review: Many Indian movies have something for everyone:
music, good acting, a plot with intriguing and
fun twists, and of course the comedy perfunctory
to most movies that seek broad appeal. This movie
has something more: it has a wonderfully witty
edge of social satire that has been so lacking
in movies of the past ten years. Paste all your
stereotype labels tightly on the charcters and
hold on to laugh hard and to be entertained, to
be sure -- but also maybe to learn a thing or two
and to find yourself challenging yourself about
stereotypes. In this seemingly classical romantic
comedy, nothing classical is sacred: the American
dream, Hollywood, religion, heterosexuality, ethnic
stereotypes, the works. A treat for all the corners
of your mind, heart, soul, and funny bone.
Rating: 
Summary: Ajay Naidu is in this film!
Review: My only reason for seeing this film is because Ajay Naidu is in it. It's good to see Anita Gillette again. Rob Morrow was a surprise. Stupid movie! I don't know what it is about Hollywood/New York but they sure are making alot and I mean alot of dumb movies the last two years.
Rating:
Summary: Amusing
Review: My return to the movie theatre(I have not seen a first run film in six months) was indeed a happy one. Lots of comical spoofs and sight gags. Marissa Tomei and Heather Graham are the most familiar names in this limited release but the less familiar Jimi Mistry certainly shines in the lead role. Its nice to see the cross-cultural vibes from playing up someone of Indian descent in this film. The sexual overtones are indeed hillarious particularly the scene where Mistry fakes his role as a plumber to avoid a confrontation with Graham's fiancee. The wedding scene at the end though is the clincher. I won't give it away but you must see this film to beleive it.
Rating:
Summary: Grease... er ...Guru is the word!
Review: Nope, it's not the Indian version of "Grease". But it's a hoot. Mistry and Co are outstanding. And the "Grease" references are sweet - especially the brief sequence which incorporates "You're The One That I Want" as the Indian wedding song.
Rating:
Summary: Bollywood crosses Hollywood
Review: Ramu Gupta (Jimi Mistry) is a dance teacher to little old ladies in Delhi. One day he decides to up and leave for Hollywood to find his fame and fortune. He gets a job in an Indian restaurant but is fired not long after after he pours chicken tikka masala over an angry customer. He then auditions for a role in a movie without knowing that it's a porn film. There he meets Sharronna (Heather Graham) who is a philosophical porn star. He doesn't manage to make the film because he has a problem achieving "wood" what with being surrouned by a film crem of 20 people. During a birthday party he disguises as a swami and starts talking about sex philosophy. He meets the birthday girl Lexi (Marissa Tomei) and they start up a relationship and partnership to turn Ramu into a sex Guru who eventually becomes successful. The thing is he knows nothing about sex philosophy so has meetings with Sharronna who teaches everything she knows about sex. Slowly Ramu finds himself falling in love with Sharronna but she's already engaged to Rusty who doesn't know that she's a film star. There are some wonderful Bollywood dance scenes in the film but there aren't too many funny lines. I thought that the premise was good but it could have been so much funnier. Watch it if you have nothing better to do. Lealing
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting concept drowned in a mishmash of H'Wood cliches
Review: Ramu Gupta (Jimi Mistry) is an Indian dance teacher who decides to leave India and head to the US to pursue his dream of becoming a famous actor. Unfortunately the ad he answers in regards to an acting job in NY turns out to be a role in a porn film, where he meets Sharona (Heather Graham) a Catholic college student doing adult movies to help pay for her education.
But with the aid of the insightful Sharona, Ramu finds himself tackling the acting role of his career by becoming a self-styled Guru Of Sex with the experienced Sharona teaching him about the spirituality of sex- which he then uses on his followers without her knowledge. Of course Ramu becomes a sensation on TV so it's no surprise what happens next.
THE GURU is a strained, not terribly funny one-joke comedy which is a strange mix of sweet-naturedness with sleazy undertones. It's cheerful enough, but it doesn't really work. As proof that Hollywood has no new ideas, the movie rips off GREASE at the climax- clips of which are shown earlier with Indian subtitles.
THE GURU is a movie with a self-satisifed script, and this is always a bad sign for audiences: Apart from the GREASE [copy] note that a) Marisa Tomei's character gives an Oscar reference. We all know she's an Oscar winner, the cover of every one of her movies states that. b)Heather Graham's big break came by playing porn star Rollergirl in Paul Thomas Anderson's BOOGIE NIGHTS and c) The obvious "Bollywood" references which show Hollywood trying to be hip, because even though its well known India has the most prolific cinematic output worldwide; it's only recently that Western audiences are learning about it. Oh well, at least you get to see Heather clad in black PVC bondage gear. And from one of Ramu's Indian friends comes this dialogue which could only sound funny in an Indian accent: (after speaking to Sharona on the phone) "I talked to a real life porn star! I think she sounded naked!". Try to imagine Russell Crowe or Van Damme speaking that line of dialogue. It just wouldn't work, would it?
Rating:
Summary: It's a bhangra good time!
Review: Ramu is a dance teacher in India who decides to head to New York to seek the American Dream. He joins his friend Vijay, who has written to him about his red Mercedes and penthouse -- slight exaggerations about the cab he drives and his apartment with 4 guys. But as he points out to Ramu, if he told him the truth, Ramu would never have come. Ramu decides to take a shot at his dream of being in movies -- maybe he won't make it, but at least he'll know he tried. He inadvertently gets cast in a skin flick, where he meets porn star Sharona (Heather Graham). In another twist, he ends up playing a swami of love and sex at a bored NYC socialite's (Marisa Tomei) party. Ramu learns about love and sex from Sharona and parlays it into a career "counseling" NYC's elite as a guru. He is a fraud, as is Sharona -- she pretends she is a schoolteacher to her fiancee. Lexi (Tomei) looks to Ramu as a guru for guidance on how to be happier and find meaning in her life. Make no mistake, though -- this movie is hilarious and fun. Big sweeping Bollywood dance numbers (which pop up all the time in Indian films) are interspersed, with Tomei, Graham and, my personal favorite, Michael McKean (who started as Lenny on 'Laverne & Shirley') doing full-throttle bhangra dance moves out of the blue. The dialogue is also funny -- when Lexi's snobby mother (Christine Baranski) lectures her on being seen with 'the help', as she calls Ramu, Lexi says "News flash, Mother! Not all people of color are here to serve you!" To which her mother says "I'll have you know I have served meals to the homeless -- good meals, ones I would have eaten if I still ate carbs!" It's a funny flick with a deeper message about being yourself without fear.
Rating:
Summary: Salaam Bombay!...
Review: Seems Bollywood is making its way to Hollywood, and I'm loving every minute of it. From the marvelous crowd-pleaser MONSOON WEDDING to the cheerfully cute LAGAAN, to the upcoming international hit BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, Indian films are making their way to America, and it's about time (and no, I'm not Indian). In the midst of it all came THE GURU, a wonderful romantic comedy that incorporates sex with Bollywood musicals. Why Universal decided to limit THE GURU's wide release just days before its theatrical premiere is beyond me. Maybe moving the release date to a less competitive weekend would have been a better answer (The Recruit, Biker Boys, and Final Destination 2 all started on Jan. 31st, 2003). THE GURU is a sweet, good-natured comedy with great performances by the entire cast, some hilarious comedic moments, and cute send-up's of BOLLYWOOD. The plot is outrageous, the situations are implausible, but the movie is plain FUN. It's a superb indie-like studio picture that benefits from bright dialogue and the impressive cast. The one thing I would have liked is to have seen more musical moments amidst the craziness...there was definitely potential for them. All in all, THE GURU is a great romantic comedy. Much lighter in tone than MONSOON WEDDING and much more fun (and shorter) than LAGAAN. Although dealing with porno and sex, it is all done tastefully and not as explicitly as it could have been. A wonderful trip to the movies it was!...
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