Salaam Namaste by assistant director turned debutant director Siddharth Raj Anand looks into the ups and downs of a live in relationship, a fresh theme in Hindi films. It is loosely inspired by the English flick Nine Months, and is set in Melbourne, Australia.

Nick alias Nikhil (Saif Ali Khan) comes to Australia from India to work as a chef. He leads a carefree life in Australia doing just the thing he loves. Amber (Preity Zinta) an aspiring doctor works as a Radio Jockey for the 'Salaam Namaste' radio station. The two cross paths when Nick doesn't show up for a show hosted by the station and Amber decides to teach him a lesson or two.

After the initial flare up, the two become friends and are attracted to each other. Nick invites her to live with him in the same house but in separate rooms. Slowly the barriers break down and they share a real relationship. Thinks work out smoothly and their life is bliss until Amber becomes pregnant and decides to keep the baby, much against Nick's opinion to abort the baby. Their relationship rocks and the differences keep growing until they decide to split up..

The assistant director of 'Hum Tum' tries out a similar theme of new age relationship in his debut film. He looks into a live in relationship between two people who love each other but where one of them scorns commitment. Nick is scared of long term commitment and is afraid to forgo his freedom. The look and the feel of the movie is urban. Cinematography is superb. Music by Vishaal Sekhar is easy on the ears. The screen play written by the director himself has some loopholes but is narrated with humour. The film has its moments- some of the sequences between Saif and his friend and some, between the lovers are magical. But post interval the plot looses its sheen rimming on melodrama and the narration looses its pace but slightly picks up towards the climax.  

Performance wise both Priety and Saif are apt in their roles. Saif looks good and Priety is glamorous in her hip costumes. Saif  proves himself again in the acting department, after his recent hit Parineeta. Arshad Warsi as Saif's friend is good and Javed Jaffrey in his small but humorous role is brilliant. Abhishek Bachchan makes a special appearance as a doctor who delivers Amber's babies.

Overall the film is worth a watch for its look and feel as well as the humour.