Love Aaj Kal - Is it so?

I am so glad that I could manage to find cheap tickets for this movie and did not have to spend much (50/- a piece on the morning show at a nearby PVR). I am sure the first line itself would have given you ample indication of what I have to say about the movie. However, I do not wish to be over critical of this dismal portrayal of the modern day couples who believe in the philosophy of take-life-as-it-comes. I would surely want to give the movie its due when it comes to its music. Pritam with his sound track catches you and you do find yourself thumping your foot to the beats of ‘Twist and Aahun-aahun”. Sure, Saif’s scratchy dancing in both these numbers is kind of a let down but then you can always choose to look the other way or at the dancers in the background and tap to these numbers.

The film runs two stories in parallel. Saif essays the roles of Jai Vardhan Singh a contemporary ambitious practical but confused youth who chatters incessantly with his lady love Meera played by Deepika Padukone and that of Veer Singh (Rishi Kapoor’s younger day rendition) who falls for a shy and quiet Harleen Kaur in the Delhi of 60’s.

Imtiaz Ali – the director attempts to take the art of story telling to another level altogether by constantly switching between the two parallels. Maybe since the two stories set in past and present run concurrently, it takes time to grasp the plot. I guess it should have been mentioned in the opening credits itself that Saif enacts the dual roles and if you are not aware of the same, chances are when the transition occurs you would sit looking as confused as a child in a topless bar (Thank you Mr. Sidhu for that last simile).

Anyway, what I liked about the film was Deepika’s performance. She delivers with a dignified grace and charm. Her screen presence is captivating and her smile lights up the screen. Equally mesmerizing was the debutante Giselle who plays the timid and bashful Harleen. Her language barrier was probably used to the advantage as she had only a handful of dialogues to deliver. Watching Neetu Kapoor in the last shot was a pleasant surprise.

On the technical front, I guess the cinematographer for the movie has done a wonderful job capturing the scenic delights right from the aerial shots of London at the start of the movie to filming Golden Gate and the Howrah Bridge and of course the rendition of Delhi and Kolkata in different period of history.

The first few minutes of the film might be a little strange and baffling as the movie begins like what can be best described as a quick recipe for making a concoction of a heady modern day whirlwind romance. The plot settles down only to leave the audience perplexed about the reasons of practicality to justify a breakup between the leading characters. Agreed that a long distance relationship seldom works but the way our leading man is portrayed, it is little difficult to digest it for Indian sensibilities even against a foreign culture backdrop.

The character of Jai Singh is defined more like an insensitive buffoon and personally no matter how ‘modern and open’ relationships become in this decade of the 21 century, every lass who is seeing someone still wants some bit of chivalry in her man. Don’t you agree girl?

Anyway, the story that touched some chord with my heart was the one set in past with Veer Singh seeking attention of next door Harleen Kaur, cycling behind his rickshaw and sitting with his friends and scheming about how to woo her. Perhaps the best sequences in the movie were from this parallel story, be it Veer Singh’s friends emptying their pockets and contributing money for his ticket to Kolkata or our Harleen bringing in the ‘chai ka glass’ for the hero on the street.

Deepika’s rendition of a fresco artist did not look real and while Raj Zutshi and Rahul Khanna were practically wasted in their chit of a role, I believe Rishi Kapoor should have been given something more to do in the film.

The movie does boast of easy dialogues sprinkled with witty humor and I am sure ‘Mango People’ would find its way in vocabulary of number of people. Saif does incite some smiles as he keeps rambling through out the movie but his personification of the lovelorn Veer Singh is what invites some real laughter.

The movie has turned out to be quite a grosser at the box office with record opening collections. This also is one fact that is leading me to question the mindset of people, and the value set that they advocate.

I do not quite understand the sensibility and value system of the masses that went in to watch this movie. The characters set in the modern roles are questionable as they go double dating and planning secret rendezvous.

If one was to spare a thought for Jai's Jo (Florence Brudenell-Bruce) and Meera's Vikram (Rahul Khanna), the leading pair was on the verge of being cruel. Both Jo and Vikram are literally toyed and their emotions ransacked and if it all seems justified to the audience on pretext of ‘finding true love’ or ‘following one’s heart’ I have some serious doubts over the rate of success of marriages in next couple of years.

Anyway, what ever said and done, the truth of the matter is that the film is a hit in its opening week itself and Saif Ali Khan, as a producer shall laugh all the way to the bank, if not as an actor to a national awards function.

My rating: stars out of 5.