Film review: Love Aaj Kal (Hindi)
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Star Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Rishi Kapoor, Rahul Khanna
Rating: ''''
What it's about: Friends turned lovers is a subject dealt with many a Hollywood and Bollywood movies, but it never gets stale. Right at the onset of the film, the characters Jai (Saif) and Meera (Deepika) woo you with their cool dude and chic diva charm and you want them to be together for life. It's a perfect film made for today's times and age. It has a wafer-thin plot, but is spun with simplistic and astute workmanship. Kudos to the director and the complete star cast.
Jai Vardhan meets Meera Pandit at a hip bar in London, makes the move and the duo hit the roof. They frequent coffee bars, shopping and the likes and are a great couple for two years. But Jai dreams of building bridges in San Francisco, while Meera is moving to Delhi to restore Indian frescoes. And like mature individuals, they decide to split because long-distance relationships don't work. But Veer (Rishi Kapoor) won't let them part because he believes in love. He narrates his love story and the then the film unfolds with another love story in Eastman colour, running parallel to the one of modern Facebook times, but with conflicting approaches. You're transported to 1965 streets of yore, where its aankhon hi aankhon mein love contrasted with today's times, when falling in love is so easy; where Harleen is the shy girl (pretty lass without a name) and Veer, the sardar, who sits all night outside a balcony and takes a pratigya (pledge) under a tree to give up anything for love.
Jai does a complete turn around, finds a blonde girl and thinks he can do the whole thing again, but fails and realises his folly before breaking down and understanding the meaning of love. Jai achieves his dream of building the golden bridge and Meera marries her boss Rahul Khanna, but they both have something missing in their lives. Watch the film to know what that is and if the modern day friends get what is amiss in their lives and also if the Veer Harleen story sees a happy ending.
What's hot: Smart one-liners and life-like situations of today's times. Great cinematography, with London, San Francisco and Delhi as backdrops. The spontaneous dialogue delivery scores the most in the two-hour crisp film, which does not waste time anywhere by dragging any scene. Saif and Deepika's acting is also stupendous, especially when the two meet after a long time and get drunk and he drops her home and she says, "Koi fayda utha lega isliye ghar chodne aa rahe ho?" and he replies, "Haan fayda hona hi hai to mera hi ho jaaye," and many such are what that will keep you entertained with chuckles throughout. In fact, Saif handles all kinds of emotions, that of being funny, happy, or heartbroken, with complete panache. There's also quite a surprise in the climax.
What's not: Though Saif does a fabulous job with him in his own avatar, his playing the sardaar for young Rishi Kapoor looks like he wants to break out of the turban.
Verdict: Go watch it and feel the love!
