It's been really ages since I really did any movie review kind of post, or any kind of post.
So, last one was 'Delhi Belly' and there is a link between them, and people who know me, know that too.
So let’s start in classical bullet points, primarily to keep things in track -
So, last one was 'Delhi Belly' and there is a link between them, and people who know me, know that too.
So let’s start in classical bullet points, primarily to keep things in track -
1) Didn't like the title when I first heard of it, and don't like it now either.
2) Ayan Mujkherji, this guy really impressed me with his restrained direction in his debut movie, it was brilliant.
3) Ik taraa - Tochi Rana version, became one my favorite, so was expecting another that kind of song.
4) Add 'thinking' star Ranbir to the above mix, skyrockted my expectations.
5) Now coming to the movie, it started on a bad note, seriously what the hell Madhuri was doing there? Whole song/sequence looked so forced and out of place. After movie ended, no one, really no one remembered Madhuri or song or music or dance for even 1 second. It seemed like some afterthought from producer, chal movie ban gayi, ab surprise element daaltey hai....Madhuri ka item number, just like Ash's Kajra re caught everyone by surprise & became a rage, but whole idea fell flat.
6) Introductions scenes were so repetitive and clichéd, characters were introduced in same old way, that cool friend with sharp tongue and a headphone, studious one with chashma, and of course cool and happening , life of every party one in the opening song-sequence. No comments about Aditya Roy K.
7) Whole ‘hiking’ trip picturization was so FAKE and irritating. Right from buying train tickets, boarding train, all of them carrying EXACT same kind of bag pack (just in different color), meeting plasticiky girls in compartment, playing those games, blah blah blah, highly irritating.
8) Now actual hiking shots, what were they thinking while shooting those? Anyone who has done an even half-a-mile hiking will know how one looks like after it, but here everyone ( including instructor) looked so fresh and crisp, no sign of sweat, or tiredness, or feeling/looking thirsty, dirty clothes/shoes, but NO everything was so perfect. And then there were those idiot/timewasting/highly irritating scenes between Bunny and LARA while hiking.
9) And the LOWEST point of the movie was when instructor talks about some ‘Bhagsu Point or something, and then gives crap about ‘Puranmasi ki raat “, mannat and all. This is 2013, not 1997 when Madhuri explained Valentine’s day with puranmasi reference in DTPH.
10) In one shot it was all snow and in very next shot it’s ‘Balam Pichkari’ song, it is possible but looks highly unconvincing on screen. It was more of music video which they decided to plug in.
11) Fighting with local goons was pathetically conceived and acted. Everything was BAD in that sequence. Acting, writing, direction, location/set it was BAD BAD BAD.
12) Characters were not established at all, there was a brief reference to Deepika’s family but later on nothing, Aditya Roy Kapur was the weakest link, he needs acting classes and less whiskey glasses. He tried to present as charming goofy kind of guy but only succeeded in irritating. He talks about his father but it never seemed convincing.
13) The transition between 8 before and 8 years after was very blurry, there was hardly a difference. They all looked same, behaved same. They should have invested little bit in showing their after-8 yrs life, may be a shot or two of Deepika as doctor running her clinic.
14) Casting of Kalki as Aditi was the master stroke, if one looks from distance there is nothing new to her character but casting a blonde hair girl with unusual(in good sense) looks added a lot of dimension to her role, plus she really acted her part extremely well.
15) Another high point of movie was Farooque Sheikh, he really brought warmth and believability, his scenes kind-of had touches of Ayan’s Wake Up Sid. Though I still feel Tanvi Azmi was wasted in that minuscule role.
16) Another guy who must be ashamed of his decision of doing this will be Rana Duggubatii, what was he thinking when he agreed for that role? May be a chance of getting a better/bigger deal from Dharma Productions in future.
17) Now let’s talk about Ranbir Kapoor, as expected he really acted well in this movie too, and undoubtedly he is meant for bigger success in future. In this movie, I noticed that he too is about to fall into trap-of-being-a-superstar, that is when RANBIR KAPOOR becomes bigger than the character he is playing, exactly same way SRK is. In this whole movie, it was a RANBIR KAPOOR show, almost in all scenes he was there, almost ALL, just like SRK used to be in Karan Johar/ YRF movies. Like I said earlier I didn’t like the title of movie, they could have called it ‘A Ranbir Kapoor Show’.
18) Music – I liked it, though lot of songs were amalgam of Pritam’s prior work which he packaged in a very Dharma Productions kind of boundaries, and in couple of songs he tried to create ‘Ik Taraa’ magic like song in ‘Kabiraa’, or tried to cash-in Mohit Chauhan’s Rockstar success. Overall , pretty decent lively peppy MUZIIIIIK.
19) Overall, I saw some flashes of Ayan's talent, but this time seems like Producer had a bigger say in the shaping of the movie.
