Movie Review: Love Aaj Kal
Producer: Saif Ali Khan in association with Eros International
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepike Padukone, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor
Music: Pritam
Saif Ali Khan’s debut production, ‘Love Aaj Kal’ releases today. The expectations of the viewers were humungous since the huge hype had been witnessed before the release. Now the question arises in mind as to whether the film will live up to those mammoth expectations of the cinegoers or it will go mundanely at the box office? Well, the answer says – yes, it will certainly fit to their expectations.
The movie is a love story, but it is very clear that penning and then making this film on celluloid seem absolutely not easy at all. We have been watching a number of love stories on Bollywood front but they carry simple things to convey on screen, this one is not from the routine formula rather it has two stories set in different eras, which run parallel and have a similar end. You have to be very attentive while watching the film since the past and present run concomitantly. If you shake your attention even for a bit, you would definitely lose the story. One has also to be aware that Saif plays the double role in the film if one has to go along with the goings-on of the film. The movie simply gets you glued to the screen from the beginning till the end. It is magical.
The enterprise is laced with the complex relationships since the couple in love lives in complete refutation. The flick moves in director’s hands entirely. All credit goes to the talented man Imtiaz Ali, who has written such an interesting story, comprehensive screenplay and managed to take out the brilliant performances from Saif and Deepika and even from the rest of the cast. It is imperative to mention that the script is what cannot be appealing to every section of the audience but it is the execution on screen that impresses all.
Love Aaj
London, San Francisco, Delhi – 2009
A modern day couple, Jai (Saif Ali Khan) and Meera (Deepika Padukone) live in London. Both are very happy being in each other’s company but find difficulty when it comes to tie the knot. But the time arrives when life pulls them in different directions then they decide to tread with the flow of life. Jai is of the view that “These Heer-Ranjha, Romeo-Juliet type janam janam ka saath type couples exist only in story books, we have to be practical”.
Love Kal
Delhi, Calcutta – 1965
When Veer Singh (Rishi Kapoor) sees Harleen, he is struck by a thunderbolt. He becomes crazy in her love that he travels a thousand kilometers by train and then reaches her place and stands under her balcony to have a glimpse of her face. He does not speak even a word with her.
Love Aaj Kal
Veer is unable to understand that how Jai very skillfully treats the matters of heart without passion like a financial transaction. On Jai’s part, he finds it difficult to absorb that how Veer Singh could have been so naïve and silly about his love Harleen when he was young. When both the stories unzip, the viewer realizes that the process of relationship could be different in different eras and times, but the experience of love in which the lovers fall is the same.
The flick consists of different eras. The subject of the movie is undoubtedly novel. A hardcore movie from all aspects, it has been mainly targeted at the youth. Saif Ali Khan has been shown as a young Rishi Kapoor as well in the movie and here the director has experimented and he looks successful in that.
Love Aaj Kal enthralls the viewers in bits in the first half. It’s not because of any discrepancy in direction or material but for the writing that is so different for the viewer, as they have not seen this type of subject before on the screen. But once the second half opens, the flick catches you from tip to toe. Second half is the life of the movie, as in this portion Deepika decides to marry and in this part, the last reunion takes place. This half is filled with emotions that touch the hearts. The sequences like the ones – when Saif interacts with Deepika and when he finds changing in his behavior in the US are the really heart-arresting.
Imtiaz Ali has proved once again that he is a marvelous storyteller. The movie shows his ahead of time thinking. The direction by him is superb. Pritam’s work on music is mesmerizing. ‘Ahun Ahun’ and Dooriyan are really hummable. N. Natarajan Subramaniam’s cinematography is first rate. Editing by Aarti Bajaj is crispy.
Although Saif Ali Khan has been in the industry for many many years, but this performance can be called his best till date. Deepika Padukone shows that she is not only gorgeous but also a fine actress Bollywood has ever seen. Rishi Kapoor is brilliant. The actress who enacts the role of Harleen is gorgeous and does a luminous job. Neetu Kapoor impresses with her part. Others portray the characters well too.
On the whole, ‘Love Aaj Kal’ will get huge audience due to the impressive starcast, melodious music, novel theme and the director’s name who has delivered hits earlier.
RS Rating: 4/5
- Film Critic: Goher Iqbal Punn
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Huge grammatical errors in this review. Surely these should be screened by the writer (film critic)!
Beautiful movie. a movie to be watched over and again.
comic timings are too smart. imtiaz scores another platinium with this one. this is a smart movie not something rubish like kambhabkt shit! we want more movies like this. we need good cinema. it surelly have a potential to be a blockbuster. it will surelly hit the target of 80crs no doubt. saif become richer