Banner: Yash Raj Films
Producer: Yash Chopra & Aditya Chopra
Director: Aditya Chopra
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, Vinay Pathak
Rating: 2.5/5
It’s easy to say, you should walk in to a film without any expectations. But doing that is impossible especially when it’s a Yash Raj Film with Aditya Chopra directing it. You walk in hoping to be enthralled with emotions and achieve the much needed entertainment. Sadly though nothing is attained and this flick is a bland affair.
What you see in this film is a super thin plot supported by some good performances and technical proficiency. It looks and sounds great but void of that ‘it’ factor and a little reason. Shahrukh Khan plays a double role in this caper opposite newbie Anushka Sharma. Following a mishap involving her to be husband, Tanni’s (Anushka Sharma) marriage takes place with Surinder Sahni (Shahrukh khan). Unhappy and following her fathers wishes, Tanni settles down with Sahni, living a life of compromises. But going to any lengths to make his wife cheerful, Sahni transforms himself into this quirky character called Raj and enrolls himself in the same dance classes that Tanni attends. What follows is the discovery of love, divinity and a hashed plot.
If you were to get a rupee for every time the word ‘Rab’ was uttered in the film, you’d probably be richer by a few hundred rupees. The film takes the role of God nearly literally and harps on the notion that in love lies God. While the belief might very well be true, the manner in which the film tackles it is rather plain. Even the dialogues alternate between being a dull and tasteless. There is nothing that thrills of excites in this fare. The major drama that unfolds in the film is seen only in the last few minutes and not that the film builds up to it, so in essence everything else that you are busy watching is just there.
It’s not like the film has some great song dance or distractions that you can say balances out the lack of a strong rope of a story. It is only perhaps the song "Phir milenge chalte chalte" that brings in all the excitement for that few minutes. On the plus side, you don’t get bored in the film and you don’t moan in grief, simply because the star in Khan does not let you. His mannerisms and body language keep you engaged. It apt to say that it is only him that pulls the film through the first half and a major part of the second half; before the actual drama takes over in the last few minutes.
The film seems like a potpourri of so many different things, of which nothing fits in place. What sense does it make for Sharma to cavort on the bike, how does it contribute to anything in the film. So Vinay Pathak plays stylist and buddy to Khan in the film, but what significant difference does his character have to the lead characters lives? Moreover Surinder and Raj are essentially the same guy, while the audience recognizes that, how dumb does the character have to be not to see that both the characters are the same? Even if we take into account creative liberty and suspension of disbelief, how much can you actually let go of?
All said and done, the film is technically great. The editing is slick as is the camerawork and cinematography. The colours, textures and the locales seem alive and that is a great plus. The choreography of the songs, especially chalte chalte is extremely well done. The sound that captures you is outstanding, sadly though the great background score falls flat simply because the scenes don’t have the same feel in it.
Performance wise, all the actors do a good job. While you hope to cry and smile with Khan’s sadness and his happy moments, nothing of that sort ever happens. The lines and the scenes don’t let him take you on the emotional adventure. However, he works extremely well within the constraints of his character, his body language and delivery is outstanding. He literally carries the film on his shoulders. Newbie, Anushka Sharma is spunky, lively and acts with panache. Pathak on the other hand does nothing for the film and does not give a great performance either.
Certainly there are bound to be a few people who like and love this film but then simply judging it as a complete film, it isn’t great. It’s not convincing and neither is entertaining. If you don’t walk in expecting too much from this film, you just might walk out content.
