Director and Producer: Ajay Devgan

Cast: Kajol, Ajay Devgan, Divya Dutta, Karan Khanna, Isha Shrawani, Sachin Khedekar

Rating: 2.5/5

With every actor wanting to produce, direct or start a company it is only fair that a powerful actor such as Ajay Devgan does the same. I won’t go too far to applaud the film, but Devgan’s directorial debut under his own production banner is a good attempt.

The moment the film begins, you are forced to compare it with movies like The Notebook or even Fifty First Dates, but then it is absolutely nothing like any of them. The premise of the film surrounds Ajay (Ajay Devgan) and Piya (Kajol). Call it love at first sight or simply love. The two, like in all clichéd stories, meet at a random place, in this case a cruise. They fall in love gradually and eventually get married.

Sometimes the happiest of stories see the saddest of twists. For Ajay and Piya this was the case. Relying on all but love, commitment and promises the film progresses slowly step by step.

Key words here to note are ‘progress’, ‘step by step’ and ‘slowly’. The film has a heart no doubt but the pace is killing. The plot is one that hasn’t really been told by any Hindi filmmaker, so that’s a point for Devgan. But then one should also realize it is the execution of the plot that ultimately matters. One could use the best technology to make a product and package it extremely well, but ultimately if the product itself isn’t that good, there isn’t much one can do.

Imagine describing a beautiful flower with great passion. It would excite you for the first few seconds. As you hear more of it, you only begin to get annoyed. This is what happens to U Me Aur Hum. The dialogues are so long and repetitive that even after you get the point the explanation is still on. It is almost like a justification in each line followed by another one accompanying it, in the process the ‘it’ moment has long passed.

The film delves into so many different tangents that are inconsequential and in essence dilute the main story that at points you just want to phase out. Like the little kid who wants to woo a girl in school, or Shrawani and Khanna’s corny lovey dovey bits. The SMS humor is stale and could have been done away with.

Dialogues in many parts are poetic and are commendable, and some other times droning and repetitive. Clearly the film is split into two parts. One the stagnant part and the other the emotional wave that you are bound to be caught in. While the first half is more concentrated on building the main story and introduction of other sub stories, the second half is where you find yourself stirred with the main story. The film really doesn’t take off much for the first half hour.

No one dares to write off the film, with its many flaws one would still like to believe that other film makers have a lot to learn from this film. Take for example certain shots, frame constructions, cinematography and sound… all par excellence. It’s a delight to see an actor who has taken the directorial reigns doing such a good job and ensuring these aspects were looked upon. Editing however was rather ineffectual, good use of the clippers was would have without doubt made the film snappier and more potent.

A film with such high caliber actors could have certainly done with some flattering looks and convincing make up. It is the fineness with which Ajay acts and the charm of the character in Kajol’s eyes that makes everything convincing. The make up, hair and clothes are a bit unflattering.

One need not say much about the lead actors’ performances. A simple Wow would suffice. This is undoubtedly Kajol’s best till date, she can make a cold heart melt and stern eyes cry with this performance. Ajay is brilliant in parts and his usual in the rest. Dutta stands out as always with her crisp rendering of the role. Khanna and Shrawani do nothing for the film. It’s sad one really doesn’t get to see much of their acting talent, especially that of Shrawani who just keeps dancing (we know she dances, the nail has been driven in the wall, case in point Kisna).

U Me aur Hum deserves a watch for Kajol’s perfomance, Devgan’s directorial skills and a passionately long story.