Jab We Love

Love Aaj Kal (LAK), director Imtiyaaz Ali, Jab We Met (JWM) fame, enough to get lot of expectation and hype. I went for the movie, I know it can’t be a Jab We Met again but still feel that it could have been better.

Story-

Imtiyaaz’s way of presenting a love story is different. To him what filmy love stories are can’t be same in the real life but at the same time real life love stories can conclude to a filmy end. That’s how he presented in JWM, how a simple incidence turn in to a larger than life love story. While watching JWM you will always get his feeling of “Oh yes that could have happen to me as well or true I could have said the same words been in that situation”. This feeling connects you with the flow of the story.

The story of LAK is pretty simple. Saif and Deepika are in a relationship. No need to explain what sort of relationship it is. So being modern couple they decide to break up to move ahead with their career opportunities. Obviously the end has to be both of them realising their love for each other and coming together. Yes but here’s the twist. The realisation part comes in a form of story. A true dramatic love story from 1950’s which is actually a story of a restaurant owner name Veer played by Rishi Kapoor, who narrates it to Saif.

So LAK has concept of chronologically separated stories running at the same time which to me is a brilliant concept. But since its Imtiyaaz who is the story teller here, he kept the main story as a straight realistic practical type and the other as a dramatic larger than life story. Still it is a brilliant concept but at the same time very tough to present. I appreciate Imtiyaaz’s effort but also I feel that the script fell short of some elements.

Presentation-

Well this is what Imtiyaaz is best at. 2 things that I have noticed about him-

a. He likes to portray real life situations as it is. With very simple yet meaningful dialogs. Straight to the point.

b. Then he likes to add some unexpected out of very usual situations.

I love the scene where Deepika calls Saif to meet secretly, in her wedding. You would expect Deepika to speak but she did not speak a single word. Saif was unexpectedly good in that shot. Also the scene where Veer and Harleen meet at Calcutta is lovely.

I like the way Imtiyaaz started with “ye dooriyan” song. I was expecting it somewhere in the 2nd half. He also showed the glimpses of what leads to this song which are the events that occur in the later course of time. It was very creative.

The quick interval makes you feel that it’s a fast paced movie but its actually not. Since the main events in the movie are a bit realistic and without a strong hold like “Geet” in JWM, it feels a little dragging. Though the story of Veer and Harleen which starts as a narration but towards the end becomes a parallel running story, keeps your expectation high but it gains pace during the last half an hour. Its certainly not fair to watch a dragging movie just to see how exciting it is in it’s last hour.

Casting-

The only interesting fact about the two stories was the same actor playing the main role. Saif fits his character, he has played this so many times and the director knew it, he used him very well. Despite of repeated act it still feels fresh and good. Also the character of Veer as a Sardar, adds a new stint to Saif’s act. Deepika was a big disappointment. She did not fit in this character at all. Very ordinary acting plus in some scenes the glamour quotient was missing. Imtiyaaz’s girls are simple fun loving and bubbly sort of girls and Deepika seemed to be not that type of girl. She looks completely fake especially in the song “Chor Bazari”. Well when you have to try and “act” like having “fun” then what comes out is called as artificial. I would have said that her dialog delivery is bad but seeing her interviews and all I can say that it’s not her fault, her voice and accent is too raw or too desi you can say. Overall I found her trying very hard to fit in that sort of character but never succeeded. She is one of the biggest negative points about this movie.

The other characters are ok, Harleen and her family were good but they don’t have much appearance. I am pretty sure that they could have been adorable. Imtiyaaz has done the Punjab part in JWM very well. I like the frustrating act by Raj Zhutsi, it was quite funny. I would have loved to see Pawan Malhotra again, who did a fantastic job in JWM. Harleen was pretty but again not having much appearance.

Music-

Music is one plus point of the movie, “twist” and “aahun aahun” are good dance numbers and very well choreographed. Mohit with “ye dooryain” did the job again for Imtiyaaz. It’s a beautiful song. Rest of the songs are ok mostly goes with the flow of the movie.

Location-

This time Imtiyaaz took the story out of India. The movie has been shot at some amazing and beautiful locations like London, San Francisco. There’s a mini Delhi Darshan in the song “Chor Bazari”.

Synopsis-

Overall the movie is an average, not good as expected from Imtiyaaz. I really wish the script had been reworked and someone else would have been cast opposite to Saif, someone like…..Vidya Balan or someone who can act at least.

This movie is especially for youngsters, youngsters who are in love. I think Imtiyaaz knew this, because unlike JWM it’s not “LOVE in the MAKING” but its “one LOVE story MAKING an existing LOVE story END as a LOVE story”. I know its bit difficult to understand but the point here is that if you are going for the movie alone then watch it just for Harleen and Veer or go with your better half because even if you don’t like it you will have each other, at least.

I will conclude with saying that this time Imtiyaaz failed to touch the audience like me who are still waiting for a “Geet” to miss a train and change their lives.

A Simple Love Story

JAB WE MET, the title might look a little complex but the story isn't. Its indeed a simple and lovely movie. Shahid and Kareena makes a lovely couple, sad they separated in real life, but the movie rocks. After 'Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai' and 'Chhup Chhup Ke' its the third time i loved Kareena's character in a movie so much. Shahid shines in his character as well, he looks great in those business formals. But main highlight is the story which is though very FILMY but situations are quite realistic, I feel most of us would react in the same way if put in the situations shown in the movie. For a common viewer its easy to connect with a realistic love story rather than one happening in an unknown planet without any base at all(sorry Mr. SLB).

Songs are refreshing, Pritam has done it again.'Tum se hi' is a nice romantic one, on the other hand 'Mauja hi Mauja' is a fantastic bhangra item number. But my favorite is 'Aoge Jab Tum', a slow classical number, beautifully sung by Rashid Khan.

I feel its an ultimate movie, must watch for everyone and specially in the times of one time watch movies its a kind of a movie which according to me is watchable n number of times. Do watch it.

Obsessed with Chak De

Javed Jafri had said this once-Indian people are mainly obsessed with two things in there life, one is Ma (mother) & other is Cinema. I don’t know about the rest but yes I am one of that kind. I love watching those moving pictures on the silver screen. I really can’t resist my self from watching movies and not just that I love them carrying as a hang over (people around me know this better). I don’t want to go in to describing the movies of my kind but actually want to talk about one which I saw recently. Just few days back I saw CHAK DE INDIA , which was unexpectedly brilliant. Unexpected because the movie has a different theme showing an unpopular sport being played by some socially discriminated people and then considering this fact that the makers are one of the biggest producers of MUSICAL ROMANTIC MOVIES, I doubted on the success of CHAK DE .

But still CHAK DE is doing well, even after a month of its release. It is the first major hit of the year. The response is amazing, people have gone twice and thrice to watch the movie. I personally watched it thrice & I won’t hesitate to say that I am not just having a hang over of it but actually I am in obsession with it. And my obsession compelled me to express my feelings for this movie in a form of an exercise called writing. So in the following I have tried to give words to my obsession.

There is this scene in the movie which shows a foreign official hoisting Indian flag and SRK reiterates the same feeling which goes through the heart of the audience sitting in the theater. Patriotism serves as a feel good factor for the audience and it’s a best formula to get a good collection at the box office. CHAK DE is not a conventional patriotic movie showcasing wars against Pakistan but in fact it’s an inspiring movie, encouraging our national sport & the women of India . The main characters in the movie on being socially harassed take the harassment as an energy form to fight back and prove them selves. CHAK DE is all about this fighting spirit for their nation against the humiliation by some narrow minded people.

Firm Story-Screenplay, creative cinematography, stylish yet soothing music, good direction and some great performances are the elements which made CHAK DE a success.

Jaideep Sahini made the director’s task pretty easy with his writing skill. The best part of the screenplay is the pace by which it flows. The story itself is very different from a conventional bollywood style. A failed Muslim Sportsman trying to get his position & respect back in the society by leading 16 member of Women’s hokey team to win the world cup championship, huh! It was not only a big challenge but also a huge risk to present this kind of a theme and to make it at least a one time watch. Jaideep has written a simple yet dramatic screenplay.

Talking about the technical aspect of the movie, most of the shots have been shot using steady cameras. The shots like Bindiya making her way out of the field when expelled by SRK, and SRK addressing the girls just before the final match are some good examples. Shots with shaky camera movements (ex:-dressing room sequence where Bindiya encourages everyone to stand against SRK) give the audience an effect of being inside the story. Sport action in the movie has been shot very realistically. The challenge was not just to show an unpopular game on the big screen, but also to cover it in a spectacular way. Unlike Cricket the major action in Hockey rolls all over the field, which makes it very difficult to capture. But you will actually feel the heat of the game because of some great cinematography in the movie.

All these spectacular shots in the movie are well backed up by some brilliant background score, given by the maestro of background score Salim Sulaiman. They have given the music as well for this movie. The duo is famous for there raunchy style, ‘Bad Bad Girls’ is one such number in the movie. But this time they have also come up with some nice bhangra beats & sporty music. CHAK DE & BADAL PE PAON HAI are songs filled with energy and some inspiring lyrics by Jaideep. On the other hand MAULA MERE is a very beautiful song with a Sufi & Rajasthani folk touch and nice poetic lyrics by Jaideep again.

Speaking about the performances, I would say SRK played one of his life’s best role in this movie. No actor can ask for any better role than this. SRK with a bearded look & aviator glasses looks very apt for the character, Kabir Khan. Other than SRK the actor who impressed me a lot is Shilpa who played the role of Bindiya in the movie. She has brilliantly shown an attitude of a national player. Her face is very expressive. Her scenes with SRK are equally appreciable. The match sequence of India vs. Korea has her special game which she plays like a real hockey player. Great performance from a new comer. Others performed well too. Komal with her Haryanvi accent was humorous. Vidya and Preeti were above average. I must say that all the actors played very well, their roles as well as the game in the movie.

Shimit Amin has compiled the movie very well. Unlike other directors who moved out of Ramu’s camp & failed, Shimit maintained his charm with CHAK DE . Movie has a great pace, never feels like dragging at any point. Movie is perfectly balanced with the first half showing ‘Preparation’ & second half showing the real ‘Action’. Although some of the things are predictable in the movie especially about the game but the way the game action has been covered, the excitement makes you sit aback and cheer every goal scored by the Indian team.

After movies like CHAK DE INDIA I am seeing the change in the approach towards film making in India . I personally don’t believe in the categories of cinema as commercial and art form. I feel if you want to show something to the people then it should be presented in a way that it reaches a majority of the audience. As I have seen CHAK DE doing this, I hope I would see some more movies going this way.

In the end i would say CHAK DE has given a nice thought for encouragement in the fields like Sports & Cultural affairs. India has started growing and it needs such encouragement. Best thing about this movie is that it has given a slogan which i am pretty sure we gonna say every time we find our nation in a difficult situation ........CHAK DE CHAK DE……….CHAK DE INDIA .