Disco Deewana

Imagine a blueberry cheesecake without the right crust. Or a macaroni and cheese pasta without garnishing. Or simply imagine your favourite dish with less salt. That’s Kai Po Che! for you. The film has everything yet seems short of few elements. It leaves you wanting for more. It makes you happy yet disappoints.

I remember telling my brother that Chetan Bhagat’s 3 mistakes Of My Life will make for a brilliant Bollywood film. It has all the masala and emotions for it. And full props to director Abhishek Kapoor for adapting a badly written book and making it into a decent and watchable film. The first few minutes of the film have a huge Rock on! Déjà vu. Boys going shirtless, dancing, jumping into a sea, etc. It’s your quintessential buddy movie but lacks emotional resonance. It’s there still not there.

The first half of the film is plateaued. It breezes through smoothly but lacks any defining moment. Except the earthquake portion which is brilliantly executed. Ahmadabad looks authentic. Also, the lack of humour makes the first half a little dry. Probably the filmmaker took the term ‘dry state’ tad too seroislsuly. Starkly opposite is the second half. There’s a lot packed in there. Post earthquake parts, the riots, the conflicts and the emotional turbulence; it’s the post interval portion which saves the film. And of course there’s cricket too! Like in most films, the gentlemen’s game manages to perk up the right emotions.

Technically, the film is excellent. The cinematography and background score is first rate. Amit Trivedi’s music is the soul of the film. Maanjha, Meethi boliyaan and Shubharambh stay with you even after you have left the theatre. Clocking in a runtime of 126 minutes, Kai Po Che is one of the best edited films to come of out of hour films. Deepa Bhatia take a bow. The pace of the film is one of its biggest strengths.  

The other big strength of the film are the performances. The lead actors put in their soul into their characters. Sushant Singh Rajput makes a confident debut. Good looks, great body and fine acting chops, this one shows big promise. Amit Sadh shines even though his character is the weakest. His vulnerability is adorable and convincingly conveys the characters inner conflicts. But the real scene stealer is Raj Kumar Yadav. He brings an awkward charm to his character and breathes common man. It’s hard to take your eyes off him when he’s in the frame. Amrita Puri is easy on eyes and gets by. The supporting cast is also spot on.

Kai Po Che! is definitely one of the better films to come out of our country in the recent past. Wish it was just a little more layered and packed in more punch.

Here’s to love! My favourite romantic movie dialogue:

10. “It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were suppose to be together… and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home… only to no home I’d ever known… ”  

(Tom Hanks), Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

 9. “Michael…I’ve loved you for nine years, I’ve just been too arrogant and scared to realize it, and… well, now I’m just scared. So, I realize this comes at a very inopportune time but I really have this gigantic favor to ask of you. Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy. Oh, that sounds like three favors, doesn’t it?”

Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts), My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)

8. “I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle in your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

Harry Burns (Billy Crystal), When Harry Met Sally (1989)

7. “No, I don’t think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That’s what’s wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.”

Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), Gone With the Wind (1939)

6. “If there’s any kind of magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone, sharing something. I know, it’s almost impossible to succeed, but…who cares, really? The answer must be in the attempt.” 

Celine (Julie Delpy), Before Sunrise

5. “Love is too weak a word for what I feel — I luuurve you, you know, I loave you, I luff you, two F’s, yes I have to invent, of course I do, don’t you think I do?” 

(Woody Allen), Annie Hall 

4. “If I could ask God one thing, it would be to stop the moon. Stop the moon and make this night and your beauty last forever.”

 A Knight’s tale

Top 3 from my favourite film:

3. “You had me at hello.”

2. “I love him and I don’t care what you think. I love him for the man he wants to be and I love him for the man he almost is.”

1. “I love you. You… complete me.”

Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise), Jerry Maguire (1996)

Ek main aur ek Imran Khan… Meeting the freshly minted green eyed boy of the box office

You’ve managed a hat-trick with Delhi Belly, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. Do you think you’ve finally proved and established yourself?
I think so. Even before Delhi Belly, I had I Hate Luv Storys which was a big hit and Break Ke Baad which saw decent success. So in a way I have had five back to back profitable and successful films. I’m happy with the way all my films are performing at the box office but that doesn’t mean I’ll sit back and rest on my laurels. I still have a long way to go. I’ll try and keep growing.

What made EMAET work?
The fresh and crisp script is one of the biggest strengths of the film. Also, Shakun’s mature vision gave the film a different touch. We’ve received amazing feedback about the film’s unusual ending. We did have our doubts when we were shooting the climax. But Karan Johar insisted that we go ahead with the unusual end and I’m thankful we did. People have even appreciated the chemistry Kareena and I shared. In fact, Kareena and I have spoken about how our first film together is different from other romcoms and yet got a good reception.

Kareena is older than you. Did you have any apprehensions about working with her?
No, the age difference never bothered me. Her screen age is definitely more than mine but in reality she’s just a year and a half older than me. It was a joy working with her. She’s an uncomplicated actor. She’s completely unaffected by her stardom and beauty. She’s a beautiful woman but she doesn’t care. She’s a super successful actress but that doesn’t matter to her. You’ll see her wander in the most unassuming and chilled out ways. Track pants, pony tail tied, having chai. She doesn’t waste time getting her make-up and hair done and isn’t worried about which angle she’s shot from. If you tell her to act like an idiot, she will. She’s not weighed down by the baggage of who or what she is. You see so many people trying so hard to look perfect – tummy tucked it, standing at an angle so the double chin doesn’t show, she doesn’t give a damn about these things. And that’s what makes her so attractive to the audience. As you watch her, you are magically carried away with what she’s doing and you can’t take your eyes off her. 

Did you expect EMAET to do so well? 
Not really. One should never have expectations. Expectations are for beginners and amateurs. Our business is completely crazy. I expected Delhi Belly to be a niche film but look what it turned out to be. There should be hope though. Sometimes it’s rewarded and sometimes it’s not. In the case of EMAET, all I can say for certain is that when I first saw the film, I was happy with it. 

What made you choose the film?
I’ll tell you something interesting. I’ve been on this project for close to three years, ever since it was just an idea. From the first draft which was terrible to the second draft which was bad to the third which was okay to the final fourth draft which seemed good. Shakun was an AD on Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na and we became friends on the sets of the film. He’s co-written the film with Ayesha Devitre who also happens to be my hair stylist. So more than me choosing the film, it’s been about me choosing to do something with it.

How much did you contribute to the film’s story and script?
My contribution to the script is nothing significant. All I did was read the script and say what’s working and what’s not. If I think there’s something wrong in the script I leave it to the director to change it rather than get involved in it. I’ll never tell anyone to shoot a scene in a certain way. The director’s a creative guy, if he’s just following instructions then why are we hiring him? Anyone can do his work, right? I can only pinpoint what I think. How he makes sense out of it is his duty.

Rahul Gangwani 

Director: Shakun Batra

Cast: Imran Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah, Boman Irani 

Be it films from the foreign shores or our local roads, rom coms are a stable but predictable genre. It’s the treatment, narrative and style which sets a good romantic comedy from the others. This is exactly where Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu scores. The film has a distinct voice and is ably supported by witty dialogue, quirky settings and well sketched characters. It’s that sweet break our movies were missing for a long time.

Directed by newbie Shakun Batra, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu has just about the right amount of romance and comic moments. Borrowing a phrase from the film itself, the movie is ‘perfectly average’. A failed architect Rahul (Imran Khan) is in search for a boost in his self-confidence. His parents live in their own bubble oblivious of his actual needs. While in the search of a job Rahul befriends a free-spirited, out of work Hairstylist Riana (Kareena Kapoor) in whom he finds the madness he procures. The film finds a perfect balance between being an all-mush romantic saga and an enduring coming-of-age film. It never goes over the top and it’s underplay is the sexiest thing about it. This is as Hollywood as it gets. We aren’t talking about slight similarities it shares with What Happens In Vegas and 500 Days Of Summer. EMAET is a good-looking film and its crisp editing puts it on a different level. The writing of the film is unassuming and its effort to avoid the run-of-the-mill route is one its biggest strength. Clocking just about two hours, the film keeps you engrossed throughout and kind of shocks you with an unusual climax.

Amit Trivedi does an impressive job with the music. It walks hand in hand with the script. Gubbare Gubbare and Aahatein stay with you long after the lights come on. One word for the number Aunty ji – Fun.

The lead characters of a romantic movie are its pillars and EMAET stands on two really strong ones. Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor are in the best of form and they really make the film work. Kareena is radiant and vivacious. Her character has traces of Geet from Jab We Met but she goes a step ahead and delivers a fun but matured performance. It may sound like a cliché, but she’s just getting better with each film. Imran Khan is a revelation. The role is tailor-made for him and he is at his earnest best. It’s hard not to like him.

The film has an easy, comforting charm. It can be your date movie as well as a buddy film. Go watch it and have a great time.

Quick Take: Picture perfect

Director: Anu Menon

Cast: Ali Zafar, Aditi Rao Hydari

The promos looked fresh, the pairing of the lead couple seemed attractive and the music pepped up the excitement. And then you watch the film and nod your head in disapproval. Director Anu Menon prefers clichés above freshness to give us one more run-of-the-mill romcom.

Nikhil Chopra (Ali Zafar) is a rich, casual and frivolous filmmaker. He bumps into Lalita Krishnan (Aditi Rao Hydari) at the London Airport. Incidentally Lalita’s personality is exactly opposite to Nikhil’s. And before you know it, sparks are flying all around. How novel is that? Their rendezvous continues for seven years and across three different cities and ends with a predicable climax. The film starts off well but in bullet time becomes boring and blah. The lacklustre screenplay is one of the major drawbacks. It doesn’t hold your interest and the story lacks conviction. The characters, though well-etched fail to connect with you and that’s a huge minus for a romantic film.

Our films have been romancing foreign locations for a long time but with London Paris New York we go a step further. The gorgeous locations on display are the winning points of the film. Cinematographer Sameer Arya captures the famous landmarks of London, Paris and New York in glory and weaves a beautiful story around them. There is a polished look and feel that is maintained throughout the film. Unconventional camera angles, hand held shots, smart use of light add freshness to the film. How we wish there was some substance beneath the style.

The film revolves around just its lead pair. Ali Zafar and Aditi Rao Hydari share a good chemistry and are pleasing to the eyes. But not much can be said about their performances.  Aditi shines in some scenes but the pitch of her voice and dialogue delivery lets her down. Ali Zafar’s sing song dialogue delivery gets irritating after a point. He goes over the top and tries too hard to be cool.

In the end all that the film manages to do is that it tries really hard to serve something new. It takes you to beautiful places, but it fails to deliver the champagne and caviar.

Quick Take: Lesson of blasé romcom