Raanjhanaa

I went into the movie theatre thinking, “ What am I going to watch? Sonam Kapoor ‘acting’ or Dhanush just being on screen?” and the answer was “ Abhay Deol”. However, 10 minutes into the film and I realized that there was much more to watch and enjoy. Rather many more people to watch and enjoy…

Raanjhanaa is another love story. But it’s not just another love story with mushy lines and awwww moments (well some are) all the time. It is a story about pain. The actual pain in one-sided love.

Little Indian Kundan (Dhanush) falls in love with the beautiful Muslim Zoya (Sonam) when he first lays eyes on her. They are about five then. The story continues into how Kundan becomes the typical roadside Romeo, trying to woo Zoya. For the longest time he follows her, smiles and get a tight slap across his cheek. Its only when she finishes her board exams (ha ha ha) does she decide to meet him. In addition, she says it is because of his consistency in being slapped! But then comes in the whole hindu-muslim angle and Zoya leaves the town of Banaras to study further. On one hand Kundan is waiting for his beloved to come back and has done everything, he could to woo her family (everything means he is like a helper, not marriage material in eyes of her father).

On the other hand, Zoya has moved on in life. She studies at DU, falls in love with a certain Akram( Abhaaaay Deolll) and wishes to marry just him when she comes back to Banaras. Only to know that Kundan still loves her. But Kundan does everything within his power to get the lovers together only to know Akram is not who they think he is. There are deaths, guilt trips and lots of typical Bollywood  rona-dhona that follows. But the movie makes an impact.

It seems that Sonam Kapoor has finally(almost) arrived at Bollywood with this movie. She tries, which is a start. The star is Dhanush. He breaks the stereotype of the Bollywood actor being buffed up etc. He acts, he smiles, makes you smile and dance around. Abhay Deol(aaaaah) is the little star. I think every time he smiles, you will just faint( I am a fan). But this is one of his charismatic(again) performances.

A.R Rehman has outdone himself again. The music is beautiful, soulful and one of the biggest reasons to watch the movie. My personal favorites are the title track and Benarasiya.

The movie is primarily genius because of the music, Dhanush’s taporipanti wala true love and Abhay Deol’s charisma. A shout out to the talented Swara Bhaskar and Mohammad Zeeshan Ayub. Both play Kundan’s childhood companions and are brilliant.

You should watch the film for the not-so-likeable characters with their set of mistakes and blunders. And off course the “wrist cutting is the solution to it all”. But the film is not for those who think it is a happy-go-lucky-romcom. There is so much more to it. Dhanush shines.

Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani

I shall admit I have a thing for soppy-romantic-chick flick sort of movies. This is precisely one of them. But a little off the conventional norms of love. Its not the usual boy meets girl, girl meets boy, drama, love and happily ever after thing. You would disagree at this point and say what is so different between this and any other KJO/Chopra romance. Well, I think, the difference is in that one particular thought that Deepika Padukone aka Neha has in the film. That Bunny (Ranbir) wants to succeed, do things (Main udna chahta hoon, daudna chahta hoon, girna bhi chahta hoon ... bus rukna nahi chahta) and she will let him. And no heartbreak, lambi judai sort of thing. She moves on. That is what I liked…

Then you have the usual clichés of “if you love something set it free blah blah blah”… But it’s all right. They do get together etc but probably as more “mature individuals” than those who are shown in the first half. Not bad!

My favorite “character” was, without a doubt, Aditi. Such a fun, hippie girl. Tomboy from outside, madly in love with Avi from the inside. And just brilliantly funny. Her comic timing was amazing.

Music and style gets the maximum points. Pritam is the winner. We now have a new holi number “Balam Pichkari”, a new wedding-sangeet sort of thing with “Dilliwali Girlfriend” and “Batamaeez Dil” is going to be on the charts for a while. Ghagra was, definitely, best pictured but I guess that has more to do with Madhuri Dixit. You will NOT look at anybody else with her on screen. But my personal favorite is Kabira, can't stop humming the damn thing for weeks now!

Deepika Padukone has outdone herself (again) with the styling. Whether it was the girl-next-door-pain-jane look or the super sizzling hot Indian wedding avtar, she nailed it.Clothes were just the sort that needs to be in every girl’s wardrobe. Although the concept of short skirts and cotton t-shirts in snow is suicidal but hey as long as it looks good on screen, who cares…

Overall, I would recommend this to the all the teenaged youngsters on today. Its not a breath of fresh air (maybe Kalki is) but it is a nice thing to watch with friends and laugh about. And then probably hope for a similar lifestyle (not happening!)