For starters, SRK is brilliant as Khan - after Chak de India & Swades, he says it very strongly that yes, he can do more than kootchie kootchie hota hai!
Kajol (as Mandira) has grown even more beautiful as a mellow and voluptuous mom of a 13 year old! No botox or lifts here! ! 13 year old Glen Morangie for the connoisseur only if you please! If you are looking for a young looking skimpy bod then you may want to stick to Rakhi Sawant’s faux swayamvars. You get the Kajol giggles though especially when she mis-handles the scene in the bedroom post Mandira’s marriage to Rizwan. But you will forgive this one especially when she takes off so brilliantly when Sameer dies and there after Kajol is like a ferrari on an auto ban!
The story is straight forward and yes, the Johar touch of the melodrama is ever present. But what is a hindi movie without a good dash of melodrama. The US paranioa of ’khan’ is demonstrated with some simplicity but Karan Johar is not known for his subtlety so you must consider this and accept the naivety that is evident here.
But the movie can make you cry, smile and take a good look at the trouble we put ourselves into when we let allow ourselves to be defined by our dogmas - whether religious or political or any other. The locales are amazing and though the film is a tad long, it can keep you fairly engrossed. The music is passable and is a good opportunity for your bio breaks.
A must watch I would say!