Even though a big segment of Bollywood has started thinking out of the box and venturing into lanes that were considered unrealistic till sometime ago, another faction continues to have faith in the tried and tested formula.
HDKG follows the similar path! Yes, the plot is not new, but the treatment is. The director and his team of writers have come up with certain interesting twists and turns that give an altogether fresh look to the story. And the outcome is motivating!The story of Humko Deewana Kar Gaye is an amalgamation of three successful flicks –Crash , Notting Hill and Titanic which goes something like this
Aditya (Akshay Kumar) is an automobile engineer already engaged to Sonia (Bipasha Basu), a fashion designer. But the two hardly look made for each other. For Sonia, her career comes first. She is a hot looking woman with a cold heart. She is put off by crying babies and doesn’t like simple romantic gestures that ought to be natural between any two lovers.
Likewise, Jia (Katrina Kaif) Is also about to marry Karan (Anil Kapoor), a business magnate. Although Jia has had all the material comforts of life – thanks to her rich business-minded father – but she has never experienced family love. Now she is about to marry a man who thinks very much like her father.
Aditya and Jia meet in Canada and its never the same again!
The first half of this enterprise is run-of-the-mill and lacks the intensity to keep the viewer’s attention glued to the goings-on. If truth were told, the initial reels are cyclical, with the writers offering the same old clich stuff that has been witnessed time and again .But the story and the narration take a turn for the better in the second half, when Akshay-Katrina return to Mumbai. The sequences thereafter are well executed and it is evident that the emphasis is on story.
Director Raj Kanwar has handled a couple of sequences with aplomb. Though the film gives the impression of being a routine love story, it is to the director’s credit that he has narrated the story without deviating to the oft-repeated path in the second half.
The scenes between Akshay and katrina and also between Anil and Katrina are expertly canned. The climax is hackneyed, but gains momentum with car accident .
Musical score is passable, although at least two numbers get a boost due to the picturisations – ’Rock star’ and the title track, which is picturised in beautiful locales of Canada. Cinematography is fantastic.
Humko Deewana Kar Gaye belongs to Katrina Kaif, who delivers an incredible, flawless performance. The actress looks every bit the character she portrays and proves that she is a powerhouse of talent. There’s no denying that her performance uplifts the goings-on to a huge extent.
AKshay is just about okay. Bipasha is mediocre as well. Amongst character artistes, Helen , Bhagashree and Anil Kapoor (in a brief role!) stand out.
On the whole, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye is a pleasant surprise for those who aren’t expecting much from this film. The film has an engrossing second half and Katrina’s winning performance as its fine points!