I Hate LUV Storys is not a love story...its a saga (that’s a punch line within the film, an inside joke, that suits the experience of watching the film). It is besotted with cliches (mostly unintentional), length is too long (Editor was sleeping or what) but is made watchable by a super cool dude act by Imran Khan and a wonderful music score (song picturisation is wow throughout).
Sameer Dattani and Sonam Kapoor’s voluptuous Sweetness makes you Hate sugar. The white flowers, no liquour on week days and perpetual smiles get nauseating beyond a point. Cut the crap guys. The writing is inconsistent. There are lines which are extremely innovative, quirky and very funny but then your hopes also get doused due to some tacky, silly and laughable lines. Hmmmm...quite a mixed bag.
Alright, the film takes digs at all the conventional big ticket love stories like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Kal Ho Na Ho to name a few. But Sanjay Leela Bhansali comes in for a ’special’ treatment. Sameer Soni is a film director with the styling of a Karan Johar but his madness for perfection, heightened drama (’Mujhe sirf chaar boonden uske chehre pe chahiye’) is akin to Sanjay Bhansali. The Paro-saree-catching-fire, the ’Black’ références and ’I Love Mom’ intro line may result in some tabloid cross fire (SLB is not on twitter yet).
Yes, there are several Gay refernces in the film as well. Men talk about their ’ass’ and the assistant praises the hero’s ’bum’. Imran’s mom enquires, "ladki se hi pyaar hua hai na". I guess the gay jokes have become a staple fare in most of the movies. Maybe it’s a reflecton of the society but as a movie watcher, it may not be enjoyable all the time.
As I had mentioned earlier, Imran Khan is in very good form. He is a breeze in the first half carrying his rakish character with an effortless ease. Girls will fall for his charm big time. He is responsible for some of the funniest moments in the film. Catch him telling Sonam’s parents that he left his previous girl friend as she was a bisexual. "Wo dono team se khelti thi, " Imran says. His initial interactions with Sameer Dattani are funny but his seriousness of the second half isn’t carried off that well. He will go places after IHLS. No two ways about that.
Bruna Abdullah in a small part looks Hot (in fact she is hotter than Sonam). But she shouldn’t have had any dialogues. That spoils it all. Imran’s friend (The Sprite guy) is outstandingly hilarious. One good reason to watch the film. Sonam’s styling is good and she has acted decently. Samir Soni is competent.
Music is a big hero of the film and Vishal Shekhar deserve full marks. Jab Mila Tu, Sadka Kiya, Bin Tere’ (both versions), Bahara and I Hate Luv Storys’are engrossing tracks that de-stress you. Both Sonam and Imran make these songs look good too. Specially, Sadka Kiya’has been shot brilliantly by Ayananka Bose, the cinematographer. Reminds you of Suraj Hua Mdhdham. In fact Bose has done a fine job all through the film.
As mentioned before, length of the film is a liability. It goes on and on on. You wait for the interval and then you wait for the film to end. Editor Akiv Ali seemed to have lost his scissors. The director lost the plot in an attempt to be smart as the second half gets predictable and convulated. All in all Smaeer Dattani’s Pet Poodle act (remember Sonali Kulkarni’s Mr perfect in Dil Chahta Hai) and the length of the film tests your patience. Considering we’ve had some real bad movies off late, this ’Luv’ Story is definitely watchable. Once at least.
My Rating: 2 1/2