"kabhi alvida mat kehna...alvida kehne se, fir milne ki ummeed khatm ho jaati hai" says Rani to Shahrukh in the film. Perhaps, Karan Johar took that too literally and seriously for his film, as it never seem to end, and drags n drags , beating around the bush for last 45 mins. For once, it’s the duration that’s more painful than a Karan Johar film itself.
Coming to the film, here we have stories of two couples who are unhappily married (Rani-Abhishek, Shahrukh-Preity). One of the partners from each of the pair meet and discover true love. What and how the ups and downs happen in their lives is what the film is all about.
The intentions of the plot are noble and real, and the pschye of characters is something we can empathize with. But, but. but...the reasoning behind old alliances cracking up and new ones getting formed appear laboured and weak. To cover that up however, you have the trademark Karan Johar garnishing - great foreign locales, amazing clothes (Shahrukh’s superb jackets make you want to stuff ur wardrobe too!), designer shaadis, few loud characters, filmy slapstick humour. All of this however, further dilutes the way main characters could have touched the audience.
Performances are brilliant. Every charachter has its own strenghths, weaknesses and that has been depicted well. Be it the modern, ambitious, no compromise, yet caring Preity or the emotionally insecure Shahrukh, they are all a treat to watch.
Bade Bhaiya however (Amitabh Bacchan Ji), has been made to do a part that doesn’t quite gel with his well-etched-in-our-minds persona. A desi Hugh Hefner who sleeps around with prostitutes to forget his pain of losing his wife. Pleeaassee..baksh do hamein! Although he’s got some of the most powerful scenes as a mature, big daddy of the family (there’s a scene when he stares at shahrukh on his dinner table, giving an intriguing look). And he gets to flaunt the hottest, trendiest frames for eyewear.
Look, cinematography, locations are top class. The film is in a narrative style, with Shahrukh’s voice serving as the sutradhaar. Music is ok. The title track is nice and hummable. Though I strongly feel that some words like ’shava’, ’maahi’, ’soniye’ should be banned because they have been used ’n’ times and end up as sheer noise to ears.
The film tackles and highlights complexities in modern (more of metro centric) relationships in a typical bollywood masala way that keeps you entertained. But post interval, after the crescendo of emotions is over, the film unecessarily and repeatedly shows the love birds’ distress. And this causes the fizz to blow out. If there was a scene from the film that were to describe the story, it would be the scenes when Sharukh pulls out a chewing gum from his mouth and keeps pulling it..on and on.
Overall, it’s a movie u can definitely watch once. More controlled and minus the irritating madness seen in kal ho na ho. But, you’ll watch it once and then you’d want to say alvida.