Naina Catherina Kapur is like all Karan Johar heroines, slightly fat, a symbol of western thought (also read dresses) and Indian traditions (read exquisitely flowing pastel shade sarees). Her transformation is ala Kajol in KKHH, only that the result is a bit different. Bt noone else tells a story with her, instead she tells her owm story with a Aman in between. The splendour of the movie and almost all song picturizations are remote cousins of K3G (Suraj Hua Madham, Bole Chudiyan and You are My Sonia) and KKHH (Yeh Ladka Hai Diwana). In between we also have absolutely loud characters in the form of an array of supporting cast, sashying down for a scene or two, taking their turns in trying to induce laughter or tears from the audience. Well most of them manage to do so, but you do keep wondering why so many of them were needed in the first place? Everyones entire family makes an appearance when well they were frankly not needed in a flick where only four characters were needed at most.
The background score is competent and the editing is slick, the film does not thankfully suffer from a weak second half, thankx to a crisp screenplay exercise. Locations outdoors are good while indoor art direction is awfully remniscent of K3G/KKHH. Infact the haveli used looks like one used in KKHH. Dialogues go a touch on philosophical side but most of them work primarily because they are delivered with rare panache and timing, and not because they are heavy in substance. Photography works well most of the time and the camera captures all principal leads at their best curves and all of them look like a dream. The mounting is heavy and full of splendor and being a Karan Johar production, there is no such thing as subtle, it is all too loud laughing or crying. Manish Malhotra does an excellent job with Mickey Contractor on Preity and makes her eyes speak and makes her look absolutely desiable in those lovely sarees and elegant western wear. Technically, hence, the movie is quite a competent product, although at time looks a bit too posh and KKHH inspired.
But there is more to it than this. Emotions have always been part of Johar screenplay and so is the case here. Jaya Bachan gets some delightful scenes to do but SRK is the one who gets the most attention. Right from his dynamic entry scene to the time he decides to help Naina and keeps poking his nose in all her matters and his encounters with Saif, all are case of superb comedy. The grandmother is loud carrying from her K3G hangover completely along with also her appearance and Jaya Bachan is simply too much opposite to her K3G style, almost trying too hard to shed that image. First half abounds in one light comic scene after another, but the trick is kept open with a DDLJ style family involvement. Second half starts on emotional note straight and keeps going that way with a light scene somewhere in between. The songs manage to come at right time. What works is the emotional quotient being totally un-alien. It is very much likable and identifiable. Further the New York NRI ambience is beautifully interspersed in the movie from the ’’Gujerati’’ and ’’Punjabi’’ outlets to subtle references to Americans in dialogues. The music is also well researched and situational. Overall, definitely something which gets your heart involved at a level which is less fake than K3G: the grandeur is more in the back than in your face. The scenes which would get notice are obviously the Climax, Sushma Seth-Jaya Bachan first few scenes together, Saif-SRK meetings in first half and then post interval scenes between SRK-Priety discussing her life, although latter do have some hangover of SRK-Kajol scenes from KKHH. Well the atmosphere in the movie is somewhere between TUM BIN, CHANDANI, KKHH and DCH. The flaws are minor and can be used to criticize it but well they dont really take any entertainment out of it anyway.
The script well everyone and their aunty cousin knows it and other than climax, there really is nothing I could write novel here. The climax for once has been set against a song and second is highly emotional ala movies of 50’s and 60’s. And yes it ends on a sad note. So do I need to go on more? Nikhil Advani is a competent director and makes a debut more on lines of Farhan Akhtar, its just that the script itself is loud and Indian in sensibility. Saif is really good and looks like a real dude. His buffoon act is adorable. Although a touch on the lines of his role in DCH, he does imbue a lot of silly maturity in his role and that goes well with his performance. Jaya Bachan is well, ok! Support cast is long and keep coming and going. Priety looks like a dream and Sarees look so good on her esp. her Party Lemon Yellow. I had my doubts over Priety taking over from Kajol as Johar’s muse in this film. But after seeing the film, I dont think even Kajol could have done this role. Priety just slips so effortlessely in the role and brings Naina out as much as Kajol brought out Anjali. SRK is the jaan of this show. Looking fitter, younger and charming, he effortlessely sweeps the audience off its feet and makes another successful film. His emotions are wonderful and the performance might not win him any award but still, it is a very very good performance. His energy is still intact and works like a magic in first half. Second half sees him in a restrained emotional role and yes Priety-SRK make a delightful jodi as well. And Saif-Priety keep their 100% record going I would think. Afterall you put Gujeratis and Punjabis in one film, how would that go wrong?
Overall, a film that will surely get family audience because of a lot of diversity and entertainment value. Definitely worth a dekho.
RATING - 3.5/5