Pyar ke side effects does not claim to be a pathbreaking movie and it is not! What it might promise to be is probably a funny movie that is different. Yes, it is interestingly different with enough moment to drag the teens back to theatre this month.
Language: Hindi
Genre: Comedy
Running Length: 2 hours 7 minutes
Director: Saket Chaudhary
Cast: Rahul Bose, Mallika Sherawat, Ranvir, and host of other actors who don’t get to do much.
When the counter is displayed on the screen, people go in splits and laugh uncontrollably but the fun part begins when the counter on Mallika’s side just doesn’t seem to stop. Let me not ruin your fun here. Watch the movie for yourself and experience an out and out young adult movie.
This is sadly a CD-Movie (TM) (read my other reviews to find out about it) but will be enjoyable only on big screen. Catch 22!?
In short: Targetted at teenagers, this is a fun movie with absolutely no intention of making sense. Watch it if you can gather some friends or you can go with your spouse. Don’t miss this one if you want a movie to watch this weekend.
Plot:
There is this girl from Delhi who meets this poor little DJ from Mumbai and they come closer with every passing day. All hell breaks loose when girl wants to get married. The boy-girl cat-mouse game begins entertaining you through remaining time of the 14 reels affair.
Ranvir is another DJ who doesn’t bother about his personal hygeine and finally loses his girl. Rahul plays Sid whose sister’s husband is scared of kids . These three guys hang our together and share their secrets.
There is nothing more to the plot but there are some twists that I have not mentioned here.
A little more:
PNC has been known for making different movies. Saket has chosen a well known style of presentation where one of the central characters talks to the audience in the midlle of the proceedings and tries to connect more to the audience. This movie succeeds to a great extent in generating mirth but there is a lot that this movie does not do successfully.
Lowlights:
1. The humor tends to go over the top on most occasions. This will limit family audience from recommending it to other families. Agreed, it is meant only for youth. Let’s go to next point.
2. The story is totally predictible. The jokes keep repeating themselves. A little tired screenplay writer and you have a half-baked second half. For example, the "coffee" joke continues a bit too long to have a great impact.
Highlights:
1. Rahul Bose and Mallika both have acted well. Their timing is great and their on-screen chemistry fresh. Even Ranvir does a very good job making you wonder why this guy doesn’t act in more movies. These theatre actors are almost always good!
2. Music is foot-tapping and very alive. The young college crowd will love it.
3. Jokes are of college-campus kinds and will appeal to the target audience - the college-going crowd.
Limiting Factor:
As discussed earlier, this movie is not going to go well with families and a weak word-of-mouth amongst the family circle will hamper box-office collection of this movie. This movie has been released at a time when most college guys will be busy finishing their coursework and studying for exams. This is goign to hurt the movie a lot.
All in all, I think this is going to be a flop to a moderate hit in most places and a total disappointment in rural/semi-urban region.
Scenes that stand out and are innovative:
1. The counter thing when Rahul and Mallika argue. Already discussed above :)
The text explaining how drunk Mallika is during her first meeting with Rahul. It causes laughs all around the theatre.
The one where a husband praises the food prepared by his wife (despite her failure at cooking).
Ranbir meeting his girlfriend for the last time. This scene has been done differently.
Golf course scene. The entire sequence tells you clearly the states of minds and inner thoughts of all prinicple characters. Very good sequence.
The way movie ends is also different. Nothing outstanding here but it ends the way other movies start. :)
Goofups:
1. In a bunglow-like house there are only two bedrooms. Looks like the screenplay guys just did not write it but the director wanted Rahul to sleep on sofa in drawing/living room.
- There is no apparent reason why Rahul would or would not like to have "coffee" and how suddenly Sophie comes to know of his true feeling when all she cared about was "coffee".
Acting Performances:
Rahul Bose is good as usual. He has always been good with his expressions and body language. He fits the role well. His comic timing is a treat to watch.
Mallika, surprisingly, very surprisingly, has given a good performance. She is good in both emotional and funny scenes. She needs to work on her facial expressions though. She looks a bit plastic in some on-screen conversations with Rahul.
Ranvir and others have chipped in with their efforts which look good on the big screen.
For the Technically inclined
The camera is good. Lighting is not proper indoors and it looks like daytime even in tungsten light inside a house. Otherwise, a very balanced technical effort from cinematography end.
Background socre is likable. It compliments the music (which is majorly fast-paced) well. Creates the right kind of atmosphere.
I don’t remember well but think Omang did the art direction. I am pretty pleased with this effort and I think tthe sets look authentic in most parts.
Screenplay is hurried through towards the end and major flaws appear in second half. Direction is consistent and focus remains on making guys laugh and on nothing else. The presentation maintains its flow throughout with an easy style of narration.