KATHMANDU, Nov 11: “Wake up Ranbir”, was my friend’s immediate reaction after he watched the hyped Bollywood’s latest flick Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani. I did not get what he exactly meant to say until I watched the movie.
Directed by: Rajkumar Santoshi
Starring: Ranbir Kapoor,
Katrina Kaif
Special appearance by: Upen Patel, Salman Khan
Rating: ***/*****
Indeed you feel like asking Ranbir Kapoor to wake up for it seems Rishi Kapoor’s son Ranbir is hibernating in the wake of his another recent release – Karan Johar’s Wake Up Sid. Though Ranbir Kapoor has matured his Sawariya cuteness, he acts no different than what he has done in Wake up Sid in Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani. But director Rajkumar Santoshi still seems to live up to his Andaaz Apna Apna flavor up his sleeves, if we are to talk about the first half of the movie.
Having given some serious blockbusters to Bollywood’s box office like Lajja, Ghatak and Ramayan, and after facing a super flop Halla Bol, Santoshi’s comeback with this romantic comedy does remind many of Aamir Khan and Salman Khan’s laugh until you die act which is dearly missed in Ajab Premi Ki Gajab Kahani and is obviously not substituted by Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.
One thing to note about this flick is that is it has been released soon after Salman Khan’s breakup with Katrina Kaif and in the meantime Ranbir Kapoor is not in talking terms with his one time heartthrob actress Deepika Padukone. Now does this indicate anything cooking between Ranbir Kapoor and Kaif is yet to be seen but in the movie their onscreen chemistry goes well if we are to overlook the fact that Kaif could have easily mistaken to play elder Kapoor’s sister. Gossips are of course ajab gajab.
Coming back to the film, the movie beautifully strikes the balance between comedy and romance in the first half but sadly post intermission, the film adapts typical Bollywood formulae of rona-dhonas and mellow dramas which can be easily predicted. Looks like the scriptwriter lost his track with the plot or overdid it. Why on earth would you want to cry having laughed already for half and hour? The plot…there is no plot.
I cannot lie but sorry, if I’m being too harsh to Ranbir and mind you, I am not trying to either. He for sure is the new Bollywood bonanza who reminds one of Rishi Kapoor’s expressions and dances but Ranbir simply fails to deliver in his latest avatar or maybe it is the script. Junior Kapoor needs to come down a little with his cuteness and adorable acting as this may be disappointing many expectations as well. I was looking for substantial acting from Kapoor in this sense. From Sawariyaa to Bachna Ae Haseeno, Wake Up Sid and now Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani he has maintained his chocolate kid persona on screen, needless to say, quite admired by his hundreds of female fans. But the time has come for some serious business if Ranbir wants to ward off Wake Up Sid ‘one hit wonder’ fame.
Katrina Kaif surely needs a special mention for she has leaped eons ahead in acting than what she did in New York. We however have to overlook her poor Hindi diction for she has been giving her best to improve it in every new film she is doing. For sure she awes with her beauty once again and makes people feel Touch Me Touch Me, Kiss Me Kiss Me.
What is Upen Patel doing in the film? And, does Salman Khan’s cameo appearance help the movie turn into a blockbuster or is it because of the Andaaz Apna Apna banner? If so, where is Aamir Khan?
In a nutshell, the movie is a romantic comedy gone wrong. Coming from a conservative Hindu family, Prem (Ranbir) is a carefree uneducated guy who runs a club called “Happy Club” through which he and his jobless friends claim to solve people’s problems and keep them happy. Jenny (Katrina) is an adopted girl in a Christian family and has grown up educated. When these two befriend each other, Prem falls in love with Jenny but Jenny is in love with someone else. No, not Salman Khan!
And then it is Bollywood masala! But, yes the overall presentation is something that would make this movie fun. The cinematography is brilliant with lighting at its best, shot in three scenic locations in Goa, Ooty and Turkey. Most of the songs complement the screenplay which is not that bad either. But ajab or gajab, with the film scoring blockbuster results in not more than a week of its release, Santoshi is sure to go a long way as a strong filmmaker while Ranbir and Katrina are sure to have more films offered to them. But I have to admit, the movie is a true paisa wasool for those who are fond of watching Bollywood comedy mixed and minced with some cheesy romance.
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