Look at Love Aaj Kal (2009) Movie Review

Love Aaj Kal (2009)

Smacking script with loads of one-liners- giving those apt-now sophisticated- hinglish touches & topped with some funny aam admi(mango people) one liners .

Takes a pulsating, refreshing look on new age relationships- right from “ghar walo ko kya lean dena (mein kiss ladki ke sath ho)”...And thank god they don’t show the sight of any gharwala.

No knock out fights in the ‘Love aaj’ to spoil the story which is what they (writers) , ended up doing usually(till very recently) .Instead if you are the kinds whose appetite doesn’t get fulfilled till you get that dose of lath-Ghonsa then you can gladly turn back to ‘Pyar Kal’ ke kahani (which runs parallel).

Some might argue that the initial romance is not involving/emotionally engaging & that you don’t get a feel of the characters (that is what I also felt!!!...just initially though) but that’s how it actually works this what Imi wanted to hint at (Imi wants to say -People today get into a relation more so based on the attractive quotient and zoom they go till their love life blossoms, so if there is some temporary hick-up it all comes crashing down).The depth of their relation is has to be portrayed when they characters are apart that is the thrust of the script. It serves no purpose to dwell on the beginning of a relation. So it had to be as fast as Imi portrays...

Similar is my take on the second half…some people, I guess sickly wanted it to end the old way right there on the Mandap’en all...No way, Imi doesn’t trouble you with that... BTW if you really want to check things ending up-on near the mandap again turn back to Pyar kal story.

The other story (pyar kal), which runs parallel this story, never over bears/imposes itself, it goes with the flow… Rather than being a hiccup it continuously adds a new dimension to the Love Aaj story along the way, together to make a wholesome package. Some golden things as always remain rooted in both the ages & that is what moves the story.

You also don’t ever get a feel of the movie getting slow, you are just taken on a winged ride with the most cerebrating questions about relationships popping up here and there. Sometimes you end up wondering is it really that bad these days? Or take a vantage view of the same when both Jai & Meera walk into a new relation at the turn of a button.

Dep’s character is personified wonderfully on two heart wrenching occasions -one when she suddenly volleys at her Husband “Mujhey abhee Jai sey Mil keh sabh fix karna hain”, and the poor guy stands all morose…but haah.. I loved it when some people expect in this scene that he is going to slap her at all her swearing, sigh he gives her his hand to walk out. Dep says one very innocent and chillingly touching line in the same scene where she accepts her fault by marrying him-“mujhsey bohat bari galti ho gaye mein tumse baad mein maafi maang loongi”.

Second one is at the end (last scene),when she is replying to Saif in a shrieking voice & with the change to a close up shot she suddenly bursts out sobbing … u actually want to go out their hug & console her.

Spectacular locales give you an intercontinental visual treat. Be it the beautifully recreated Chandini Chowk, or the Chowk Café by the Thames. You get a nice pulse of all the places the characters are depicted.

Saif’s yapping habit is also captured in riveting fashion- once when the couple cordially decides to break up and lead a happy life. On the second occasion he does it on a serious note wherein he meets Dep in a very incongruous setting on Dep’s wedding day.. On each of the occasions Dep’s character gives him space, Saif just keeps rolling his tongue and you love it.

All the songs are used with beauty and chic, to pace up the story. Imi really believes that music is a vital medium for expression and works on it to the fullest. Imi worked hard with Irshad to produce lyrics capturing pathos through lines like -“Tera mujhey kar jati hain dooriyan”.

The choreography especially of the ‘twist’ (and chor bazaar too) track is as refreshing as the script. I guess Saif got well worth his money, for his 40 odd takes for this song. Full of nice detailing touches, right from the bhangra & the Bobby giving a shake. Even the old Nagin tune seems to be there with a purpose, (to highlight the shadow of previous generation Veer in the new age Saif).. This song defines what Saif character is, with very appropriate lyrics “kar gaye talli aankh waankh si lad gayi”.

But, you are left appalled, when the song Main Kya Hoon starts playing …What’s wrong with Imi how could he go so terribly wrong…after a wonderfully played out emotional build up by Dep, (wherein she is crying)...Then boom this song in which Saif is talking about his aspirations “Abh Jana mainey Jena kya hai kya hai pura hona khwab ka…”. But hold on here is a wonderful plot hidden here and everything falls in place at the end of it. The wide eyed lad ends up with a groggy, bearded & blown out of his mind…this song is remarkably shot and edited.

The movie should really live up to all the damning expectations; the music is scintillating and is here to stay. Even the not so popular track “thoda pyaar”, which most of us would readily skip before seeing it in the movie.

Some might argue that it is takes to many cues from the cult DDLJ & Dil Chata Hai. But then aren’t these stories which define contemporary Indian romantic movies. So, subtle references to them only make the movie more complete.

Imi’s forte, the script has kept pace with piling on the perfect contemporary lingo. Not even a pinch was overdone or left uncooked,(no excesses) in the storyline . Yet, Love Aaj Kal as simple and poignant a romantic movie you must have seen in recent times. Even (not so known) Harleen’s small character has been worked out well; she carries an exquisite expression and body language.

All together it is cuddling story, with interesting plots. It has much more finesse than Jab We Met, or Socha Na Tha. Although one should not make the mistake of comparing each of them, they have dissimilar storylines. But Imi’s specialty lives on-as usual, so many people still relate with the characters of the movie.

Striking Scenes:

Scene where Saif introduces Dep & both of them are left looking at each other searching “Girlfriend??…Tum meri girlfriend hoo??( Tum meri ho kya?”)..

Off course one can’t forget the break-up conversation at the caffe.

Pyaar kee gyan bhari batein of Rishi Kapoor especially one where he says -that aaj kal ke generation kee yahi toh problem hai “Hamare menu card mein toh aik hee dish hothe thee Aaj har cheez ke hazar kism hain”- and that’s why you end up end messed up.

Harleen, changing her side on the moving train, so that Veer could see her.

When Meera lies to her boyfriend, about being with a Taxi driver, than admit being with Jai.

When Jai Meera text each other remarking about their partners.

*Rider As I read it somewhere this movie might not appeal that much to the masses but to the classes, so if you are Aam junta (I hope that doesn’t include any of my friends) you might not return all that glad...