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Cast:
Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Giselle
Monteiro, |
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Neetu Singh, Rishi Kapoor, Rahul Khanna, Vir
Das |
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Year:
2009 |
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Music:
Pritam |
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Lyrics: Sameer, Irfan Siddique, Bohemia |
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Editor: Aarti Bajaj |
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Co-Prodecer:
Sunil Lulla |
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Banner:
IEros International |
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Producer:
Dinesh Vijan, Saif Ali Khan |
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Story and Director:
Imtiaz Ali |
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| Come to
think of it, if the film carries the 'burden' of humungous
expectations, it's imperative that it goes beyond those
expectations. The reaction after watching the film has to be
similar to a child who has laid his hands on his fav toy.
The joyous smile would say it all. The question is, does
LOVE AAJ KAL live up to the hype and hoopla surrounding it?
Or does it go beyond that?
LOVE AAJ KAL is
not an easy film to write and execute. Sure, it's a love
story, but it's not one of those mundane love stories that
talks of love and heartache. Here, the two stories, set in
different eras, run parallel, but have a similar end. |
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To be brutally honest, it takes time to grasp the
plot, since the past and present run concurrently.
If you aren't attentive, chances are you'd lose the
plot. Also, if you aren't aware by now that Saif
enacts dual roles in the film -- playing his part as
also the part of young Rishi Kapoor -- the goings-on
would confuse you no end, when the transition
occurs. LOVE AAJ KAL is a director's show entirely.
The relationships here are complex because the
couple in love lives in complete denial. |
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It is to Imtiaz Ali's credit that he has penned an
offbeat story, developed a complex but comprehensive
screenplay and extracted sensitive performances from the
principal cast. At the same time, the writing isn't the type
that would appeal to all sections of movie-going audience.
Besides, the execution of the subject and also the pacing in
the first hour are deterrents.
Final word? LOVE
AAJ KAL makes you fall in love with love all over again.
Makes you value your loved ones all the more. This film is
special!
Love Aaj
London, San Francisco, Delhi - 2009.
Jai [Saif Ali Khan] and Meera [Deepika Padukone] is a
modern-day couple in London. They are very happy together,
but do not believe in tying each other down. So when life
pulls them in different directions, they decide to call off
their relationship, since long-distance relationships, in
their opinion, don't work.
Love Kal
Delhi, Calcutta - 1965.
Veer Singh [Rishi Kapoor] is struck by a thunderbolt when he
sees Harleen for the first time. He travels a thousand
kilometers by train to stand under her balcony, only to have
a glimpse of her face. And yet not speak a word with her.
Love Aaj Kal
Veer does not understand how Jai can treat matters of the
heart without passion. Jai does not understand how Veer
Singh could have been so naive and silly about Harleen in
his youth. But as both stories unfold, we realize that the
process of relationship might be different in different
eras, but the experience of being in love remains the same. |
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LOVE AAJ
KAL travels multiple continents and different eras.
The subject matter is novel, never attempted before,
but the material, the characters [Saif and Deepika
especially] as also its execution is targeted at the
youth in big cities mainly. As they say in filmi
lingo, this one's a hardcore multiplex movie.
Another area where Imtiaz Ali experiments is by
depicting Saif as the young Rishi Kapoor. It's a
novel concept, no two opinions on that, but the
question is, will it cut ice universally? |
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Will people tend to get confused when the sequences
turn sepia?
The
film captivates in bits and spurts in the initial
portions. Partly because the writing is so
different. But the writing breaks new grounds in the
second hour. It's in this hour that the film grips
you completely, when the fragmented pieces are put
together and a mesmeric picture emerges.
The
second hour is the soul of the film. Right from the
time Deepika decides to marry, till the last
reunion, the film touches an emotional high. The
sequence of events that lead to the culmination is
incredible. Saif's interaction with Deepika at the
marriage, or the gradual change in Saif's behaviour
in the U.S. in the course of a song, or the
realisation that marriage was a big mistake...
moments like these take LOVE AAJ KAL to dizzy
heights.
Imtiaz Ali is a genius. The film bears the stamp of
an accomplished storyteller. This is a
forward-thinking film that handles the new-age
relationships with complete understanding. The songs
compliment the goings-on beautifully. This is
amongst Pritam's accomplished works. 'Twist'
[already a rage], 'Aahun Aahun' [foot-taping], 'Chor
Bazaari' [melodious] and 'Dooriyaan' [melancholic],
each song is a gem. N. Natarajan Subramaniam's
cinematography is fantastic. Editing [Aarti Bajaj]
is wonderful. |
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To be brutally honest, it takes time to grasp the
plot, since the past and present run concurrently.
If you aren't attentive, chances are you'd lose the
plot. Also, if you aren't aware by now that Saif
enacts dual roles in the film -- playing his part as
also the part of young Rishi Kapoor -- the goings-on
would confuse you no end, when the transition
occurs. LOVE AAJ KAL is a director's show entirely.
The relationships here are complex because the
couple in love lives in complete denial. |
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Both
Saif and Deepika come up with their career-best
performances in LOVE AAJ KAL. Saif carries the most
difficult parts with remarkable ease. Sure, we've
seen him as the cool, urban guy in several films,
but this one's the most demanding role and only a
seasoned actor could've delivered it with such
precision.
Deepika looks ethereal. Most importantly, in LOVE
AAJ KAL, she acts very, very well. Matching up to
Saif is no mean achievement and she does it in
several scenes. This should be the turning point in
her career. Rishi Kapoor is top notch. The actress
enacting the role of Harleen is pretty. Rahul Khanna
does well in a small, but significant role. Watching
Neetu Kapoor in the end sequence is truly
astonishing. She's so graceful.
On the whole, LOVE AAJ KAL is for the young and
romantic at heart. Sure, it's not perfect, but the
terrific performances, melodious music and stirring
emotional moments [last 35 odd minutes] more than
compensate for the hiccups. At the box-office, the
film should start with a bang for four factors --
its novel cast, super music, great promotion and
yes, Imtiaz Ali, a name that commands respect
amongst moviegoers. Released extensively [approx.
1800 screens worldwide], LOVE AAJ KAL will have one
of the biggest first weeks in India and also in the
international markets. In India, the business will
be superb across multiplexes, while single screens
might not behave as energetically. But the business
at multiplexes will ensure a fantastic recovery of
the investment. Internationally, it has the
potential to emerge one of the biggest grossers in
recent times. |
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