This is year has been a year of reverses for the Yashraj stable, the reasons being various: style over substance, more attention to marketing than scripting, relying on quantity over quality. This time, it seems they have stuck to their forte; romance, fantastic locales, great music and a stunning cast. And they almost get it right…alas, almost!
Siddharth Anand’s always shown promise as a director but he doesn’t quite fulfill his potential in this film. The screenplay and storyline are fresh but they don’t quite get the execution they deserve. I must add that, the cinematography is fabulous and the dialogues are hilariously real.
The first half of the movie explores three romantic liaisons in the life of the protagonist. The first is a very cute high school romance, the second and the third (a live-in relationship and a modern love story) are slightly underdeveloped but necessary for setting the pace of the movie. The scripting is commendable, refreshing and has shades of DDLJ in it. The chemistry in the three storylines is entirely different from one another, the director deserves kudos for it.
The second half of the film although touching in places lags behind, the main problem being the screenplay which feels rushed and crumbles towards the end. The climax is surprisingly funny but predictable.
The film belongs to Ranbir Kapoor. His voice and charm remind me of his father and he addresses his role with remarkable sincerity. His transition from a selfish playboy to a mature man is formidable. I couldn’t believe that a 25 year old could put in such a mature performance. He comes out as a complete package; be it his comic timing, his emotional scenes or his dancing skills.
Minissha Lamba delivers an earnest rendition to two thoroughly different roles. Deepika Padukone fails to carry the role of a modern Indian woman. It’s not her acting skills that are to be blamed, but the writing of her character which is too complicated. The best of the lot is Bipasha Basu, she proves that experience can do wonders to an actress and shines in her effort. The evolution in her acting can be seen in a scene where she confronts Ranbir. Hiten Paintal is revelation in the movie and his chemistry with Kapoor is amazing.
‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’ is Yashraj getting it almost right, although it’s a million times better than ‘Tashan’, it’s still not as good as a ‘Jaane Tu…’. It’s a good romantic comedy with sizzling chemistry, great acting and superb humor; definitely worth one watch.
