It is nice to see a good romantic film after awhile, which is also quite relatable with its theme.
Whenever Karan Johar directs a film, audiences show up in droves at the theater. Being a producer-director with a tremendous track record of success, starting from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, My Name is Khan, to Student of The Year, Karan Johar has only seen his bank balance and fan base go up. With that in mind, there was no question that his newest release, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, would bring forth the same euphoria amongst the audiences as his previous ventures had.
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, when compared to Karan’s previous ventures, made some interesting changes on the casting front, which were not typical of Karan’s films. For one, Karan had always casted superstar Shahrukh Khan as the lead in his films and therefore shocked the trade when he announced Ranbir Kapoor as the lead in this film, despite Ranbir’s poor track record of late. Furthermore, Karan raised eyebrows when he announced Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma as the female leads, heightening audience curiosity at this unusual bit of casting.
All of these questions built up tremendous hype for the film, which also happens to be one of the highly coveted Diwali releases this year. Things reached a crescendo when the first promo hit, pushing audiences into a tizzy, as the film seemed to represent a more grounded and somber tone than Johar’s previous films.
Did ADHM deliver? Let’s find out…
The film tells the story of Ayan (Ranbir) and Alizeh (Anushka). Both meet each other under hilarious circumstances, and then begin building a fun-filled, carefree friendship. However, a series of unfortunate events drive a wedge within this relationship, which then breaks the heart of one of the individuals involved. Do Ayan and Alizeh end up together? Does the person with a broken heart recover or find love someplace else? Is romantic love or mutual love the only type that can be respected? Watch ADMH to find out.
To say that Ranbir and Anushka carry this film is an understatement. Their performance goes above and beyond traditional acting. They are so nuanced, so natural, so perfect with their characters that at many points I could genuinely feel the pain of the characters. I am not one to fall prey to the sappiness of romantic films, but this one was close to making me run for the tissue box, because of the beautiful acting by the leads. Their chemistry is also unbelievable. You can tell that they must share a friendly relationship in real life as well. Amazing!
I must dedicate an entire paragraph to Aishwarya. She looks more beautiful than ever. For those fans who lost hope after her marriage, one look at her in this and you will fall in love with her all over again. Her chemistry with Ranbir and overall performance is scorching, and it was nice to see Ash finally play a seductive temptress role. Great idea Mr. Johar! Ash was clearly one of the best things about the movie.
Fawad Khan has a brief role in the movie and does fine in it. Lisa Haydon steals the show in a hilarious role as Ranbir’s girlfriend. Imran Abbas is ok as Anushka’s temporary boyfriend. Two celebs make cool cameos, one of which had the theater clapping and swooning for this “Dilwala”.
Once again, Karan Johar has proven that he is a writer/director who truly understands love and emotions well. Although the story of the movie itself is not novel, the treatment has been done in a way which gives more insight to the subject of one sided love. Many Bollywood movies have that, but it is always surface level and “filmy”. The natural emotional repercussions of it on one’s life has never been explored, and I am so glad that Karan touched upon a subject which is relatable to so many. His direction is top notch and modern, and is not stuck in his style from the KKHH or K3G days. He is one of the few filmmakers that has moved with the times, and not lost his wit or talent.
The dialogues of the movie are superb. The music by Pritam is some of the best in recent times, and is already topping the musical charts. My personal favorite is “Bulleya”, which has the passion and angst that Ranbir’s character feels throughout the movie.
If there is one criticism, it is the dichotomy between the first and second half. Whereas the first half is fast moving, comical, and entertaining, the second half drags, at time becoming a tad melodramatic. Some moments of convenience should have been avoided, and I think the turn the movie takes towards the climax, although touching, seems like what would be an extreme circumstance for many lovers. Nevertheless, the movie gets its point and message across fine at the climax.
All in all I give this movie an 8/10. It is nice to see a good romantic film after awhile, which is also quite relatable with its theme. I will caution that my views will probably not be shared by non-millenial audiences, who may not appreciate the film’s take on modern love. I think the millennial audiences will lap this up in a big way.
Go take your date and have a great time but also remember that after a heartbreak, love truly stinks. Happy Diwali!
Trailer