Love Aaj Kal'
Runtime: 128 min 0 secsTagline: Pick your choice: Black Coffee or Kali Chai?
Language: Hindi (with English subtitles)
Written & Directed by: Imtiaz Ali
Our easily misled people often without even collecting the facts, spot similarities between films & jump to the conclusion that this is a simple case of plagiarism. They can't be blamed entirely, as there are many such cases of almost scene by scene rips out there.
SInce watching Love Aaj Kal last night, this morning before writing it up I decided to watch Zui hao de shi guang (Three Times). This is the Taiwanese film that people connected to Love Aaj Kal as a possible re-make, inspiration, rip, whatever you want to call it. This way I could confirm / deny the given accusation.
Having seen both now, I'll share my thoughts: Three Times contains 3 stories set in three times 1966, 1911 and 2005 respectively. The two actors who play the main characters who fall in love in each story are kept consistent in all three segments, beyond this the stories themselves are pretty independent in their content, though certain themes, communications in particular are kept in focus.
Love Aaj Kal contains 2 stories set in 2 eras (1965 - the year of birth of King Khan I might add) and (2009), but it connects them both quite methodically. It's an old man (Rishi Kapoor) advising a young man (Saif Ali Khan) by telling his story with the flashbacks of the old man also played by (Saif Ali Khan) the same actor as the young man. Similarities end there really. Comparing the films is almost like saying all films of a genre are the same. If inspired by it at all I could only say the concepts have some common ground.
Around this concept there's one large factor in common, but again it's so general that I can't really pin it as theft & that is how communication between couples seems to have receded even though we are actually more 'free' to communicate in the current age. I think this is the poignant message that both films try to convey.
Brief thoughts on Three Times:
Segment (1966) - A Time for Love - This one held most charm, a simple story, executed to perfection. A man who has to fulfil his civic duty and enrol with the military. He meets a girl at a pool hall and decides to stay in touch through letters and beyond.
Segment (1911) - A Time for Freedom - Done like a film of the silent era, with music & inter-title captions. I can see what they were trying to do, but it just didn't connect with me. It's the relationship of a courtesan singer seeking an escape and a regular client at the brothel.
Segment (2005) - A Time for Youth - This didn't work for me either. A girl struggling with epilepsy tries to find love as she is conflicted between her girlfriend and a photographer that she's having an affair with.
Frankly, though it works well in showing contrasts in times, overall Three Times just didn't click with me beyond the 1st segment, which I thought was a sweet little story. I think the film has it's audience, but those like myself checking it out with Love Aaj Kal being the film that led them here will probably be disappointed. It's a whole different flavour of film.
Okay, over to the main event that brought you here ... #LoveAajKal
Plot Outline:
Love Aaj (Today) London, San Francisco, Delhi - 2009.
Jai (Saif Ali Khan) and Meera (Deepika Padukone are a modern-day couple in London. They are very happy together in that they enjoy each others company a lot without the pending question of tying each other down. So, ultimately when life pulls them in different directions, they decide to go with the flow.
Love Kal (Yesterday) Delhi, Calcutta - 1965.
Veer Singh (Saif Ali Khan) is struck by a thunderbolt when he sees Harleen for the first time. [We, the audience too are dying to know who this girl is, but she hasn't been credited for some reason.] Soon after this, he stands under a tree and makes a pledge to the heaven above that in this life or the next, only this girl should become his wife. When her parents & her move to another town, he travels a thousand kilometers by train simply to stand under her balcony and catch a glimpse of her face, yet not speaking a word with her.
Love Aaj Kal
Veer of today (Rishi Kapoor) does not understand how Jai can treat matters of the heart without passion, like some financial transaction. Jai does not understand how Veer Singh could have been so naive and silly about Harleen in the days of his youth, but as both stories unfold, we realize that the process of a relationship might be different in different eras, but the experience of being in love remains precisely the same.
Review:
The first few minutes of the film, we practically fast foward through the initial years of a relationship that Meera and Jai have. From the meeting, to the 1st kiss, to being a practically married couple to the cordial parting. The pace is almost too fast.
It's at this stage when Meera has to move to India & they decide to part ways that things begin to get interesting. They agree based on practicality to break-up before things turn sour between them, (though it does seem like it was his decision, rather than hers). They even have a Break-Up party.
Saying good-bye is never easy. Ask an emotional sucker like me, I know! Meera decides to avoid this too by making her own way to the airport the next day. Conveniently, this is where Love Aaj & Love Kal begin their merging magic. An old Veer Singh convinces young Jai that he should give her a surprise at the airport & see her off properly, even offering to drive him there.
A little skeptical, Jai asks the old man why. In response, he gets told that he reminds the old man of his youth, followed by some strong advice that he doesn't really understand. Here-on, the parallel stories begin. As the youngsters meet & part a fair few times, the old-timers show us how it's done. Sounds like the perfect chick flick, right? Well, yes & no!
The idea is great. Hats-off to Imtiaz Ali the writer. I must admit I didn't walk into this show knowing this was the plot. The trailer doesn't give this away. Veer Singh's pledge almost gives off the vibe of another re-incarnation flick. I was pleasantly surprised with the novelty of the narrative. The story itself though, not-so-much. It's quite same-same. Not that it would be a spoiler I won't divulge details, but the story of both generations has nothing refreshing to offer.
This alone, would not be a downer provided it's executed well. I mean how many revenge films are out there that have no novel story, it's passable as long as the execution grips you. Here however, it grips only in part. Don't get me wrong, the film still is one of the best I've seen this year, but it felt like they took the easy route in completing this project. There was clear scope for more that was avoided intentionally & that annoyed me. There's the re-used scenes & sets, the untrained people in the background, why not use extras? Such notable things that divert your attention from what's going on I find harder to forgive only when I notice it & I only notice it when I'm not fully gripped.
What struck my inner-writer is backing right up to the beginning of this write-up. What was the writer trying to achieve in this dual time-line narrative. If it's the passing of a torch, then where's the resolution to that? If it's simply to show the parallels between generations, then again, where was the scene that blends the time-lines & merges them?
As it stands, there is no resolution to that novel idea that the whole film hinges on.
There is a lot of use of props & dialogue throughout that is rinsed & repeated a a pay-off. The black coffees, the 'must discuss further' dialogue. The writer obviously knows how to use these things, then why oh why not with the actual narrative? but hey, that might just be me, maybe audiences are satisfied by the happy ending simply because it is happy. I'm not sure, I wanted neat & tidy closure.
I can't help but think this is that Yashraj film that was stolen by Eros, only to be made the quick & easy way, rather than the professional way. A totally baseless accusation, I might add, but just the after-taste it leaves you with.
Music:
The Nagin theme has been Modernised for the hep and modern & Bhangratized for the old-skool couple in "We Twist", which is probably the track you'll go back to for a repeat view / listen. Saif has definitely notched up his dance skills for this one. I was very impressed.
"Dooriyaan" was the most suited and haunting song of the enterprise, but perhaps not so greatly picturised. "Ahun Ahun Aahun" is relegated to the end credits & in my honest opinion terribly picturised & the remainder of songs were mostly forgettable in the film, though it's a good CD to listen to.
Performances:
Despite what I have read widely, I was not disappointed with any of the cast. Deepika is hot & makes me melt on the inside when she smiles, but frankly I think that was all really that her role demanded. She delivers her dialogues well, no complaints. Rishi Kapoor is a dependable old-timer. Luck by Chance & now this, he'll be taking the awards next year if the other actors don't watch their back.
You'd think Saif has come a long way since his Anari days, but he still does it so well. I liked him very much as Veer Singh, a typical sucker for love. I can't really hold it against him, but he didn't impress too much as Jai, not because he was bad, but because his modern avtar was simply an extension of his other Yashraj brand of boys (Hum Tum / Salaam Namaste come to mind).
The anonymous girl playing young Harleen was exceptional. Why the mystery, time will tell!
Overall Impressions:
It's got all the right ingredients to have been fantastic. Yet it's not & that is disappointing considering the names behind it. This said it's still pretty good, which is why it's still worth your bucks considering half the crap we've been putting up with this year.
Despite flaws, it's by far going to make it to the list of best films this year. Definitely one to see, but I'd suggest toning down on the hype and good reviews surrounding it. It's not the best film since sliced bread. Ugh.. you know what I mean. Go & twist!
Glad somebody else picked up on the underlying theme of the 1965 couple communicating little (in the conventional sense), but the 2009 couple who are always in touch through phones and the internet being the ones with all the problems. I don't think the theme was explored quite as well as it should have, but at least I'm not alone.
I haven't watched Three Times, but I never really thought that it would be a direct lift. The use of two different time periods in a story to tell parallel romances is hardly a unique or new trick; it may not be very well-known in Bollywood, but I can think of countless novels that use the very same device.
I read some where, 'Harleen Kaur' actress. She's - Giselle Monteiro. :-) nice review of both movies. But i think Deepika's act was almost 'no show' :-( A big let down. Otherwise all's well. Loved the sepia moments most.
Hey...
Nice write-up. I like the small details added and I very rarely find a comparision of the film with the original "insipiration". Anyways, Will look forward to more reviews and posts.
yay, i'm going to see it tomorrow - can't wait!
Actually I think it is easier to do this in a novel. In a writing sense, the moulding of crossovers doesn't need to be as in-your-face as in a film. The underlying theme would do the trick. In films you need the theme as well as visual handing overs. Alas, it seems they focussed more on the latter & less on the themes.
The music score for example had much scope for more. In fact I was heavily disappointed that hey didn't. The only real crossover was within songs. It should have been throughout the film. The Nagin theme was already a template to work from. Old turns New. A smart musical move would have been to have themes for the old & the new & in the climax when the time-lines merge, the themes merge. I suppose they worked around it by not merging anything at all. :(
do share your thoughts with us afterwards :)
Thanks for your comment. It's good to be appreciated. I've always been a bit conflicted / critical about my own reviews. I think perhaps I get a bit carried away in my reviews..
People don't want to read reams of text, but when I didn't say all that I wanted to I felt I was cheating. I had a large phase where I felt I wasn't giving it my best, which is why I had stopped. It was becoming quantity over quality I felt, but I missed writing, hence I did this.
i wrote a mouthful here: http://aspoonfulofghee.blogspot.com/2009/08/bollywood-love-and-entilement.html
but it's more of a rant/psychoanalysis on saif's character than a movie review. :)
re: the non-communicating couple having fewer problems than the modern-day one that talks a lot, i think that has a lot to do with the fact that today's woman (and man, but more strikingly woman) has more education and social awareness backing her, and hence there is more data that goes into the compatibility index.
A detailed, intricate review, well-researched and well-balanced, in terms of identifying Love Aaj Kal's strengths and flaws.
I loved reading about the Taiwan film which you compared this with. Its so refreshingly original,when at the most, reviewers tend to compare Hindi movies with whatever Hollywood Inc have churned out.
Well-paced and well presented. :)