It is more often in cinema than in reality that we see young couples elope to get married. And the ones who do in their real lives are said to have been badly influenced by cinema. Lekar Hum Deewana Dil wants to be that kind of cinema. But I really hope youngsters don't find any inspiration in this film, as it underestimates the urban youth and poorly represents them.
Youth of this generation are confused souls for love is a tough matter of decision for them. Imtiaz Ali mirrored this statement, reiterating it through his characters in his films. His brother, Arif Ali, makes a mockery of the kind of cinema he makes. When Imtiaz Ali's characters say that they want to escape into mountains, we believe them and even resonate with their feelings. Here, they just come across as stupids living in a bubble. (That bubble is, in fact, what the female protagonist dreams of. So, the fact that the director knowingly sketched them this way is also very stupid.) Imtiaz made characters; Arif made caricatures.
Karishma and Dinesh (call him Dino, please, that's so "cool") are classmates and apparently in love with each other according to their friends, but it is only them who don't realise that. One of the male friends always had crush on Karishma but never confessed. He was very certain about it because, obviously, he's not the main character. Had the film been centered on him, he would have got confused too because he is the part of the same youth domain, duh! This plot reminds us Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (Rahman even heavily borrows a background score from that film). And as the film progresses, it begins to remind us of many iconic rom-coms made in the past: the drunk decision to get married and the eventual annulment is from Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu; frequent reinstatement to be yourself and do what you want is from Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani; a TV show to connect with your loved ones as a plot device is borrowed from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai; and the ultimate escape plan that let the families warring is a, sort of, tribute to Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.
As this messy film fest continues, we never see any logic or reasoning into the motifs of these "characters". There might be love between them, I never felt that. They fight a lot, I never bought their arguments. They separate, but there is no longing to be felt. And this is as much a fault in the writing as in the (harrowing) performances of the leads. They just speak what is written; they never feel it, we can clearly see.
As the film ends, we are shown a footage of real life ordinary couples, of as old as 60 years, who had eloped from their regular lives for their marriage lives to commence. That's the saddest part about the film. The film (and the director, of course) believes that it has made a statement and has set an example. But well, for the kind of film it wants to be, it doesn't really get there and remains a wannabe attempt. And in this process, it commits a bigger crime of underestimating its audience. As a youth, I am offended.
Youth of this generation are confused souls for love is a tough matter of decision for them. Imtiaz Ali mirrored this statement, reiterating it through his characters in his films. His brother, Arif Ali, makes a mockery of the kind of cinema he makes. When Imtiaz Ali's characters say that they want to escape into mountains, we believe them and even resonate with their feelings. Here, they just come across as stupids living in a bubble. (That bubble is, in fact, what the female protagonist dreams of. So, the fact that the director knowingly sketched them this way is also very stupid.) Imtiaz made characters; Arif made caricatures.
Karishma and Dinesh (call him Dino, please, that's so "cool") are classmates and apparently in love with each other according to their friends, but it is only them who don't realise that. One of the male friends always had crush on Karishma but never confessed. He was very certain about it because, obviously, he's not the main character. Had the film been centered on him, he would have got confused too because he is the part of the same youth domain, duh! This plot reminds us Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (Rahman even heavily borrows a background score from that film). And as the film progresses, it begins to remind us of many iconic rom-coms made in the past: the drunk decision to get married and the eventual annulment is from Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu; frequent reinstatement to be yourself and do what you want is from Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani; a TV show to connect with your loved ones as a plot device is borrowed from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai; and the ultimate escape plan that let the families warring is a, sort of, tribute to Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. As this messy film fest continues, we never see any logic or reasoning into the motifs of these "characters". There might be love between them, I never felt that. They fight a lot, I never bought their arguments. They separate, but there is no longing to be felt. And this is as much a fault in the writing as in the (harrowing) performances of the leads. They just speak what is written; they never feel it, we can clearly see.
As the film ends, we are shown a footage of real life ordinary couples, of as old as 60 years, who had eloped from their regular lives for their marriage lives to commence. That's the saddest part about the film. The film (and the director, of course) believes that it has made a statement and has set an example. But well, for the kind of film it wants to be, it doesn't really get there and remains a wannabe attempt. And in this process, it commits a bigger crime of underestimating its audience. As a youth, I am offended.
1 comment:
nice article and honor to the great approach.... :)
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