Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) - Movie Review

“Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” truely runs on its title. This is Zoya Akhtar’s second film after “Luck By Chance” and truly she has improved on that. It is not that I had not liked Luck By Chance. It was a good movie but a unique concept and it was really difficult to identify with it. May be the reason being that we all claim to know our luck and claim to even wear our luck but in fact are constantly in search of our luck.

ZNMD is the simple fun loving story of three school time friends on an adventurous holiday and in due course find a new meaning to their lives. Seems to be a very simple narrative. Isn’t it? Yes, it is simple and very easy going, but it doesn’t mean that the substance is missing. It is so that always we don’t need a very dramatic twist or a mind blowing incident to make a great story. This movie teaches you the real meaning of the word important. What do we perceive of this word “important”? Something big, significant or may be noticeable. There is the catch. In order to look for something bigger we neglect the small simple things in life that may also be of equal importance.

I found each and every scene of the film properly placed in its groove of the whole narrative. You get to know, in fact understand the emptiness in Farhan’s life. The reason for the coldness between Hritik and Farhan. Also the reason for the lack of chemistry between Abhay and Kalki. Zoya has played with our imagination by first letting us witness the difference before putting forward the explanations it in the narrative. This way we can identify with the characters, their reactions and their actions.

The whole movie is picturesque and Spain looks inviting. The spontaneity in the dialogue delivery sounds it more real. All the actors have performed to the best of their ability and I would specially like to mention that Katrina has come a long way in terms of acting. Naseeruddin Shah and Dipti Nawal made an impact in whatever few minutes of screen presence they got. I will share the scene that portrays the strength of Naseer in terms of acting.

The much talked about kiss in the movie.

The fabulous song “Sanorita”. You will love it. All the three have proved that they can seriously sing.

How can I not discuss about the heart of the film – friendship? It has the flavour of “ Dil Chahta Hai” but we won’t mind it. There were three college friends who move on with their lives and here are friends who are meeting after moving on with their own separate lives and explore their lost friendship and camaraderie. You can say that it is the continuation of “Dil Chahta Hai”.

A must watch film for sure.

Chalo Dilli (2011) Movie Review

I mistakenly call it “Dilli Chalo” instead of “Chalo Dilli” because of familiarity with the famous slogan of every political agitation that wants the central Govt. of India to take notice of. Nothing like that here because as the name suggests Chalo before Delhi to signify that the journey is more important than the destination.

So it is another road movie where the protagonists are struggling to reach their destination amidst all sorts of silly and humorous accidents. Haven’t we seen such movies in the past and even some had flopped miserably? But what an interesting leading pair; Lara Dutta and Vinay Pathak. That was never gonna be a romantic movie. Vinay Pathak has made his mark in the Bollywood with some great performances and is considered the most irritating man in the film fraternity, undisputedly. With him there, there are bound to be some really brilliant scenes. I have not seen Lara for a while now.

Here goes the narration as Lara, an investment banker, sophisticated, cleanliness freak bumps too many a times with our own clumsy, gutka chewing gentleman, with a really going well moustache – Vinay Pathak on her way to Delhi from Mumbai. The initial encounters are just like the way when we often in a crowded place cannot fail to notice some irritating personalities. A simple journey from Mumbai to Delhi becomes an ordeal for Lara when she misses her scheduled flight to take a budget flight which lands in Jaipur due to bad weather and lo, our Vinay uncle in his purani dilli persona is always around in his most irritating, loud mouthed, ill mannered way possible. Finally they land up together in a hired Taxi which was scheduled to go to Delhi but lost its way in some remote village of Rajasthan. Now the real chemistry of opposite poles, Lara and Vinay starts which is not only hilarious but brilliant. They get into all sorts of trouble thanks to our Vinay uncle but he was the one who always found out the way with his “isme kaun si badi baat ho gayi”. The Rambo like entry of Akshay Kumar sporting rugged jeans and aviator as Lara’s husband, was a surprise element. At last they reached Delhi and Akshay felt a change in his wife and Lara found out the reason behind Vinay’s “isme kaun si badi baat ho gayi”.

One thing I would like to mention before I miss that I have noticed that these actors in guest appearances really look like guests in the film. Have you noticed? Do they do it for free? I wonder. However, the Hero of the film is surely Vinay with his effortless portrayal of a small time businessman of Chandni Chaowk. It is easy to identify him with anybody we know around us. I have compiled a clip of Vinay’s real outstanding scenes. Watch it.

Lara also has done justice in her portrayal of a sophisticated high society lady. Not initially but later on she matched with Vinay. The weakness is the script of the film but Vinay’s performance has made it a worth watch. Too much of Vinay Vinay, lets see some Lara Lara. She is looking hot. Her acting has also improved a lot, why not, she is also the producer of the film.

And the sizzling number by Hot Yana Gupta. Neither a great choreography nor a great song.

Not to miss Akki’s entry.

I had read in moral science that every story told has a moral to learn. The moral of this film is that no matter how successful or educated we are; there are things we haven’t learnt, we haven’t known and a simple silly looking insignificant person can also teach us something. The biggest learning is the experience of our life. It is the real education.

It is a worth watch movie for the sheer chemistry between Lara Dutta and Vinay Pathak and his "is main kaun si badi baat ho gayi ji" attitude.