All Talk and No Action Saturday, April 12, 2008


Another Fabulous Weekend - Went to see "U, Me Aur Hum" with family.

When the trailers had started airing on TV, I thought this would be another one of those candy floss, romantic comedies. Ajay might want to please the masses and cash in on the "Romantic Comedy" Formula. Why take risk with Your Directorial Debut?

Romantic it definitely was - but of a different kind.

The movie revolves around an enigmatic doctor and this endearing waitress, their whirlwind romance and a fairytale marriage. So far, so good. Nothing Earth Shattering about this story.

The Paisa Vasool part comes after the interval - The darling wife suffers from Alzheimer's and thus, ensues a life long battle with the slow disease and a fear of losing all that has been important for one.

The movie is a heart warming tale of a much in love couple, who truly find each other only after tragedy strikes. It is a tale of heartbreak and yet, humour. Of helplessness and yet, hope. Of guilt and yet, sincere love.

The subject has been dealt with in a mature way. The movie could have turned into a boring saga of tears and emotional excesses that Bollywood is well known for, BUT for the easy way in which it is narrated !

No eloquent speeches or too much Rona Dhona. Only subtle messages and heart felt performances, interspersed with humor and poetry.

The movie succeeds in the sense that it makes the viewer sit up and "feel" the pain and dread of losing a loved one, the fear of losing sanity and all that one holds close to heart, the excruciating sense of time "running out" and life slipping by, a weird sense of being a helpless onlooker when tragedy strikes one's life.

No solutions are provided. No judgments passed. No "To Do" list on how to deal with an ailing spouse. The best thing about the movie is - it lets you think and feel without imposing an ideology or perspective.

The movie has enough masala to keep the cash registers ringing and at the same time provides some serious drama for a discerning viewer. Ajay shows promise as an Intelligent and Sensitive film maker.

U, Me aur Hum is also a visual treat - a poetry in motion ! It's very fresh and has some very appealing and eye soothing shots. One can almost touch the waves lapping against the Cruise Liner and feel the Raindrops on one's cheeks ! The background score too succeeds in creating an adrenaline rush and sense of urgency.

The ensemble cast provides good support to the storyline, the best being Sumeet Raghavan.

Kajol, as always, is a blend of vivacity and spunk. The lady fits into the role effortlessly. One can only feel mesmerized by her sincere love for her hubby, her dread on losing her memory and her vulnerability and pain on being abandoned. Such beauty and poignancy ! Also, most of the times, she lets her eyes talk ! Very expressive and transparent !

Finally, Ajay. The actor deals deftly with the myriad emotions his character experiences. His transformation from an easy going lover boy to a helpless husband torn between "love and logic" is endearing. The movie also benefits by the comfort and warmth shared by the lead couple... which is palpable off screen too.

The music could have been better. Save "Jee Le" and the title track all numbers are forgettable.

My only grouse against the movie is - its not an original storyline ! Though the treatment and feel is very much Desi - one can still find glimpses of "The Notebook" and "Iris".

Anyway, here's hoping for an original story the next time around.

Till then... go ahead and enjoy this sensitive bonanza !

8 comments:

Vikas Singh said...

I was dillusioned with Dil Kya Kare, another home production of Ajay & Kajol, though not directed by Ajay. I was not very impressed with the promos of U, Me aur Hum, but after reading your review it seems, Ajay has done a fine job so would probably see the movie.

And dont worry much about the "inspiration" part. Bollywood movies are (in)famous for being inspired. Not everyone can be original like Aamir Khan.

Anusha said...

I was one of the thousand who went in for this movie because of the promos. It was definitely a brave topic to pick and play, especiallywith indian audience. They are seeming to get a little more mature and understand topics which might not primarily revolve around college romance and SRK trying to woo a woman :)
The music was a trauma but the performace(kudo's to every actor including the divorced couple!) was way beyond outstanding. Now, if i have already sounded like a movie critic, i think i should jus plain say that i enjoyed my 3 hours :) Is film mein, action hain, comdey hain, drama hain, emotion hain...................:) FILMIGIRI HAMARE KHOON MEIN HAI!! :)

R said...

“The best thing about the movie is - it lets you think and feel without imposing an ideology or perspective.”- Well, then it has to be a just another film, a typical Bollywood flick, which just encashes of the emotional psyche of the viewers (Indians- invariably fall to that). But realistically I would prefer a film like ‘Taree Zammen Par’ which not only makes a movie worth watching but makes sure that the tears flow in the right direction.

Kajol - no doubt is an adept actor, but this film (at least in trailers…) doesn’t succeed in giving the viewers that extra edge, which rushes the masses to the theatres. It has nothing spectacular and the music is a wash away. It infact seems to be a livelihood film, which if not successful might push the Devgan family into recession.

PS: I have not watched the film, but I have experienced a film with Mukta. Going by that if Babul can be her all time best, this surely deserves an Oscar!! 

All Talk and No Action said...

@Vikas
Yes, I have my reservations about this one. Thankfully, it was a paisa vasool
@Anusha
True :)
@Nirmal
Thanks
@Vinay
The movie is a good sight and very stylish. Watch for self. Also, I DID NOT like Babul! I alw thought it was the other way round.

Unknown said...

I saw this movie lastm weekend and my view about the movie is as far as possible from u...firstly its a remake of 50 First Dates and a bad one in that... some of the jokes are sick... remember the joke about men and mouse...the lesser spoken about songs the better-what was the idea behind that chalte chalte sequence..YUCK!! i thought it was a drag along for the first half atleast, 2nd half performance by the lead actors took over and so there was some positive that i could derive from the movie,... But all in all a huge dissapointment--would prefer seeing a slapstick/mindless comedy that sitting for a painful 3 hrs in this one

prodigy?? said...

Another Korean movie, a memory remains or something like that i can't remember the name, was ditto same. Nothing new yaar

All Talk and No Action said...

@Shyam
I won't call the movie a drag. Yes, it does have a slow start and falters, but it does come into full force after the interval. A total Paisa Vasool 1

@Prodigy
Yes. The movie is a rip off. But so were Aankhen, Virasat, Dil hai ki maanta nahi, KKHH and a few more. But didn't we enjoy the performances?

Anonymous said...

I never thought I would be almost crying.
d