Directed by : Imtiaz Ali
Produced by : Dinesh Vijan, Imtiaz Ali
Written by : Imtiaz Ali
Starring : Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan,Randeep Hooda, Aarushi Sharma
Music : Pritam (Songs), Ishaan Chhabra (Score)
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Streaming on: Netflix
Year: 2020
The names of the movies may vary, the characters and their situation in life may change, the box-office outcomes may differ and the quality of direction and story-telling may be different. But in all of Imtiaz Ali’s movies, the soul remains intact. Somehow, in so many ways, it simply seems like the physical manifestation of the soul, much like human beings.
Love aaj kal 2, in that sense, is no different. If the external flaws are removed, if the silent music playing amidst the words is heard, the soul of the movie is as true as it always has been. Love in its completeness, in its stark nakedness can be seen. And along with that, the music by Pritam, and words by Irshad Kamil, gives a beautiful flow to the life beating amidst the story.
But alas, the words are too loud and the moments broken too soon before it completes, for the magic to really express.
Instead of 2 parallel love stories, moving in similar story-lines as shown in the first installation of the movie, Love Aaj Kal 2 focuses on love lost since “life” got in the way, as a lesson for the newer love story.
Randeep Hooda holds on to his part of the deal, as he does with every role he takes up, and Aarushi Sharma does justice to her small yet significant role. Karthik Aryan, though with a few shortcomings, gives his sincere shots at both the characters, that could have become a welcome change from the stereotyped characters he usually plays. However, Sara Ali Khan’s acting was too immature and overbearing, to leave space for much else to work for the movie and she appeared on-screen way too often for the flaws to be ignored.
Yet, as I let myself flow with the movie, there were moments when it did strike a chord and the unsung songs could be heard. And in spite of it all, when you see the two young characters in love, staring into each others eyes, quietly, in the darkness of the train compartment, a part of you would want that connection to prolong and pull the movie through.
But sadly, “life” did really get in the way of the movie, and in an effort to bring in all the factors that worked for his movies in the past, including few sudden scenes in Kashmir, the end product is half executed and in spite of a few fleeting moments that really touches, the story doesn’t truly deliver.
Or maybe it does, but Imtiaz Ali has set the bar too high, even for himself, to reach there again and again. Well, then there is no easy answer to how the movie is. Or maybe that is what happens with an incomplete movie, much like an incomplete life.
It is for each to find their own answers. And perhaps, suddenly, without expecting, one would find a connection and hear the silent music.
Image courtesy : https://www.imdb.com
