Why I love Love Aaj Kal

1. There are two love stories, set in different eras, run parallel, but have a similar end.

2. Saif enacts dual roles in the film - playing his part as also the part of young Rishi Kapoor

Jai (Saif Ali Khan) and Meera (Deepika Padukone) are a modern-day couple in London. They are very happy together, but do not believe in tying each other down. So when life pulls them in different directions, they decide to call off their relationship, since long-distance relationships, in their opinion, don't work.

Love Kal
Delhi, Calcutta - 1965. Veer Singh (Rishi Kapoor) is struck by a thunderbolt when he sees Harleen for the first time. He travels a thousand kilometers by train to stand under her balcony, only to have a glimpse of her face. And yet not speak a word with her.

Love Aaj Kal
Veer does not understand how Jai can treat matters of the heart without passion. Jai does not understand how Veer Singh could have been so naive and silly about Harleen in his youth. But as both stories unfold, we realize that the process of relationship might be different in different eras, but the experience of being in love remains the same.

Love Aaj Kal travels multiple continents and different eras. The subject matter is novel, never attempted before, but the material, the characters (Saif and Deepika especially) as also its execution is targeted at the youth in big cities mainly. As they say in filmi lingo, this one's a hardcore multiplex movie.

The second hour is the soul of the film. Right from the time Deepika decides to marry, till the last reunion, the film touches an emotional high.

This is a forward-thinking film that handles the new-age relationships with complete understanding. The songs compliment the goings-on beautifully. This is amongst Pritam's accomplished works. Be it Twist (already a rage), Aahun Aahun (foot-taping), Chor Bazaari (melodious) or Dooriyaan (melancholic), each song is a gem. N Natarajan Subramaniam's cinematography is fantastic. Editing (Aarti Bajaj) is wonderful.

Both Saif and Deepika come up with their career-best performances in Love Aaj Kal. Saif carries the most difficult parts with remarkable ease. Sure, we've seen him as the cool, urban guy in several films, but this one's the most demanding role and only a seasoned actor could've delivered it with such precision.

Deepika looks ethereal. Most importantly, in Love Aaj Kal, she acts very, very well. Matching up to Saif is no mean achievement and she does it in several scenes. This should be the turning point in her career. Rishi Kapoor is top notch. The actress enacting the role of Harleen is pretty. Rahul Khanna does well in a small, but significant role. Watching Neetu Kapoor in the end sequence is truly astonishing. She's so graceful.

On the whole, Love Aaj Kal is for the young and romantic at heart. Sure, it's not perfect, but the terrific performances, melodious music and stirring emotional moments (lasts 35 odd minutes) more than compensate for the hiccups. At the box-office, the film should start with a bang for four factors - its novel cast, super music, great promotion and yes, Imtiaz Ali, a name that commands respect amongst moviegoers. Released extensively (approximately 1800 screens worldwide), Love Aaj Kal will have one of the biggest first weeks in India and also in the international markets. In India, the business will be superb across multiplexes, while single screens might not behave as energetically. But the business at multiplexes will ensure a fantastic recovery of the investment. Internationally, it has the potential to emerge one of the biggest grosser in recent times.

Verdict: Four stars
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