Started the movie after hearing the comment “Bovine excrement” from a friend who watched only 10 mins of it. Not that I considered him as a good judge, but around 20 mins into the movie, I felt like agreeing with him. Something was going on that one least expects from Imtiaz Ali, coz I. Ali is not K. Johar or A. Chopra. He has had his share of struggles and is supposed to have tasted life in its raw form. But what is seen on screen was something you have great trouble to relate with, so much superficial…

But after the “break up”, the real Imtiaz whom we know resurfaced. As the movie was going on, I was thinking what made that first leg so jarring. I thought it was a failed attempt to create two overdrawn prototypes of the supposedly emotion-less, commitment-phobic youth of today. But on hindsight, I think even that goes well with how the movie develops. Now I suspect, it was Saif’s incapability as an actor (or may be the director’s) that made it seem so abnormal. But, afterwards he did what he had to do dexterously.

The film talks about many people we know: who doesn’t believe in a relationship for a life time, being truthful to single partner and all. My issue is why is it implied that these are the idiosyncrasies of the 2009 youth? Like we have this whole thing of making fun of the west for their marital dissoluteness. How many desi star divorces/ break ups do our media celebrate aaj kal? And mind you, it’s not just aaj kal. When did a Bachhan or a Hassan first adorn headlines for non- acting reasons? Not aaj kal, rt? So, the point is sincerity in relationship is largely a matter of the individual. Therefore I don’t think it was necessary to fit in a parallel track from the ‘60s to drive home the point.

The couple somehow is convinced that a stable relationship is going to affect their career and so they should be “practical”. They deny the basic emotions at a subconscious level and live as “mango people”. Except the first 20 mins, I feel the director has been exceedingly successful in depicting the clash between their acquired beliefs and the re-emerging raw emotions, especially the man’s. What I feel a bit contrived is the old love story (Gee… Am I being one of “aaj kal ka mango people” here?)

Dialogues are good, especially the way the protagonists deliver them. As I mentioned, the big siege that happens in their mind is captured well in the waxing and waning of passion in the words uttered. Many girls could have been OSO’s Shanti, but I think Meera can only be Deepika. She has brought in that charm (through expressions and intonation) to a character that is really un-heroine by Bollywood standards. Won’t waste anymore words about the use of songs in films. Yes, many tracks are hummable. But why should songs pop out every now and then? Seems like there is no option…