Not as funny as you might have heard it to be.

Grade: C+

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

Indian Release Date: 06/11/09
CBFC Classification:  U
Running Length: 2 Hours 20 Minutes

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Upen Patel, Darshan Jariwala, Govind Namdeo, Smita Jaykar, Zakir Hussain
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi
Screenplay: Rajkumar Santoshi
Cinematography: Thiru
Music: Pritam Chakraborty

Rajkumar Santoshi’s latest effort ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’ had one of the biggest box-office openings of 2009, a fact that greatly surprises me. While the movie has a number of points in its favour including a fresh pairing and excellent music it is let down by a senseless plot and script that drags on for far too long.

‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’ could be best described as a screwball comedy in the tradition of Rajkumar Santoshi’s earlier film ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, a movie where the leads overact and nothing is really meant to make that much sense.

Prem (Ranbir Kapoor) is an uneducated young man whose father despairs of him ever becoming anything in life. Prem is content loafing around with his friends and trying to commit good deeds through their Happy Club of which he is the President. His life changes when he meets Jenny (Katrina Kaif) and intelligent and earnest young woman who lives with her cruel aunt and uncle. Prem falls in love with Jenny and after some initial misunderstandings; the two of them become friends. As Prem sets out to win over his love he faces many hurdles including Jenny’s greedy family and an old flame of hers recently returned from Canada (Upen Patel).

While the first half of the movie is reasonably well paced and entertaining, the second half drags. At the one and a half hour mark I was left wondering what on earth could they fill the next one hour of the movie with? The story is overly stretched and by the end I was simply waiting for it to get over with. Oh yes and towards the end there’s a special appearance by Jesus, I kid you not.

Ranbir Kapoor is charming, and the makers have tried to cash in on his grandfather’s happy go lucky image and place Ranbir in the same mould. He’s a talented young actor and he does well at comedy. Katrina Kaif has improved in her acting and at least fits the role well. Their pairing is fresh and I’m looking forward to seeing them in Rajneeti together. Upen Patel is his usually terrible self; he’s also bulked up too much and looks like an Indian version of the Incredible Hulk. The worst part of the movie is undoubtedly the cameo by Salman Khan which was incredibly awkward and sycophantic and added nothing to the movie at all.

‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’ is not one of the worst movies of 2009 but it certainly does not deserve to become a hit.

Final Verdict: See it only if you do not require a decent script or if you particularly enjoy senseless comedies.

Grade: C+

 

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