Love Aaj Kal Review

Suhansid Srikanth

When ManiRatnam made OKKanmani, there was almost 15 years of gap and both stories brought in its own perspectives of marriage and the concept of family in drastically different setups. The former was during the beginning of millennium while the later was in 2015, the time when digital bloom has occupied at its fullest. Whereas the first Love Aaj Kal was out in 2009, where the digital relationships and things we go through these days have already started spreading over. And with just a decade gap inbetween, Imtiaz tries to explore the things and dynamics that have changed in relationships.

Kartik Aaryan looks zoned out as this introverted, shy, messed up man. The brilliant portrayal of mental state that Imtiaz is known for or Ranbir effortlessly excelled in come off as painful experiment with Kartik. He rather looks lost throughout the film with no idea of what's going on while Sara Ali Khan ACTS in such hyper charged level that the intense scenes end up pretentious at many places. There is Randeep Hooda as well who tells the 90s story. He is Imtiaz himself. The tone and demeanour of a wise man giving gyaan doesn't help much in this racoon of a plor.

In other words, it is not a bad film at all. There are moments that Imtiaz seeds throughout the film. He subtly crisscrosses phases in relationship. Like where she suddenly calls him one night, get on his bike and goes to a Dhaba and spends time with him.. we don't see it with music taking over or dramatic closeups, it passes as a montage. The scene where Zoe calls him when she is passed out in a party and calls Veer is vulnerable and it graphs an emotional arc. But the scenes building before and after it, doesn't gravitate towards this emotional crux.

Amit Roy's glossily eye-candy visuals with graffitis all over along with Aarti Bajaj's pepped up cuts charge up the film then and there. Pritam's tracks with Irshad Kamil's lyrics push the story ahead. But no matter whenever drama highs or falls.. you keep looking for the heartbreak that Imtiaz hauntingly pictures in Rockstar or Tamasha. As Zoe misses Veer and tells 'Wo wala feeling'.. you miss Imtiaz's good old films where he is totally out there and striking gold!

Bottomline:

Imtiaz Ali's latest outing on exploring the oscillations one goes through phases of a relationship, Love Aaj Kal 2020 falls vague, phony and weak as it middles with a poor cast and flickering writing.

Rating : 2.5 / 5