Sunday, November 08, 2009

Ajab Ranbir Ki Ghazab Kahani

Even though it was released 15 years ago, Andaz Apna Apna stands tall and proud on my list of the funniest Bollywood movies. As I followed Rajkumar Santoshi's subsequent movies over the last decade or so, I wondered a la the joker, "Raju, why so serious?" Like many AAA fans, I secretly wished for a sequel of AAA and I wished he'd made it when the two Khans were still err... normal. Now, of course it's too late. Both Aamir and Salman have gone kinda bonkers, and not in a good way.

So when I entered the theatre to watch Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani last night, I kept my expectations low. After all, the comedy these days is of a different kind, and the comedy of those days would not work today. My favourite reviewer Raja Sen had warned that one would enjoy the movie only if he/she watched it with 80s-tinted glasses. And boy, was I glad I did.

Maybe Santoshi was waiting. Waiting for little Ranbir to grow up so he could make this movie. Because in this age, only he could have done the kind of justice that the character of Prem needed. It was only Ranbir that could take us back to the days of AAA and make us laugh out loud at things that we would otherwise roll our eyes at. Be it him flying through the air and making laddoos in his mithaiwala cape, or saying "Chalo hum log plate dhote hain" to his mother or saying "Tere thigh muscles loose ho gaye hain!" when Katrina spots him holding Sallu's leg and pleading, or casually asking his mother if she'd seen his 'top' (and even casually slipping it on!) or telling Jesus how the angry Shankar Bhagwaan's third eye will make him go 'phussssssss' or just the way he calls out 'Salluuuu' when Katrina eggs him to call out to 'his close friend Salman Khan'.

The movie is not all slapstick though. There are some very clever lines and scenes that just make you wish they'd pause the movie so you could finish laughing before you got ready for the next scene.

In spite of the predictable storyline, it's the AAA feel that makes it a delightful fun fest. The movie works because of the scenes and not because of the story. Even though some of them are so over the top you can't see the top anymore.

Even Salman Khan, who is barely tolerable these days, evoked hysterical laughter when he said, "Jaise meri girlfriend ko apni bata raha hai?" Maybe all the three brothers should stick to guest appearances. Remember the delightful Sohail and Arbaaz in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na?

Katrina Kaif does what she does best - sit pretty and spout a few lines every now and then in her accented hindi. It is easy to tolerate her because of two things -- first of all, she is so damn pretty it's almost distracting, and secondly, Ranbir is so damn good in the movie that at times it seems like no one else matters. That is one talented kid and he's gonna go places. Good job, Rishi and Neetu!

Viv and I had just watched 'Wake up Sid' some time ago and absolutely loved it too. It feels good to finally like an actor who is so good you can safely watch every movie with him in it. In fact, when the movie ended, Viv turned to me and said, "Do you think we should watch Saawariya?"

Yup, we're fans. Fans who can't wait for 'Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year' to release.

PS: Just when I thought Katrina Kaif had the worst Hindi diction on the planet, Upen Patel opened his mouth.



19 comments:

LoSt iN tHe cRoWd said...

Ranbir is awesome .......:)

prathi said...

let me claim GOLD!!!
Now i will read the post

Tejal said...

I claim silverrrr!

Art said...

The movie was awesome... I liked it even more as the comedy timing was very good. It was as if people had forgotten simple comedy, this came as a refresher.

Saawariya is still a no-no.

We said this when we came out of the theatre - "Ranbir ke saawariya ke paap dhul gaye"

Tejal said...

hmm..now i can comment peacefully. (i have the bronze too..hehehahhaah)
lol.. i had the same reaction as Viv wen i saw Wake up sid.. but then, i decided not to torture myself :P

Havent watched APKGK but want to and after reading your post i want to watch it all the more..

Rannnbirrrrr *drools*
:P

Thousif Raza said...

thats so true... i liked it but i dint love it, though i absolutely loved ranbir :)



take care and keep writing.........

How do we know said...

completely, absolutely second every single word in this review bhai! way to go!!

Anonymous said...

ooh, i watched the trailer for this on rediff the other day, was just wondering whether to put it on my very long to-watch list!

so ranbir kapoor is a safe-watch? i'm surprised! you never know with these 'legacy' kids!

one of my big movie-watching-related regrets: no English subs on the Andaz Apna Apna video you lent me!

Sid said...

I am getting hugely different versions of this movie. Couple of my friends and room-mate watched this over the weekend.
2 of them left in the middle of the movie to have beer and the other 2 just about managed to watch the entire movie. While the Times of India review is raving about the movie and so apparently are you as well.

Maybe it's about the 80's tinted glasses that needs to be worn which is going to be very difficult. Will definitely give it a shot.

Deepa said...

>> The movie works because of the scenes and not because of the story.
BINGO! Coudn't agree with u more..

Regarding Upen Patel...the less we talk about him, the better :P
Thrs one dialogue wherein he says "Jab usko koi 'poblem' nahi toh tumhe kyun 'poblem' hai" :O

=))

Sayesha said...

#LoSt iN tHe cRoWd,
//Ranbir is awesome .......:)

Totally! I can't believe I had dismissed him as chikna star kid!

#prathi,
Oye kitthhe gayi? :P

#Tejal,
Kya baat hai, aaj kal badi jaldi aate ho bar mein? :D

#Art,
//
We said this when we came out of the theatre - "Ranbir ke saawariya ke paap dhul gaye"

Hahahaha! That bad eh? Maybe Viv and I should skip it then. :D

#Tejal,
//Havent watched APKGK but want to and after reading your post i want to watch it all the more..

Jao jao jaldi dekho! :D

#Thousif,
Thanks. :)

#How do we know,
Thanks! :D

#starbreez,
//so ranbir kapoor is a safe-watch?

Looks like it. But then I've only seen Wake Up Sid and this one. You'll probably like Wake Up Side more. Do watch it!! :)

//one of my big movie-watching-related regrets: no English subs on the Andaz Apna Apna video you lent me!

I think I bought the DVD with English subtitles. When are you here next??

#Sid,
Yeah, wear those glasses and watch the movie. And if you fall asleep in the theatre, I'll yell 'Wake up Sid!' (Okay sorry sorry, that was a really bad one!) :P

#Deepa,
Yeh Upen Patel ko koi aur naukri do re, iska yahan kuch nahin hone wala hai.

VIDYA said...

me loves Ranbir too!
Yum,plus nice too :)

~ Lopa said...

yeyyyy i love Ranbir too... I declared my love for him the moment we watched " Wake Up Sid" and I am happy he stood upto my expecttaion in A..P..K..G...K... as well.

// Good job, Rishi and Neetu!
hehehe ya indeed ;) Khandaan ka naam aur roshan karega bachcha ... hehe

// PS: Just when I thought Katrina Kaif had the worst Hindi diction on the planet, Upen Patel opened his mouth.

hehehe.... can't agree more on this... i was rather shocked watching him in this movie... Like his muscles were not allowing him to open his mouth or speak...lol

And ya Katrina is one of the preetiest girl in bollywood right now... cannot take eyes away from her .... But Ranbir is damn good looking, makes you forget everything around and that is when we feel A STAR IS BORN heheh ;)

Neha said...

Please!! Only because you liked Wake up SId and APKGK, that does not mean that you will enjoy Saawariya...or Bachana Aae Haseeno for that matter!

Yes, Ranbir is a doll...he is so cuuuuute..........

I have started disliking Katrina to a remarkable extend! She has become such a cliche...does not know Hindi....does not know acting..I do not watch movies for her for sure...the moment she opens her mouth, we all get to know she is dumb!

Anusha said...

I thought the movie was only bearable because both Ranbir and Katrina have this charm that makes it hard to hate them, no matter how corny the role.

The movie was funniest, however, when it fully embraced the campiness. The superhero rolling laddoos still remains my favourite scene of the movie, just because it made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe. But when they did the 'dramatic' scenes without a hint of sarcasm, the movie kinda lost me.

Upen Patel ... no words. Worst thing about the movie BY FAR.

Piggy Little said...

i think even in sawariya, ranbir shines as the puppy boy in love who has to let go :) :)

Sayesha said...

#VIDYA,
Yum plus nice. You said it, sister! :D

#~Lopa,
Yeah! I can't be bothered about Kats, but I am totally looking forward to seeing more of Ranbir!

#N,
I'll still catch both movies I think. :)

#Clueless,
Yeah I loved the ladoo rolling sequence. HILARIOUS! :D

#Piggy Little,
Hehehe... it looks I gotta watch it! :)

TUNGATHAVAJAN said...

I watched the movie after reading these comments, Awesome movie I will watch it forever in my free time.I loved ranbir timing in comedy really superb!!!

Priyanka said...

Finally watched the movie. Ranbir comes across as so natural!! No overacting or hamming - just puppy dog eyes and great comic timing.
Katrina - thought she was awesome when I first saw Namaste London. She really is beautiful.
Upen Patel - can't act or react when others are acting. What was he doing in that movie?
Oh, want to start/join a Ranbir fan club?