Jokes about teachers. Fights over girlfriends. Silly word games. Bare chests. Rippling muscles. Streaked hair. Sigh. Glossy looking and beautifully written. I must confess , by the time I finished watching ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA , I was convinced that no one can make a bromance as beautifully as a woman.
The film is gentle, taking time out to look at horses running in the meadows, feel the wind the air, swim with the fish underwater. All that male beauty may be a little manipulative and the plot is a little contrived--three adventure sports to test your courage--but the story keeps you engaged.
Zoya Akhtar's Spain odyssey demands just one thing from you: that you slip into adventure mode and then go with the flow.... Rest assured, you're in for a merry ride, with loads of thrills, emotional banter, romance and camaraderie between a host of characters who seem to be having as much fun as you.
There seems to be one small little snag however. The first half of the film is low on drama and proceeds as a touristy piece on Spain. You do get somewhat restless watching the three friends check in and out of hotels, rent cars, play juvenile pranks and indulge in traditional adventure sports like deep sea diving and sky diving. Of course, there is a lot of friendly bantering too between the friends, as Farhan Akthar and Hritik Roshan battle ghosts from the past. And yes, a dash of romance as Katrina sashays into their life as the free-spirited waif with a wild side to her winsome self.
It's the second half of the film which emerges as a scintillating insight into friendship, emotional growth and bonding. All the three protagonists use the trip to exorcise ghosts from the past and emerge as free, unburdened souls who are ready to face life with renewed vigour. And the bull run at the end of the film becomes a metaphor for the unburdening of repressed fears and unresolved conflicts. But the beauty of the film lies in the fact that it handles all this emotional funda in a poetic, lighthearted, breezy style which brings a smile to your face.
In terms of performances, it's hard to pinpoint your favourite since all three pitch in stellar acts. If Abhay is the anchor of the group, Farhan's funster role is full of beans and Hrithik's metamorphosis from uptight, money-minded stock broker to carefree vagabond is a class act. Katrina is her usual effervescent self while Kalki is cute, despite being heralded with a `chudail alert' (witch alert). Added embellishments are the pacy dialogues (Farhan Akhtar), the magnificent poetry (Javed Akhtar) and the rich cinematography (Carlos Catalan) which transforms Spain into vistas of colour.
Director Zoya Akhtar follows up Luck By Chance with another sensitive and entertaining study of people, even as she gives Bollywood it's first full blown contemporary road movie.
4/5 STARS
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JAI CINEMA
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