Break Ke Baad

Debutant director Danish Aslam serves us disappointing fare in Break Ke Baad this weekend - a crisp first half followed by a damp and soggy second half. The teekha first half has Deepika's sizzling act as Aaliya - bringing some life & vitality to her usually expressionless face. Imran plays the chocolate boy lover Abhay – a role he has done admirably in the past and is the likable meethi chutney. Together, against my expectation, they both produce a very likable dish and have a crackling on screen chemistry. However, that spark between them is completely doused by the insipid writing in the second half.

The opening credits are a montage of two six year olds falling in love as they grow up, with a shared passion of Hindi movies. The girl grows up to be the impetuous Aaliya who is full of life, but sometimes does not care about anyone but herself. Abhay is the ultra-sweet guy who tolerates all her tantrums and still adores her. Maybe because he realizes he needs her more than she does. However, when Aaliya decides to fly off to Australia to study, the relationship cant take the strain and the 'break' happens.

This is where the movie goes to dogs – as it starts focussing more on other characters and side-plots more than the lead pair. Sharmila Tagore as Aaliya's mother heads a useless track about the ills of the world of showbiz. She also seals my belief that yesteryear's charming heroines lose their expressive faces in the process of ageing (maybe to botox). And hence are better staying alive in old movie reruns rather than acting in newer movies. Jaya Bhaduri, Hema Malini and now Sharmila Tagore – their faces struggle to convey different emotions – and end up looking almost similar in all scenes.

The movie meanders along for quite a while before becoming a coming-of- age movie for both Aaliya and Abhay. And this is the movie's biggest failure – since the scriptwriter clearly doesn't have the maturity to handle this topic as much as he has a handle on romance. The climax is stupid even by the low standards of rom-coms – and which is where you write the movie off as a failure

PS - Something struck me a couple of days after I watched the movie – when you watch the movie, you can tell me if I was wrong or right. I thought Aaliya's character and idiosyncrasies were heavily based on Jab We Met's Geet . None of the Bhatinda Punjabi madness, but a calculated effort by the makers to use that quirkiness and happy-go-lucky nature. But then again, Geet was a million times better than Aaliya would ever be.

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I am still wondering how this movie got bad reviews. This is of one of the better Hindi romantic movies I have seen lately.Yes ! It does have its cliché moments but it is still a fresh air.

Directed by first timer Danish Aslam, it is about a young couple. They have been together for it seems forever and they are growing out of the relation. They want to restore the relation so decides to take a break. And that's all there is to movie. But its being handle so well It has this very real young vibe to it. Also, it brings some real issues for the young generation of India. The movie's music adds to it.

Have to admit that I am not big fan of Deepiak Padoukone but her performance blew me away. She was so invested in the movie that it was hard to remember her glamor self. It was first time I felt she was acting. And Imran Khan was amazing. Inspite of what people have been saying he has some true potential to grow in very fine actor.

Overall, I would suggest this movie over any recent Hindi "love story". It is predictable but it does raises some interesting questions.

After watching numerous mediocre romantic projects releases recently, here is one more similar kind of lifeless product from the house of Kunal Kohli. Once again coming from a debutant director, Danish Aslam, the film raises a valid question that why a first time director decides to make his debut movie on such boring, uninteresting and sleepy kind of script which has nothing new or fresh to offer to its viewers.

Apart from this I made two conclusions after watching "Break Ke Baad". One, that Imran Khan has stopped taking any advice from his perfectionist senior Aamir Khan, who earlier reportedly used to take a keen interest in his career. Imran's choice of projects after Aamir Khan's produced "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na" clearly gives us the indication of his understanding and judgment of various projects & scripts. With no Hit Project post his debut movie, Imran now really needs to sit back and review his career seriously.

The second conclusion is about the leading lady Deepika Padukone, who I think is there in the industry only to make some quick money and then walk on to her marriage plans. With a lot more to learn in the acting department, Deepika looks almost the same in her every new movie and also has the same kind of act to offer. In fact its quite silly of both Imran and Deepika to sign "Break Ke Baad" which more or less revolves around the same kind of theme exploited in their previous movies such as JTYJN and LOVE AAJ KAL. So, after watching BKB one can only assume that either both the lead actors signed this movie without reading the script or they don't have any kind of script sense at all.

Apart from the completely outdated, overused and a routine storyline, the film hasn't got a single good scene to impress the viewer. Progressing at a very boring pace right from its first reel, the characters keep moving on the screen in their cool revealing dresses but you feel nothing for them till the end. The direction itself has so many flaws in it, which even allows you to have a little nap on your seat in its second half. For example, the story is set in Delhi and the lead pair reaches the mountains to have their adventures rides just in few hours and then return to their home in the same day itself (as if Delhi was a two hour drive from the mountains). And Deepika calling her mother by her name seems completely out of place and is quite irritating too.

Actually Danish Aslam has made the film keeping in mind the western culture and its casual relationship styles prevailing between a boy and a girl. But his attempt falls flat when it comes to the subject of sex between his two lead characters. His script shows a boy and a girl being friends from their childhood days. Even when they transform into a young boy and girl they still enjoy the same kind of cool relationship between them without any kind of shyness. Ironically both Imran & Deepika talk, walk and behave like two mature lovers throughout, wherein they can even touch, kiss and cuddle each other any moment as they like. But yet as per the Indian Tradition they still haven't gone physical. Now that was plain unbelievable considering the setting, background and narration of the movie. Had it been an English movie, they would have done that in the first half itself and that too without any guilt or regret. But since it was a Hindi movie, they cannot do that.

The point I want to make is that our directors are walking on a dual path today which doesn't allow them to come up with some bold and intelligent movies close to the reality. In the current BREAK KE BAAD, the director is OK with showing a western kind of relationship between a young boy and girl but at the same time he is not ready to show that they can even go physical. So at one end he wants to copy from the West, but on the other also wants to make a film for the Indian audience, keeping their cultural tradition alive, which is not an easy path to walk on. Falling in the same dilemma, BKB is a complete washout and has no relief moments even in its few songs. Vishal-Shekhar deliver an average sort of soundtrack which lacks the melody and is disappointing. Though the film scores fine in its Cinematography but in the casting department it fails to take advantage of many talented people such as Sharmila Tagore, Shahana Goswami, Lillete Dubey and Navin Nischal. Yudhishtir also overacts as the sex driven housemate.

As far as the lead pair is concerned I didn't find anything to write about the acts of both Imran and Deepika. They gave me nothing fresh or better than their last films. As a matter of fact in BREAK KE BAAD, the actors on the screen look as confused as the director and the writer standing behind the screen. Hence everyone should essentially take a break from watching this underworked venture and if you really want to see Deepika in her cools shorts then do watch it but at your own risk.

Good editing, and transitions, the song were quite lovely and Imran Khan as well. ;)

A bit unrealistic but a goooood watch nonetheless.

Okay good. Can watch it.

"Break Ke Baad" is an ideal romcom catering to the segment of audience who bunk classes and chill out in the multiplexes. At the outset the plot might look "space issues" meets "coming of age". However the writers, Danish Aslam and Renuka Kunzru take the liberty of overloading layers for every character who makes an appearance on the silver screen. Imagine even the acid tongue landlady's brother has issues in life! On that note the overkill phenomena was last witnessed in "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na".

Imran Khan delivers a restraint and matured performance. Deepika gets a lion's share in terms of characterisation. Her spontaneity is a treat to watch to the extent that would seem she has mastered the art of impromptu acting. Sharmila Tagore and Naveen Nischol were under-utilised. Lillete Dubey and Shahana Goswami get a few fiery lines to mouth.

If you set aside the shortcomings on the writing front, the movie excels in other technical departments. Songs are noteworthy (Kunal Kohli is renowned for a good music taste, so there you go). Costumes deserve a mention. The DOP has a fine job. The tongue-in-cheek lines ensures audience stay with the proceedings. Editing is slick. Lastly there was no need shifting the storyline to Australia. IIM-Ahemadabad would have been done the job.

Verdict: Not too bad for one-time watch.