Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

Ayan Mukerji previously directed Wake Up Sid, his directorial debut, and he did a wonderful job with a film that was both refreshing and very good in and of itself. Just as it often goes with second ventures of promising first-timers, his next film, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, is nowhere as good. I knew nothing about this film when I started watching it except that it was an extraordinary mainstream success. But I was quite interested in watching it. The film is not bad at all, but it just doesn't live up the hype it seeks to generate at its core premise.

The film follows four youngsters in one of their last trips together before one of them leaves the country. While the film is beautifully shot and is a thoroughly enjoyable watch, it's never more than pleasant, it's never overwhelming, and there's hardly any reminiscence of what the title prepared us for - you'll see none of the youth craze or even youth culture that you would probably immediately associate with this film, and what is lacking at the heart of an otherwise watchable film is the much called-for wild spirit which Mukherjee doesn't manage to capture.

And it's not that Mukerji doesn't try. He does. There are some scenes of running through the markets, there are catchy songs and pretty girls, but the script often makes the story not ring true. The only portion where it leaves a mark is in the relationship between the two friends who meet after many years. The romantic tension between the two leads does work to a point, but sometimes it's too polished and fairy tale-like to really be impactful. And the biggest problem, it mostly just feels a rehash of previous films. At points the references to old Dharma (the production company under which the film is produced) films, people, and songs, is really pathetic.

The film's characters are merely derivative of previous famous characters, and are never given enough depth. Ranbir Kapoor repeats his Wake Up Sid character, and he does it well although it feels he never allows himself to shed all his inhibitions. Aditya Roy Kapur is exceedingly good in some parts and struggles in others, while Kalki is wasted although she is consistently good. The winner of course is Deepika. Again, her character is just a recap of popular characters (Kajol's Anjali in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai; Preity Zinta's Naina in Kal Ho Naa Ho), but she is wonderful, subtly conveying much through her expressive eyes and the tiny, nuanced gestures on her pretty face.

Towards the end, the film grows incresingly fluffy, corny and starry, much to the point of losing the lighthearted nature it sought to define back in the beginning of the show. Heavy music and numerous sentimental scenes are followed by a most shallow moment of realisation on the part of the male protagonist, which is not convincing enough. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani is not bad, I have no doubt some would highly enjoy it. Actually I enjoyed it too, I just expected more from this film and was disappointed. Still so, it is watchable and entertaining, with some nice romantic and musical portions.

I enjoyed watching "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani" quite a bit, though I'll admit that the story has a few clichés here and there that kept it from being better. Still, given that I was watching it while flying across the Atlantic, it was a nice time-passer and kept my attention.

The film begins with Naina and her mother meeting up with a rather vacuous old schoolmate of Naina. While Naina graduated top of her class and is at the top of her class in medical school, this meeting with the schoolmate left Naina feeling that she's missing something...fun. So, on a lark, she decides to drop everything and head off on an adventure--and she picks the same destination the vacuous schoolmate chose. There, Naina slowly learns to unwind and meets sexy Bunny (he is a man--not some furry--despite the name). They hit it off and seem to be falling in love but one HUGE problem stands in their way--Bunny has vowed never to marry and wants to travel the world and experience EVERYTHING. What's to happen? See the film.

Like the typical Bollywood film, this romance is predictable and there's lots of singing. You can't fault the film for this--this is THE format that Indian films follow these days and very few deviate from this. My problem with the film, and it's minor, was the silly scene were Naina takes off her glasses and instantly people notice how hot she is! What a cliché....plus my wife was much like Naina when I met her but is hot with and without her glasses! Still, it's fun and worth seeing.

Like all rom-coms, YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI sparkles with romance, merriment and heartache, is brightly glossy and boasts of crackling chemistry between its lead actors, but Ayan makes sure the heady concoction never waters down. The best part is, he never borrows from romantic clichés that most love stories depend upon and that, in my opinion, is this film's biggest strength. Expect no unwanted melodrama, no unwelcome characters, no earsplitting background music to accentuate the proceedings... On the whole, YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI is a revitalizing take on romance and relationships. A wonderful cinematic experience, this one should strike a chord with not just the youth, but cineastes of all age-groups. Watch this celebration of love and get mesmerized!

I'm watching this film well after it was released in the cinemas (in fact after seeing both Besharam and Chennai Express) so I know how the film had performed at the box office, and what most people thought of it so my expectations were high!

YJHD does through the typical roller coaster of a Bollywood romance, but where it differs from those that have failed, is that it has the star power of Ranbir and Deepika at the top of their game, alongside lovely music by Pritam and fantastic direction by Ayan Mukherjee.

Ayan is certainly one of the top young directors in the industry, and after Wake Up Sid, shows exactly why he holds his mantle piece. This work will go down as one of his finest, even though I am sure he will make many more films.

This role is bread and butter for someone of Ranbir's stature now. He eases into the role, initially playing the fun going flirty young man, then growing into the serious, yet romantic mature man later. This role is not on the same level as Barfi, there is no comparison, however it's these types of roles that will keep Ranbir competing with the likes of SRK for the romantic king award! Deepika has grown massively this year, and this being the third film (Ram Leela is the 4th) she has hit the industry with a bang in 2013. She looks stunning on screen and plays her role perfectly! Kalki, as annoying as her role, again plays it without any blemishes. Her role reminds you of Zindagi Na Milenge Dobara quite a lot! Aditya seems to be alcoholic of 2013 with this and Aashiqui 2 but does full justice to the role regardless!

Another massive plus point to the film Pritam's music. It's soulful throughout and adds a lot to the film. Kabira, Ilahi and Balam Picharki are my favourites.

Overall YJHD is a beautiful film with performances that will be hard to forget. It may not win any awards this year, but it will certainly will be a film I'll remember.

Yeh Jawaani hai Deewani is a refreshing take on the lives of the youth(of varied types)-their needs,their aspirations,their madness. Inspite of being 3+ hours,it never felt like a long film. It is a movie with a lot of flair,adventure and madness, as you would expect from the title.

The acting cast is mouth-watering. Ranbir Kapoor as Bunny is brilliant. He plays a character who loves to have all the fun, wants to live life at a fast pace and has this quirky ambition of visiting all the beautiful places in the world. Good job Ranbir, great acting skills and mind-blowing dancing skills that is always fun viewing. Deepike Padukone as Naina shines as an actor and shows she is more than just good looks with a beautiful rendition of a nerdy girl who is looking to break all inhibitions. I think she captured a studious,unsatisfied and conflicted girl perfectly. Kalki as Aditi exceeded my expectations. It was a treat watching Aditya Roy Kapoor who always lit up the screen whenever he was present.

The dialogues are crisp and some of them pretty deep and well thought. The music and the songs stand apart. I actually felt like getting up and dancing to the tunes of 'Balam Pichkari' and 'Badtameez Dil'. The costumes are good as well. Ayan Mukherjee seems spot on in his direction and execution as well as in the selection of the cast.

What is good about this movie is that the approach to many things is fresh and is no cliché(The ending is kinda inescapable though).The plot seems perfectly plausible. Bunny does not fall head over heels in love with Naina. They pretty much get back to their lives without any drama.It is circumstances that later makes things happen.

' Yeh Jawaani hai Deewani' is definitely good entertainment overall. An enjoyable experience.Go for it.