Katti Batti

Inspired by the Hollywood Cult Classic 500 Days of Summer, 'Katti Batti' tries hard to adapt the soul of its inspiration, but what is eventually served is a merely average film. Though the idea is great, the execution is uneven!

'Katti Batti' is a romantic comedy that follows Maddy (Imran Khan) and Payal's (Kangana Ranaut) live-in relationship until a sudden turn of events creates a distance between them.

'Katti Batti' has a lively first-hour, where some sequences bring a smile on your face. Its a bit interesting to see the heartbroken protagonist struggle to find his love back & the flashbacks on how the boy & girl met, have a niceness to it. Its the second-hour that fails. The narrative loses energy & the pace drops drastically. Also, the emotional manipulation in the final-act, doesn't work. In short, the first-hour works, but the second-hour spoils the fun.

Anshul Singhal's Screenplay is decent, but only in parts. The second-hour needed to be better! Nikhil Advani's Direction is ordinary. Cinematography is fine. Editing is average. Art & Costume Design are perfect. Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy is melodious.

Performance-Wise: Imran Khan puts up a sincere act as the heartbroken lover-boy, although he impresses only in some scenes. Kangana Ranaut is monotonous. A stereotypical act!

On the whole, 'Katti Batti' works in bits, not entirely.

This could well be the last film, for both the Director Nikhil Advani and Actor Imran Khan, when viewers will take note of them seriously. The film is targeted to multiplex movie-goers of metros with Hollywood inspired story telling style. The movie opens up well, as was the trailer of the movie which generated some interest among the target audience, but as we move along the story, the viewers feel cheated and deprived of the value for their money. The first half of the movie was so badly presented, trying to copy from Hollywood movies, that the last 15-20 min of the movie which was the best part of the movie helped by fine performance by ever improving Kangna Ranaut, instead of leaving the viewers in tears left them laughing at poker-face of Imran Khan and that is the irony of the movie.

The film is centred around Imran Khan in (500) days of summer style of story telling. The offence of the Director is not just in failed attempt of copying 4-5 Hollywood movies but he gave little interest in character building of both Imran Khan and Kangana Ranaut. The role of Kangana, who is enjoying form of her life giving awesome performance in Queen and Tanu weds manu returns, in the movie except for last 15-20 min was meagre and she was left with only showcasing colorful, out of the world type dresses and ill-make up-ed hairstyles. The direction was good in only parts, trailer being better than the movie, and one wonders whether the movie is directed by some Ad director. Although, couple of song sequence was nicely filmed. The fight sequence in college, a sequence where Imran Khan pushes the bike while Kangana is still seated as pillion and a sequence in which Imran Khan's sister argues using facebook to convince Imran Khan that Kangana Ranaut is not committed to him is laughable, viewers's expect a lot better from the director.

The supporting characters in the film are out of the world with a turtle as pet named Milkha, a south Indian boss who jumps and shouts at a decible which nearly ruptured viewers' eardrums, Imran Khan's sister who just tries to imitate the role of girl in (500) days of summer, college friends who can do anything to save 'not-so-dude' drunk guy from being caught by his parents, a male protagonist's best friend, a female protagonist's friend who is more worried about some Rs. 5 lac toilet seat pot than the condition of depressed Imran Khan and then there is a band group, every member of which is ditched by their better half, named F.O.S.L.A acronym for Frustrated One Sided Lover's Association, some may find it as newly invented word but the name is also borrowed from a not so famous Prakash Jha produced film Dil Dosti etc. The music of the film is average and one soon forget it as he/she steps out of the hall.

The biggest let down of the movie is undoubtedly Imran Khan. The whole movie was centred around him but he gave a very poker-faced performance where he should have tried harder to twitch a facial muscle or two. In many sequences his acting made it look an average scene which should have been emotionally exhaustive scenes. His acting in later, serious part of the movie was summed up by the viewers' laughters in the partially filled hall where the director would have intended the spectators to shed some tears.

Overall, the movie is a big let down and raises the question mark on the future career path of both director Nikhil Advani and the male protagonist Imran Khan.

Only thing I want to appreciate is the promo making team, who juiced up all the good stuff in promo that rest remained tasteless and baseless. Surprisingly first creative film making team must have thought about climax then, hurriedly and illogically started journey to find it's beginning but fails badly in it. There is nothing in name of story except pushed emotional climax, which makes you laugh instead of cry. Yes, if they have come up with good scenes then this climax could have been worked a bit but alias what could they have done with black comedy expert main male lead, which can evoke laughter in any emotional scene as it is cake walk for him. Screenplay succeeds completely to create confusing characters, irritating comedy and non relating emotional scenes. Script tries hard to give you the feeling that lead couple should be together but after few minutes you pray that they shouldn't. What is the irony of script!! Film starts with some amateur shooting video but it is most amateurish and long that you get the first bitter taste of remaining dish in few minutes only. How they break characters, in a scene they show a businessman is of tainted character but what was the need of showing him! Yes, he was the father of opponent but then why! Just because you felt the way of showing it very smart. They show taxi's both window half open and then male lead closing it. I didn't get what intelligence was behind it! Boy running behind car of girl, this shot is obsolete in today's cinema. Tortoise emotional angle is just flat, somehow you feel sympathy for tortoise but not for couple. Pre climax sequence of boat chasing in pond is most irritating. Performance wise, one can dare to cast Imran Khan if film has any emotional angle. He is as unbalanced as much he could have been. Kangana Ranaut looks complete reluctant. She is very average with a peculiar hair style. #MithilaParkar as Komal, younger sister is very good. She is completely balanced. Music by Shankar Ehassan Loy have tracks "Lip To Lip De Kissiyan" , Sau Aansu Roye Do Ankhiyan" and " Ishaq Da Rutba", which are good.

Imagine the horror of going to a movie first day first show and getting utterly disappointed with the flick. Yes, katti batti is bad; no the correct word would be 'bore', its a big bore of a movie. The movie switches back into past and present showing a crazy complicated and a tragic love story on the screen and here off the screen i was having a big problem understanding what is happening. The narrative is so shabby and moves in so many different directions that i got intertwined understanding what the director wants us to show. Kangna Ranaut was the one selling point of the movie and she is grossly underused, so there goes your trump card down the drain Mr Nikhil Advani.

The last 15 mins of the movie is were the movie shows its potential as it is heartwarming and sad and might leave a few tears trickling down your cheeks. Music by Shankar Ehsaan and Loy is just top notch and every song stays with you. Special mention to the picturization of lip to lip song as it is very nicely and creatively done. Sadly, only these few things won't save this movie. I wouldn't recommend watching this movie but if you have nothing to do this weekend you can very well watch this movie once.

Lame!! Confusing!! Catastrophe!! The most confused director i have ever observed. He has placed himself at the helm of a sinking ship relying on such confusing plot, an unconvincing romance between co-stars.It was a tormenting journey throughout the movie and felt many times that it could have been ended right there. You want plot? Katti Batti is a very bad combination of 500 days of summer, sweet November,Striken and a few i don't remember.You will feel many times puzzled if i am watching the same movie.One of the most lame romantic movie of the year. My advice, if you are expecting a good Rom com movie by watching its trailer then don't go for it. It is boring, slack and stupid at many times. Avoid giving yourself a tormenting 135 minutes experience.