Gori Tere Pyaar Mein!

Does Kareena have some kind of sadistic pleasure by torturing her fans? Or can't she just handle the happiness of her fans from last year and thinks it's absolutely imperative to consistently follow-up a great year, with a terrible one? First Satyagraha pakao film, and now Gori Tere Pyaar Mein. Another terribly PAKAO film. No, I didn't have great expectations from this film (it was Punit Malhotra directing it... I mean seriously??) but the promos were rather enjoyable and the stars really did manage to sell their product and entice the audience. Add to that that it's a Dharma Production (Karan Johar makes sure to associate himself with entertaining cinema) and that it was coming off the supremely likable (and one of my absolutely favourites) hit from last year year, with the same jodi and same production house.... I did expect to have a good time. And that's exactly what the stars promised - a clean, feel-good, full-on paisa vasool light entertainer. Well, they all fooled us.

Gori Tere Pyaar Mein has been made with honest intentions, but I could care less how noble they felt while making this. I paid 8 euros and I expect to enjoy myself, not roll my eyes until they got stuck up there. This film was reminiscent of those 90s films.... and fair enough, if you want to revisit the past and pay a homage to the (good)-old style of film-making, but for God sake, package it differently!!! This was old wine.... in an old bottle. Even Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani was like a renewed version of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, but everyone loved it.... because it was refreshing. It offered something new. The direction was different, and offered a new perspective. Gori Tere Pyaar Mein fails on many levels, despite a young director, because it lacks punch. The film is devoid of anything that would make you sit up and be interested in the proceedings. And I entirely blame the director and writers here. How could they come up with such a regressive script?? And didn't they have any sort of inclination that things were getting..... really bad.... in the second half?? The whole Bridge nonsense had me fuming :fume: .... to such an extent that I wanted to leave.

I just didn't enjoy the film, overall. There were a few good moments. Some really funny sceness/diaogues... and the middle portion of the film, right from when Imran ''sells'' himself (hilarious) to the wedding fiasco (brilliantly executed) to the second half, with the initial village scenes, was good stuff. But the film goes downhill there-onwards and completely crashes. The songs are nice and peppy, but the film doesn't do justice to them. Chingum Chabake pops up randomly, and it's a shame because it's such a good track. I hated Naina, because it was all about the damn bridge. Dhat Teri Ki is Imran's introduction and sets the mood for a fun, zany film (which it was not). Tooh was OK. It got boring. Moto Ghotalo was funny... while Dil Duffer was pointless.

Punit Malhotra isn't made to be a director. Period. I'm baffled as to how some reviewers could even say that he's a solid competitor for Ayan Mukerji.... say whaaaaaaaat?? I wasn't much of a fan of I Hate Luv Storys, but that film was overall very watchable, and in my opinion, better than Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (and this says a lot). I know that Karan likes to give complete freedom to his directors, but he really should have stepped in for this one. What a terrible mess he could have avoided.

Imran Khan - an actor who has slowly been proving his mettle - doesn't try too hard over here. He's decent and does shine in the sparse comic moments, but is wooden for most part. I have absolutely no clue what Kareena Kapoor Khan is doing in such a stupid film, with such a BLAH character? :hmm: Someone slap me, but she found this more interesting than Ram Leela? Ram Leela was no great shakes either, but that film had so much more to offer, in terms of everything!!! Kareena does well, but honestly, this role doesn't demand anything. Even a newcomer could have done this. After Satyagraha, this is another uninspired performance. I'm disappointed. Chemistry-wise, they look good together, but what a poor follow-up and HUGE let down after Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu.It's good to see Anupam Kher but again, I don't understand why he picked this film? Shradha Kapoor looks stunning and performs well.

I've a headache thinking about this film. It was seriously a pakao film... the kind that you watch and mutter '''what rubbish''. I feel like I should stop watching films in the cinema.... This is the 4th time that I've seen a film in the theatre and either disliked it or felt it was below expectations* (Besharam, Krrish 3, Ram Leela*). It was really on the same level as the other regressive films of the year like Phata Poster Nikla Hero, Ramaiyya Vastavaiyya, Krrish 3.... At the box office, this is definitely going to bomb big time. I'd advise you to just wait for an online print. The Gori isn't worth it this time, not even for her tooh. Poor

As soon as I saw the casting of this film, it immediately reminded me of Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu which I didn't like whatsoever, and unfortunately even though Gori Tere is better, it is not that far better.

Kareena is a seasoned actress and should seriously consider some more tasking roles. She plays the role of Dia with ease, but her character is just becoming too common and predictable.

Imran Khan is getting better and better with every film, and here he delivers a solid performance with some good comic timing, and decent romance with Kareena however he still lacks true hero material! Like, you can't put him in the same comparisons as Ranbir and Ranveer anymore.

Shradha Kapoor is pleasant and is very likable in her role. It's great to see Anupam Kher in a negative role after so long and as always, the legend delivers a perfect performance.

Overall Gori Tere is just average and nothing more. It lacks real content, and the story is way too predictable. The music is good, which does help the films cause however is not enough to save a sub standard film. My rating of 5 is more towards the acting performances than the script.

Imran Khan is in a rut. Much like Rishi Kapoor during the late 70s and early 80s, the only kind of movies that he can get by with his limited acting skills are light hearted romantic flicks. He has not moved up an inch since his debut in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Pappu could not dance in that movie, but Imran is worse than Pappu- he cannot dance, or act, or even lip sync properly. He is not even good looking, and the only thing still getting him movies is probably his star kid status. For inspiration, he just needs to look at Ranbir Kapoor- similar star kid, started off at around the same time as himself but immensely more hardworking, with the balls to experiment, and the drive to excel.

Sorry for digressing- this is not a post about Imran, but about his latest act in Gori Tere Pyaar Mein. Another time Imran does his Imran act- dress well, try to dance to hummable numbers, provide some comic relief and woo girls all without any change in facial or voice expression. Here he Sriram, is an Audi loving, shallow to the point of being non emphatic South Indian in love with his polar opposite played by who else but the perennially hyper ventilating Kareena Kapoor, again played herself, or Geet from Jab We Met. Yeah yeah, the age gap. No, Imran is not new competition to Saif, and the disclaimer is right when Kareena enters the story- that she is way older than him. The first half of the movie is about how their love story ended the first time round, while the second part of the movie is how Sriram wins her back again, in a Lagaan type setting, still not letting go of designer clothes and Wayfarers. And to think they would have had the second round of romance if a pet crab had not died. Go figure.

In between there is a lot of drama around the building of a bridge, some nefarious polity, a couple of land deals and a couple of laughs, some catchy songs and loads of racism, and an ending that felt a long time due. This is a movie that is a new low for Dharma Productions, and makes you search hard for positives- maybe it was Anupam Kher's too little screen time, or a luminous special appearance by Shraddha Kapoor, or the fact this was 50% of the term "clean entertainer"- as in not entertaining, but at least not crude. Not even worth a DVD watch, and Imran- please take a break from acting. Just because you were a Khan does not mean this is your cup of tea- 4/10

And the film has two-two and a half clichéd points to make. You can only imagine how bad the movie and the cast performance are when the characters themselves are required to enlighten us about who the hero is. Terrible!

Not accounting to Punit Malhotra's previous & future blunders, this film strikes few brownie points here and there. The best thing was to cast Shraddha Kapoor as Imran Khan's fiancée and boy, does she do good. Kareena Kapoor, as an aunt figure, is passable. The hero (a bad moniker) should stay away from Tinseltown.

As to the story, it has nothing new to deliver. Just an hypocrite environmentalist who travels to make a point just because his ex pointed it out. Then the camera turns to how the good guy tries to woe his girl Friday in front of a village by bridging the gap with a pool bridge by fighting the corrupt state of affairs. Whoa! for the second part of the film, I just stared into the screen wondering why the hell did they make this movie? And when such an expression is born, you know what the verdict is. Poor attention to details, poor cinematography, poor editing.

BOTTOM LINE: First part will make you laugh 3-4 times and for Shraddha Kapoor, I rate it 4.2/10. Songs make up 30 minutes and there is not a single reason why you should spend 300 bucks for this stupidity.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Sex/Foreplay: No | Nudity/Porn: No | Violence: Mediocre | Gore: No | Smoking/Alcohol: Mild | Drugs: No

Punit Malhotra's 'Gori Tere Pyar Mein' is strictly time-pass entertainer, that sums up best as a one-time watch.

'Gori Tere Pyar Mein' Synopsis: A selfish shallow guy from a cosmopolitan city falls in love with a girl, who turns to be a social activist. Fun follows...

'Gori Tere Pyar Mein' has a breezy first-hour & a fairly okay second. The portions based in the cities are sparkling, but the portions in the second-hour, based prominently in a village, are plain ordinary. However, luckily, the film never gets boring.

The Screenplay appeals in bits & pieces. A stronger second-hour wouldn't have hurt. Punit Malhotra shows marked improvement over his debut film 'I Hate Luv Storys'. He has handled the film well. Cinematography is rich. Editing is average. Music by Vishal-Shekhar is excellent.

Performance-Wise: Imran Khan does a fair job. Kareena Kapoor Khan is just perfect. The immensely talented actress displays each emotion with great confidence & control. Shraddha Kapoor is passable. Anupam Kher entertains as the manipulative villain. Esha Gupta sizzles in a song.

On the whole, 'Gori Tere Pyar Mein' is watchable.