Três Amigos na Estrada

I have seen the film this morning and all the efforts put in are worth the movie. As expected, this is a good movie about grown up men and their emotional problems, which is naturally expected from the team that gave us Dil Chahta Hai and Rock On.

A group of three friends (Hrithik, Abhay Deol and Farhan Akhtar) embark on a road trip in Spain as a part of a bachelor party for Abhay Deol, who is getting married to Kalki, and confused. Hritik and Farhan have their own personal issues too.

The movie is a joy ride with subtle comedy. Farhan Akhtar's comic timing is impeccable. The comedy that was written just out of a ladies hand bag is too good.

The wafer thin story line is beautifully put on screen with a superb screenplay. The performances are nothing less than your expectations with Hritik in the ensemble. Deepti Naval and Naseeruddin Shah add up to the list of artists.

The movie portrays very heavy topics like marriage, love and Work. Yet, due to the sublime comedy you are never bored. I guess that is a mark of excellent script.

Here is one line I want to pick up from this movie. Kalki says this line to Abhay Deol, her fiancé. "You enjoy your bachelor trip. Aakhir shaadi ke baad you wouldn't feel like going around with your friends any more." And you should see the expressions on the faces of the three guys...

And yes, La Tomatina festival, Spainish beaches, and Katrina Kaif were a treat to watch.

Director Zoya Akhtar's debut "Luck by Chance" was a perfect film. Without a single thing amiss, the clear-eyed unsentimental tale of a couple of strugglers in the Hindi film industry stayed with me for days. Of course, there was some irony that a child of privilege with access to Hindi cinema's biggest and brightest talents should make a film about newcomers scrambling for their lucky break: Zoya is the daughter of screenplay writer/lyricist/poet Javed Akhtar and his former wife Honey Irani. Her stepmother—known internationally—is Shabana Azmi; her brother Farhan Akhtar—a successful director—made another foray into acting in Zoya's film, and the slew of boldface names in cameos announced that this was no ordinary debut. But one can hardly fault her for the accident of birth; what was noteworthy was that she put her connections to excellent use and crafted a truly fine film.

I couldn't wait to see her sophomore effort: "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara", which I enjoyed much as one might a mousse au chocolat. It was tasty and fattening and very good to look at. I'm still pondering whether it has any major cinematic merit. My friends and I agreed that it was very much an NRI-friendly film: most of the action takes place in a breathtakingly beautifully-photographed Spain, with a few scenes in London. The characters speak English for the most part, along with sporadic bursts of flawless Spanish and Japanese, and the occasional lapse into Hindi.

ZNMD could also be looked at as the armchair sociologist's handbook on the complex mating rituals of the rich and gorgeous. The cast, without exception, is privileged, affluent, and beautiful; their major problems in life would make a Mumbaikar or Delhi-ite burst into derisive laughter. In fact, if a dehati (villager) were to see the film, he might scratch his head in befuddlement and wonder what the hoopla was about. From his point of view, these folks had hit the jackpot, but the ingrates persisted in whining. Still, even the rich have problems which cause them enough angst to require much soulful gazing at Spanish oceans at sunset, and conscientious filmmakers owe it to them to handle them with sensitivity, good lighting, and hypoallergenic makeup.

With this film, Zoya Akhtar appears to have joined the ranks of the School of Aspirational Filmmaking. Its foremost proponents are Karan Johar and 99% of the directors ever employed by Yash Raj Films. Their films—set predominantly in foreign countries—are made for the new consumerist India. Their characters are upwardly mobile non-resident Indians, and the message to every brown person seems to be: you, too, can escape India's shores and live in a 50,000 square foot mansion on a fifty-acre estate in the country of your choice, drive fast cars (or a beaut of a vintage one, as here) and romance impossibly beautiful chiffon saree-clad damsels. How is never addressed.

ZNMD has a surfeit of good taste; Zoya's cast—all beautiful—lives abroad in chic monochromatic minimalist apartments, is multi-lingual, dresses impeccably, and can tell the varietal and vintage of a wine from the merest whiff of its cork. The slim story line concerns three college buddies who set out on the bachelor trip to end all bachelor trips. They had intended to take this vacation four years earlier, but two of the friends had a spat and the scars remain. Now one of the trio is getting married and the other two must give in to his emotional plea to resurrect their foreign travel plans. So off they go to Spain in all its sun-drenched glory. They run into Laila (Katrina Kaif), an athletic diving instructor, who stays on for most of the trip. This is the first film for me in which Katrina Kaif did not jar; she plays a mixed-race woman—half American, half Indian. She speaks English most of the time, some Spanish, and a few words of accented Hindi, but it works here, and she exudes well-being and sportiness. Perhaps from now on, anyone looking to cast her believably should make her a person of mixed ethnicity with only a smattering of Hindi. But wait—isn't that all she has played for the past dozen years? Surely, you'd think she'd want to grow as an actor and add to her skill set by learning Hindi properly, and taking some diction and acting lessons. Maybe her cynical response is I'm doing very well without any of that, so why bother? And everyone agrees she's punctual and professional…

Hrithik, after a long time, is not doing all the heavy lifting. He has two buddies for company, and it's a pleasant change seeing him as just one of the guys. The sun glints off his highlights as he strives to achieve optimum work-life balance, dances with game senoritas, and gets drunk with his amigos. Abhay Deol is not as well-muscled but he does some appealing work, wrestling with the dilemma of the perfect girlfriend fast morphing into a harridan fiancée. Farhan Akhtar's character, once again, is glib and a bit of an asshole, and tosses off bon mots with a studied insouciance. He, too, needs to broaden his range. We've seen him do this shtick in "Rock On" and "Luck By Chance", with minor changes of shading in the undeservedly little-seen "Kartik Calling Kartik". Kalki Koechlin is pretty and funny as she makes the most of a small role. Naseeruddin Shah is pure gold in his cameo, speaking harsh truths with sympathy. Deepti Naval, too, is lovely in her two small scenes.

Zoya has her cast articulate some admirable sentiments: Carpe diem; face your fears; follow your bliss, but it all passes by in an inconsequential, golden haze. So you won't waste time or money watching this movie, but you're not likely to remember it the following week or even perhaps the following day. For Zoya Akhtar's sake, I wish this film every success, for it will enable her future films that will, hopefully, have significant things to say.

"Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" (ZNMD) is a complex, honest, and thoroughly refreshing story about friendship, about love, about choices, about ... well ... the journey of Life (lit. 'zindagi'). Writer-Director Zoya Akhtar takes three characters we might think we've seen before ... but deftly makes them original, fresh, and unexpectedly engaging. Her intelligent script perfectly balances the very real, even painful, personal transformation of each character with moments of joy, wit, charm, and humour.

No one's Life Journey is ever quite what one plans!

Our protagonists? Three best friends since childhood: Arjun (Hrithik Roshan), now an investment broker in London; Imraan (Farhan Akhtar), an advertising copywriter in Delhi; and Kabir (Abhay Deol), a construction architect in Mumbai. Ten years after college Kabir's imminent wedding impels 'The Three Musketeers -- all for one, and one for all!' -- to finally embark on the many-times-deferred adventure challenge they'd always planned.

ZNMD explores whether three grown men can survive a 3-week road trip together *and* still remain friends *and* still be the same people.

Think you've heard similar, before? Guess again! Ms Akhtar elevates the basic 'road movie' premise into something rare and sublime: brilliant character-driven comedy never cheap but often laugh-out-loud funny, and so true to life and people each of us actually know that it genuinely moves the heart as well as the mind and funny-bone. As each ZNMD character in turn challenges his own fear, whatever personal demon that has been holding back his life, it becomes our victory, too.

See ZNMD and discover: *your* life may change, too!

Such strong story and plot would be lost, without great acting.

Farhan Akhtar just gets better and better, as an actor, every time out of the gate. Already one of India's best young directors, his deceptively brash but sensitive and layered acting in ZNMD is quiet excellence ... and deliciously funny.

Abhay Deol is not exciting, but I like his potential. A good foil for the other two.

However the real revelation in ZNMD is, most surprisingly, he whom we might have *thought* most familiar. Hrithik Roshan we see so often in heavy dramatic and/or demanding multi-part roles -- because, let's face it, he's that rare actor who CAN do them, and do them brilliantly well -- that it's easy to forget just how plain damn funny and versatile he can be. Casting one of the world's more notorious compulsive workaholics as, well, a compulsive workaholic? Absolute genius!

On the distaff side ... Katrina Kaif. Wow! Where did this performance come from? She's always been beautiful, of course, but in ZNMD for the first time she shows subtlety and depth as an actress. Easily, her very best work to date.

Cannot finish without special mention of the fantastic music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy, long my favourite Hindi film composers. Their ZNMD soundtrack perfectly backdrops the film's emotional journey. Irresistibly hummable music spans the full range of moods and emotions, much like our three main characters: everything from amusingly lighthearted ('Senorita', sung by Mssrs Roshan, Akhtar, & Deol) to cool and modern ('Ik Junoon -- Paint It Red') to reflective ('Der Lagi Lakin') and even unabashedly romantic ('Khaabon Ke Parinday').

But the rocking 'Dil Dhadakne Do' seems to capture the very Joy of Living ... and that is the ultimate spirit of Zoya Akhtar's ZNMD.

Perfect summer movie! 10/10

Best film I've seen yet from anywhere in the world, thus far in 2011.

Review in form of an open letter to Farhan Akhtar,

Dear Farhan,

You simply rock. As director you have created all brilliant films, your debut film Dil Chahta Hai is a cult film, which inspired all directors of India to make fresh looking light hearted urban films. Then came Lakshya, which was not commercially that successful, but was nevertheless a good film. Don, from which I expected nothing, hated the idea as the original starring Big B is one of my most fav Big B film, was splendid and established you as master. As producer, you have attempted fantastic films too. And now as an actor, you are getting better and better day by day. You rocked in Rock On, you were fantastic in LBC and KCK and in ZNMD too you have successfully stolen the show from my favorites Hrithik Roshan and Abhay Deol who have established themselves as good actors.

Your role in the film is quite meatier and helps you stealing the show. Hrithik (whom you originally wanted to cast in DCH) is again fantastic in serious-all-business-minded-guy and changed-in-love-living-life-guy both. Abhay Deol is as always dependable, his tricks in the films are hilarious. Chemistry between you three is awesome. It feels like three real friends are on road trip.

I hope you make sequel to this as producer, keeping Zoya on director's seat again, as I think, she was brilliant as director. She might have lived her life with lots of male friends as it not for a single moment seems like a film directed by lady director (which was the only minus point of LBC from my point of view). Hoping to see more from her.

Dialogues are fantastic and makes one laugh, smile and think for sure. Story, Screenplay and Script are marvelous. Music is in rhythm with film's flow.

All positive – No. Something minor which I found not-so-positive was Katrina's suitability for Laila's role and SEL's music. Katrina has done decent work compared to her past films, but fails to convince what her character needs to convince (and though I don't like Kariena that much, but I feel she suited for this role very much) though Hrithik being her counter part balances very well, and Hrithik and Katrina looks good together. SEL's music is not as great as their former films, though manages to please.

Fav Moments in the film: Too many. Though listing some of them.

1. Kabeer's all tricks 2. Imran's flirt with Laila and her friend 3. Imran's each funny comment 4. Imran – Arjun fights 5. Bagwati 6. Each Poetry recited by Imran 7. The moments which inspires those Poetries 8. In the Air Scenes 9. Imran & Salman's meeting 10. Imran & Arjun's meeting their after 11. Kabeer's Flashback 12. Arjun crying after Underwater 'Meditation'

All and over, it's not DCH, it's not Rock On. Though, it has shades of both the films, but it's quite different story to tell and as it has many pleasing moments, one must watch it.

A film fan – Hardik Raychanda

Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, through the lives of three friends, presents the world of contemporary Indian youth, who are successful, affluent yuppies. They just enjoy life because financially they have the means to do it. In mood and execution the film is very modern, light, yet it entails complex relationships in family and between friends. Essentially, in this regard, it has an uncanny resemblance to Dil Chahta Hai, though it's an altogether different film and not quite on that level. The movie is relatively realistic, but it is also emotional and, surprisingly enough, quite poetic. The dialogue by Farhan Akhtar is for the most part very good.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is captivating, interesting and entertaining, and it captures the beauty of Spain with great mastery. At times this presentation is too perfect, but then it's a movie so that's what audiences want to see. It is beautifully shot, with excellent cinematography working in its favour. The background score is very good, and the songs are very fun and catchy. All these aspects create a lyrical tone that is quite uplifting to watch. Some scenes are just amazingly captured. The one when the guys get out of the water after diving, is pure magic. So is the one which shows them skydiving.

Having said all that, the film is far from flawless. While the main moral of the story, that life is only once and should be lived to the fullest, is successfully conveyed, generally speaking, but then at times it becomes over-repetitive and saccharine. Towards the second half, in particular the film tries too hard to be inspiring and feels too larger-than-life, almost to the point of being preachy. The ending is one such instance. Above all, the friendship between the three leads, while generally done decently, often lacks the natural, understated camaraderie it requires (not because they fight, but in spite of it). I don't know what exactly it is, but something is missing there and feels quite forced and banal.

Hrithik Roshan finally works as part of an ensemble cast where he doesn't have to carry a film all alone. He plays an imperfect man who grows as a character, and he does it well. Farhan Akhtar is for the first time convincing and he's natural and enjoyable in a meaty role. Abhay Deol, as the flamboyant, playful guy who's unsure of whether he does or does not want to marry yet, is a bit of a disappointment. Deol is according to me the best actor of the three, based on what I've seen before, but in this film his character often lets him down--a sad case of weak writing--as it lacks true complexity.

I never thought I'd say that, but Katrina Kaif is surprisingly effective and natural, and her part is actually very well etched out in the script. Laila is lovely, kind, radiant and, probably more importantly, is of mixed ethnicity, which makes her accent justifiable and credible in this film. This may be the benefit, as it eases the work for Kaif, who, instead of focusing on her accent and Hindi line delivery (which was anyway poor), can for one concentrate on the character. She is never great, but she is good. Kalki is better in a smaller part. Speaking of small parts, Naseeruddin Shah and Deepti Naval, in just two brief scenes each, shine.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara does partially bring forth another step in mainstream Hindi cinema's growth and departure from popular convention. It is thoroughly enjoyable, it has both style and substance, and though in my opinion it is nowhere an extraordinary film and is far from being really great, it is still a worthy and appreciable effort about living life to the fullest and cherishing every moment of it. Worth watching.