Life Partner

Rumi Jaffrey after the disaster GTGH last year returns with a family type comedy film

The film isn't a comedy as the promos showed instead it tries to balance a comedy and a relationship based comedy

The film starts off with some comedy scenes but actually gets better when the characters get married and many of the gags work Tusshar- Prachi episode though straight out of TV serials yet works as it looks real while Fardeen- Genelia episode is also handled well though at times the comedy is too much The film however ends very badly as if the director wanted to hurry up the film The Amrita Rao episode looks too sudden and also the end looks too contrived

Rumi Jaffrey seems to have improved a bit Music is okay

Amongst actors Govinda works till he plays a casanova it doesn't suit him and also his styling looks made up yet he does a good job in his short role Fardeen Khan though too loud and winny at times does a good job in his role, he is improving Tusshar too though does annoy with his expressions in comic scenes does well in serious portions Prachi is a natural, maybe because of her experience playing such roles on the idiot box Genelia however goes OTT and shreiks so badly with her annoying voice she makes JTYJN performance look a classic Amongst rest Anupam Kher is okay, Darshan Jariwala is very good Vikram Gokhale is likable

There are different types of comedies. What the audience has been subjected to for over a year now has been the inane slapstick comedy that causes irritation, instead of evoking laughter. Subtle humor has been the hallmark of Kishore Kumar, Amol Palekar and Vinay Pathak's films. Then there are those comedies which may be witty, yet silly and genuinely funny at the same time. If your taste in such comedy could devour Partner and No Entry among recent examples, then acclaimed writer Rumi Jaffrey's 'Life Partner' will tickle your funny bone while also providing you with some rational drama that often jumps to melodramatic levels. Nevertheless, the film is better than one would expect…..

Karan (Fardeen Khan) plays the lover boy whose love marriage turns him into a house-man of sorts, Bhavesh (Tusshar Kapoor) plays the orthodox Gujju who will abide by the archaic customs established by his conventional father (Darshan Jariwala) while Jeet (Govinda) plays a relentless divorce lawyer to whom marriage is the biggest mistake that one can make. In a turn of events, Karan marries his spoilt rich girlfriend, whose father's negligence in training her led to her disastrous experiments in the household. Bhavesh goes to Gujarat to find a suitable bride but ends up marrying his father's childhood friend's daughter Prachi and Jeet disappears from the screen momentarily.

Genelia's disasters at home and excessive indulgence with inactivity frustrate Karan who is working hard to maintain their lifestyle. Prachi's father (Vijay Gokhale) is an open-minded rich Gujarati businessman who is deeply rooted to the culture but respects the independence and choices of his daughter. His principles are in direct conflict with those of Bhavesh's father and it leads to some realistic and likable scenes. While the film doesn't clearly take sides for or against marriage per se, it is Govinda's witty dialogue that makes you want to do so.

The film is well written by Rumi Jaffrey and he successfully breaks away from the stereotypes of inane slapstick comedies to give us something more to reflect upon. The screenplay and editing truly hammer the film but the appropriate usage of witty dialogues draw correct emphasis on situations rather than those double meaning retarded jokes we have been subjected to.

Pritam's musical score consists of a garba melody, Aage Aage that reminds us of some hit folk song and Kouke koyaliya which has been rendered in such a horrifying manner by Shreya Ghoshal that it bec0mes enjoyable for a while…. Only for a while. Govinda has not had been able to replicate Partner's success over the past couple of years but when it comes to a comic interpretation of society's stresses, there is hardly a better actor for Jeet's role. His performance comes with his trademark style of hilarious expressions, distinct dialogue delivery, one-of-a-kind dancing and exemplary comic timing that elevates a funny dialogue to a higher level. Fardeen Khan gives one of his best performances in the type of role that he is becoming increasingly comfortable with. Tusshar does not give one much to write about but he does justice to his character and he takes the joke on his sister and father in good humor! Anupam Kher and Vijay Gokhale are maestros in their business and therefore, as reliable as always. Among the ladies, Prachi Desai stands out with her convincing performance as a modern housewife yearning to break apart from the strange traditions that threaten to destroy her married life. While Life Partner may not be the best comedy of all time but surely, it is, of recent times. Worth a watch to rid the mind of all the hyped concoctions of the so called 'new cinema' and totally unlike many 'leave the brains at home' type Govinda movies that we have seen before.

• 6.52 on a scale of 1-10.

If we go through our golden era of black and white films before the 70s, then there are several movies featuring many big stars of that time, which are just nice and cool for a one time watch. They are neither a masterpiece nor could be considered as trash. "Life Partner" also falls in the same category, where you simply feel OK after watching it and don't mind your valuable time and money spent. In fact a particular section of the viewers may love it for the enjoyable act performed by their favorite Virar Boy, Govinda.

The screenplay revolves around two young couples and their common lawyer friend who is known for his specialization in divorce cases. When both the married couples face rough times after their marriage, their lawyer friend offers them help and gets them rescued. The plot had a great scope of humor and entertainment for its viewers. But since it is used in a very restricted manner, the final outcome couldn't result in a complete laugh riot. The movie has its own moments of comedy and preaching too. The director tries to explain the meaning of marriage and its tradition with a pinch of comedy, romance and family drama. So, all the three basic elements of an Indian movie are combined together by Rumi Jaffery in his second attempt, produced by the famous director duo Abbas Mastaan.

The movie can be clearly divided into two parts where the first half stresses on the comedy and romance element of the story and the second focuses on the post marriage conflicts and family drama. However, the director takes too much time to establish his three characters and their love stories in the first half which could have been easily shortened to a great extent. So, not much happens in the first part as far as the story goes, but you enjoy the scenes featuring Govinda as the Love Guru for both Tushaar & Fardeen. The second half is conceived keeping in mind the family audiences and talks about the common marital fights and disputes. Here, for a good amount of time, Govinda vanishes from the screen which in turn takes away the fun factor from the movie. But still you don't mind watching a few well directed scenes close to the Ekta Kapoor serials seen at home (especially the ones with Prachi Desai).

Performance wise Govinda excels over all the others, in the few scenes where he is back in his good old terrific form. I wish he had got more comic scenes to entertain his fans. Fardeen & Tushaar, are just fine playing their parts and its time they have to try something new in their respective careers. But it's the ladies which score over their male counterpart this time. Genelia D'souza sizzles on the screen with her great dressing sense. Along with looking perfect she delivers a fine act as the annoying wife. Parchi Desai on the other hand proves her talent once again after "Rock-on". She impresses as the true Indian wife trying her best to adjust with her in-laws. In the supporting cast, Vikram Gokhale is elegant as the rich father but both Amrita Rao and Anupam Kher are completely wasted. The veteran comedian Jagdeep entertains superbly in a surprise cameo.

Pritam, comes up with a routine kind of score with no particular track making a mark or impression. Look wise the film has a rich feel with foreign locales captured beautifully on the screen. So, technically everything is just fine but nothing great with an exceptional touch or class.

In short, it is an OK, cool movie directed in a simple way with some good comic scenes and fresh faces. But if only Govinda was given a better and meatier role as the divorce lawyer, the movie could have been a far better experience for the common viewer coming for a good time.

The basic premise is regardless of love-marriage or arranged marriage, divorce is the final destination for sure as much as death or taxes. Govinda keeps popping-in and out at regular intervals on the screen to prove his point, add fuel to the fire in the lives of couples and keep his chimney burning.

The casting is perfect. Govinda reprises Partner Salman Khan. Fardeen & Genelia are well suited for the modern couple while Tushar & Prachi for the traditional. Anupam Kher was wasted. Vikram Gokhale had an extended special appearance. Darshan Jariwala gets in the skin of the character as orthodox patriarch.

The songs are just about okay, Pritam should stop using too using too much of English language in a Hindi film.

In his second outing Rumi Jaffery attempts a David Dhawan/ Priyadarshan. Having established himself with the credentials of a writer, Rumi seems to have a bit lost when it comes to wielding the megaphone. The basic flaw apparently is the slow screenplay. In addition, a taut job was warranted by the editor. The tongue-in-cheek humour was pretty much coming. It also takes a perfect dash of slapstick to strike a balance for a good comedy, which was missing too (should have taken cue from David Dhawan/ Priyadarshan). Having said that there is better quality of tongue-in-cheek humour on telly, so how do you make a movie stand a notch above? Abbas-Mustan as producers should have kept a tab on the proceeding.

Rumi Jaffery made his directorial debut with the disappointing'God Tussi Great Ho', thankfully his 2nd outing 'Life Partner' doesn't remind of his previous work.

First things first: Don't watch 'Life Partner' with huge expectations, chances r you might turn it off. If you watch it with limited expectations, your bound to have a good time... to an extend!

The first hour doesn't work, that's mainly because the story hardly moves. The film takes off when Prachi Desai enters the scene. The second hour is interesting and has a silly, but gripping climax.

The music is good, with every song keeping the mood alive. While the Rumi Jaffery's writing is faulty at times. As a director, he does what his script demands.

Performance-wise: Prachi Desai, undoubtedly is the life of 'Life Partner'. She looks damn cute and delivers a natural performance from scene A to Z. The second in command is Fardeen, who excels throughout. Tusshar is decent, while Genelia D'Souza hams. Anupam Kher, Vikram Gokhale and Darshan Jariwala are perfect in their parts. Veteran Comedian Jagdeep does a hilarious cameo as Fardeen's ill client. Amrita Rao is wasted. And last but not the least Govinda. He's first-rate in an extended special appearance.

On the whole 'Life Partner' may not be the best film to watch on a Sunday, but not the worst either! Average.