Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

I went to watch Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani simply because I liked most of Rajkumar Santoshi's movies. This movie is nowhere as good as some of Santoshi's great films like Damini, Lajja or The Legend of Bhagat Singh, but despite its flaws, it is very entertaining and is thoroughly fun to watch. Yes, it has its clichés and moments of over-romanticism which really get on one's nerves, but the movie works best as a crazy comedy which never dares to take itself too seriously, and that's where it scores. The film is often silly but that's the trick here because everything works in accordance with the film's mood.

Some of the film's comic proceedings were totally great, whether it's the Salman Khan track, the entire party scene, the scenes showing Ranbir's parents and so forth. There were sequences which were unnecessary and did not make sense, such as the entire gangsters track. Where drama and romance go, the movie is good but something is missing, although it had its moments there too. One of the best aspects about the film is undoubtedly Pritam's excellent soundtrack which consists of such songs as the beautiful "Tu Jaane Na", the romantic "Tera Hone Laga Hoon" and the catchy "Prem Ki Nayya".

As far as acting is concerned, it is Ranbir, Ranbir and only Ranbir who carries the film on his shoulders and delivers a sincere performance. The role itself is actually nothing new or special but Ranbir ably turns Prem into someone who is both funny and easy to relate to. Katrina Kaif is a pretty and attractive lady and overall she is effective within the context of the film, but in terms of acting, though she has her moments, she never really manages to totally convince or impress. Smita Jaykar and Darshan Jariwala, who play Ranbir's parents, are awesome. All said and done, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is not extraordinary, but it's very enjoyable and an altogether fun romantic comedy which can be watched with family and friends.

When the creator of the inimitable and unforgettable Andaz Apna Apna ventures to beat the 'Davids' & Goliaths of Bollywood's Comedy genre at their own game, one needs to take RajKumar Santoshi seriously. With 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' (APKGK), Santoshi achieves what most have failed at – a fresh comedy with humour that is actually funny. Not that APKGK is flawless but there are more laughable scenes and dialogues than many comedies of recent times put together and for that, the movie is a wholesome entertainer. It does come with weird, inexplicable moments of unnecessary action, drama and slapstick and there is always scope for better comedy in those scenes but in the end, the dialogues, performances and several scenes make it an almost 'Ghazab' kahani.

Prem(Ranbir Kapoor) is the President of a Happy Club founded with his friends in a little town like Ooty to help estranged lovers and helpless souls. His encounter with the beautiful Jenny (Katrina Kaif) starts out as a riotous mix up that leads to him falling for her (literally, at times). This love story is partly sweet, partly cheesy but overall very refreshing because of the amazing chemistry of the duo that seems completely at home in their comic avatars. The movie will make you giggle, chuckle and even laugh your ass of as Prem attempts to win Jenny's heart. Enter Upen Patel………

One big problem with APKGK is its casting. Most actors would live just to act in RajKumar Santoshi's comedy film but he decided to cast Upen Patel out of all people. This guy still cannot speak fluently and can barely stand straight. One can think of at least 43 actors who could've done so much better than him. Govind Namdeo as his father is also typecast as either a wicked policeman or a crooked politician. This time his role takes away the humour from the film. Darshan Jariwala as Prem's father is very impressive and his dialogue delivery at times elevates a simple humorous scene to make it memorable. Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous in the simplest of outfits and she is more comfortable smiling, laughing and crying than many actresses who struggle with it. Her dialogue delivery has improved considerably, thus augmenting the chemistry with her hero. Ranbir Kapoor has enjoyed this film. One can see that he doesn't need to act as his character most of the time. He is a natural actor in that sense, much like his father and this film establishes him, yet again as the finest of his generation. His comic timing is super and it would really be a treat to watch him perform with veteran actors in more funny movies.

Pritam's musical score rocks again. This time, he combines the distinct talents of Jaaved Ali, Neeraj Shridhar, KK, Hard Kaur and Atif Aslam in a soundtrack with different moods and themes. Jaaved Ali in a romantic Aa Jao Meri Tamanna, Hard Kaur in Follow Me with Ranbir's eccentric dancing, KK in Main Tera Dhadkan Teri at his usual best, Neeraj in a rather funny Prem ki Naiya, Atif Aslam & Alisha Chinoy in the marvelous Tera Hone Laga Hoon and a solo by Atif in a soulful Tu Jaane na shot in spectacular locales of Turkey while the rest of the film was shot in Goa. Santoshi does that…. Remember he shot Pukar on a set and took the actors to the glaciers of Alaska for one song….

In terms of noteworthy flaws, a recurring problem that is noticed is the amateur editing. The scenes jump from one sequence to another without transition or meaning. Some inane sequences drag longer than they should and drama overpowers the subtlety. Santoshi too is to be blamed for the witless opening sequence, the climax action that is reminiscent of Andaz Apna Apna but nowhere even close, the ridiculous sporadic action sequences and the inapt casting.

Yet, APKGK is worth watching for the numerous scenes and dialogues that are fresh in flavor, witty in humour and enjoyable due to some fine performances mainly by Ranbir, Katrina and Jariwala. While one tries to recollect the previous funny one liner while watching the film, another one just pops up and believe it or not…. that is rare in movies these days….

• 7.99 on a scale of 1-10.

This movie is great fun--Ranbir is easily the show-stealer! He has acted superbly and is definitely on a winning streak! He has given great performances in all of his films--from Saawariya and Bachchna Ae Haseeno to Wake Up Sid and APKGK--even though all characters are quite similar (happy-go-lucky romantic fools who love life). Ranbir pulls off this role with excellent comic timing! Katrina looks really beautiful, while there's nothing really to mention about her acting. Upen is just okay. Salman's special appearance is a fun scene. Prem's parents also gave wonderful performances. Songs are great, especially Pyaar Hua. The music video of Tu Na Jaane is also really nice. The only thing I didn't like about this film are the sequences with the don and gangsters, which had pretty dumb humor. Those scenes had no importance and were only a deterrent to the film. Other than that, the film is a fun one and belongs to Ranbir.

The movie belongs to Raj Kumar Santoshi. He is back in form. There are a number of genres of comedy currently prevalent in Bollywood. Govinda-David's, Priyadarshan's and Rohit Shetty's. One thing that unifies them all is "loud comedy". Here is where Santoshi is different. Comedy comes from situations and dialogues and not their loud delivery aka Akshay , Govinda, Raj Pal Yadav of late. The screenplay is excellent.

Santoshi creates a fairytale land and a fairy tale story. Yet it seems so real and close to heart. Ranbir Kapoor's charm , Katrina's innocence and Santoshi's brilliance takes the movie to another level. Sure its not Andaj Apna Apna, but still scenes stand out in your memory long after. First meatier role for Katrina, she flourishes and how! You might not want to see it again and again, but it's also not a movie to be missed.

I consider it the best film of Ranbir... Far away from logics and justifications... This film is like a sweet dream which u want to watch again and again