Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is a film about love and it’s many shades.
Karan Johar’s Diwali offering Ae Dil Hai Mushkil featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has finally hit theatres along with Ajay Devgn’s Shivaay. Is the movie worth your time this Diwali? Read our review to find out!
What’s it about:
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is a film about love and it’s many shades. There is a track of unrequited love, one that’s a purely platonic, another that deals with the physical attraction, but more or less the film is about companionship and realising that one side love can also be fulfilling. Ranbir Kapoor plays Ayan an aspiring singer whose chance meeting with Alizeh played by Anushka Sharma results in the two experiencing and realising emotions their never felt before. Ayan and Alizeh start off as friends, both coming off breakups, one a serious relationship while the other a casual affair. Despite the length of it both Alizeh and Ayan experience heart break and process it differently. The storyline gets a dramatic twist when Ayan’s love for Alizeh isn’t reciprocated as per his expectation. Fawad Khan plays her ex boyfriend Ali who begs her to give their relationship another chance resulting in marriage. A heart broken Ayan finds love or rather lust the second time around in the arms of a poet Sabah played by the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Things get seriously complicated in the second half when Alizeh is diagnosed with cancer. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is complex and long. It is also indulgent yet relatable to situations we all have been through. ALSO READ: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil quick movie review: Ranbir Kapoor as Ayan is endearing while the wait for Aishwarya gets longer
What’s hot:
Karan Johar’s forte is using popular culture to narrate a story with an universal appeal. His take on love and relationships is deep and flakey at the same time. The first half is light and the banter between Ranbir and Anushka extremely engaging. Props to the writers for using words and language that is not only current but also entertaining. References to other films, namely the ones from the 80s and KAran’s own are a major highlight. Like every other Karan Johar film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is glossy and extremely good looking. Performances are a major highlight with Ranbir being the stand out act. He owns Ayan like he’s felt every emotion being played out. It’s not just the heavy duty long monologues where he shines but even the small subtle reaction scenes to his co-actors make his performance that much more endearing. Fawad Khan manages to make a striking presence felt with his good looks and charm, only if he had a longer role. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looks like she’s sashayed out of a beauty pageant and her moments with Ranbir have intense sensuality and passion. Lisa Haydon’s cameo is funny and the ‘vaatavaran’ line will soon become a catch phrase. ALSO READ: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil first review is out and it is BRUTALLY HONEST!
What’s not:
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’s biggest flaw is the lack of chemistry between its lead pair. For a film whose protagonist experiences love and loss multiple times with different people the execution of the narrative gets lost in translation. Ayan and Alizeh start off as friends only to get caught in a web of mutually unresolved feelings. When we revisit them in the second half their track is still stuck on an endless loop. Dialogues are too heavy and sound off when used in every day conversation. Sabah being a poet can speak in that dialect but when Alizeh and Ayan start their banter it just gets repetitive. Shah Rukh’s much hyped cameo fizzles out before you take that collective sigh. The plot goes downhill once Alizeh’s terminal illness track sets in. The scenes gets heavy and that cloud of ‘been there seen that’ looms till the very end.
What to do:
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has some really nice moments, but they are few and suffer the curse of a weak second half. Nevertheless watch it for Ranbir and Karan’s interpretation of love, loss and longing.
Rating: 2.5 out of 52.5 Star Rating
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