Truly Dreadful Film

Better Late Then Never

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Bachna Ae Haseeno is another modern Yash Raj fare. It is a romantic comedy at first and then turns into a... romantic drama. The film centres around the character of Raj, played by Ranbir Kapoor. Divided into three episodes each one presenting his relationships with three different women in his life, Bachna Ae Haseeno has a far stronger second half, but overall it's just another clichéd take on modern relationships. The movie shows the character of Raj as a guy who does not really take anything seriously but it aims to portray his growing maturity in life, and it partially succeeds. The first chapter presents a rather ordinary counter train meeting. It is a very cheesy episode which takes a lot from such films as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Jab We Met and actually does it admittedly. The second one is another meaningless portion portraying his relationship with an ambitious yet selfless aspiring model, and the third chapter shows how he ultimately falls in love with probably the wrong girl - an independent young lady who, among other jobs, works as a taxi driver and sees marriage as an obstacle. The first two episodes show Raj breaking the heart of two different girls, and the third shows how a girl breaks his heart. His heartbreak motivates him to try and meet his ex-girlfriends and ask for their forgiveness.As one can see, Bachna Ae Haseeno has a very unoriginal script. Not that it copies a certain film, but it just takes inspiration from so many famous romantic comedies that it really gets on one's nerves from time to time and looks very ordinary throughout. It also has many annoying references to previous Yash Raj flicks. The second half takes more shape but it's not without its flaws either. Expectedly, it unfolds in episodes, mainly two, in which the protagonist tries to atone for his sins and clean his conscience. The first episode with that girl Mahi is handled pretty well, but come on, why would a girl lose her faith in love because she was lied to by a jerk whom she knew for one sole day? The fact she even remembers him after 12 long years looks totally awkward. The second episode re-meets him with Radhika, who was deeply in love with him and was abandoned by him on the wedding day. She is now known as Shreya Rathod, a popular supermodel whose attitude has become most cruel, malicious and evil, something which reminisces of Meryl Streep's Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada. This sequence is far more credible and it is perhaps the film's most entertaining. And then, after doing what he so longed for, he goes back to meet the girl who broke and heart. What happens next is something I believe anyone can predict.Bachna Ae Haseeno is traditionally made, with songs, emotions and moments of old platitude, but then again, it has its pluses. The soundtrack by Vishal-Shekhar is very good. "Khuda Jaane" is the best number - well composed, performed and visualised on-screen. The casting is quite okay. The script does not really require some great acting talents to begin with, so it's passable. Ranbir Kapoor is plain okay as the main lead. He is generally well cast, but he does not register the growth in his character with total conviction. This kind of a role would have suited perfectly someone like Saif Ali Khan, whose superb comic timing is matched by his ability to mature as a person throughout a film. Ranbir is just not there yet, and although he is confident, that too is overdone at times. The girls are mainly there to look pretty, and they definitely do. Minissha Lamba is vivacious and cute, Deepika Padukone is extremely pretty, but both get overshadowed by Bipasha Basu who is so amazingly attractive that at times it's hard to believe anyone could leave her like Raj did. It looks like she gets sexier with every film, but besides that, her performance is probably the film's most convincing. Despite its flaws, Bachna Ae Haseeno is not that bad a film and it has its moments, which make for quite a decent one-time watch.

Bachna ae haseeno is one of those films i have seen after days of waiting. And it turned out to be a good entertainer. It is better than Siddharth Raj Anand's previous two films Salaam Namaste and Ta Ra rum pum.Raj (Ranbir Kapoor) meets three different girls in his life and actually falls for only one of them. Radhika (Bipasha Basu), Mahi (Minisha Lamba) and Gayathri (Deepika Padukone) were those either lucky or unlucky girls.Bollywood films may it be action or horror or thriller will have a love story in them. This film concentrates more in the love story and it is different from the others too. The cinematography is good, script is good and the songs are excellent. Vishal and Shekhar did marvellously in music direction. They are the kind of songs that you would like to hear again and again. Khuda Jane is a haunting melody and songs like Luky boy, aahista and small town girl are exemplary.Ranbir Kapoor acted well in this film as a 'lucky boy'. I am happy to see Deepika Padukone again after om shanti om. Bipasha Basu was good. Minisha Lamba wasn't as charming as the other two but hers is the best character in the film. Songs were shot well. Small town girl is quiet funny to watch. Khuda Jane was taken in a beautiful place. Watch it especially for the songs and the places where the movie was shot (Australia, Switzerland etc..)7/10

Yash Raj Productions has hardly done much good work in the last few years. Chak De India (which i didn't think was particularly brilliant, but we'll discuss that in its own review) was the only successful film from the so-called powerhouse production company. Personally, I rather enjoyed Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, but I can understand why it was hard to digest by most audiences.Whether it's the timing, the cast, the story, the screenplay, or even the music, Bachna Ae Haseeno scores in all.BAH is a romantic comedy about a regular guy who's been around with many women, finally falling in love, but getting rejected, and then going on a journey to redeem himself. Warm, funny at times and definitely interesting.With the exception of Deepika Padukone, who emerges as a rather wooden actor, the performances were all good. The winner here is definitely Ranbir Kapoor as Raj, who carries a charismatic glow with him in every frame that leaves you with not much else to look at. He's got a very likable quality about him and I can only see him flourish with his future ventures. Minisha does a good job as the Punjabi girl next door who wants to be a "Simran", and Bipasha's role has been written out rather meaty as well (excuse the pun).Fresh locations can be a bore if they are out of context, or can be forgotten if they are used as mere background, but BAH uses its locations to the fullest. Add to that some good music, where every song fits in, and you have a successful music album.I give this movie a much more than just "safe-to-watch" recommendation. Highly enjoyable. Great direction, good screenplay and high production values. Yash Raj has finally managed to crack out of the mold of mundane.

Bachna Ae Haseeno is as endearing a movie can get! Its is a prime example of a movie which is wonderful, fun-filled, formulaic yet having a new age zing to it.Yes, it is a typical Yash Raj product soaked with fantasies, over the top antics, situations, plausibilities and a few contrived situations! Heck! Damn It! Who Cares? This is not meant to be a path breaking film and it never claims to be one! Hell it even unabashedly draws slight inspiration from the cult DDLJ, eventually spoofing and mocking it! That was that. Now its a new decade, a new attitude! And it reflects that.Director Siddharth Anand knows the pulse of the Modern New Age Indian Audience -- their psyche, their value systems and their attitudes. And it is reflected in' Bachna Ae Haseeno' in the way he executes an Aditya Chopra script with backup from A grade ingredients -- be it the cast and the production value.The casting is just perfect with neatly carved out roles for each and everybody. 'BAH' heralds the arrival of a new superstar, in fact a new 'Raj' - Ranbir Kapoor. It is a tailor made role for him to exhibit his unpolished prowess. And yes that glib charm damn well works! He weaves magic! Saawariya -- who? what? and where? Amongst the actresses it is Bipasha who with her oomph steals the show portraying a strong and well written character. The cute Minisha Lamba and the sweet Deepika Padukone are effective in their own right. Even the cameo with Kunal Kapoor is brilliantly pulled off!Bachna Ae Haseeno is one of the best visual spectacles you can see on Celluloid! Top notch Cinematography and photography. It captures the heart and soul of exquisite locations like Switzerland, Australia, Italy! As if they are an important character of this movie; leaving you spell bound! And wait we are not done yet! The duo of Vishal Shekhar hit gold with tracks like 'Khuda Jaane', 'Aahista Aahista' and the rehashed 'Bachna Ae Haseeno'; all of which being blended perfectly in the movie.It is a Starry, Visual & Musical Extravaganza. One of the very best of its kind!