A candyfloss love story

The challenge for any filmmaker who has hit the jackpot once is to follow it up with another winner. After the hugely successful Jab We Met, whether Love Aaj Kal hits the box office bull’s-eye or not, what is reinforced is Imtiaz Ali’s talent as a writer and director.

With refreshing dialogues and screenplay, directed with skill and infused with sincere performances, Love Aaj Kal is an enjoyable love story with a contemporary view on relationships within the conforms of a predictable but comforting ending.

Two parallel stories run along similar lines over two generations. Jai (Saif Ali Khan) is a commitment-indifferent young man, looking for nothing in particular in a relationship but with one overwhelming professional aspiration. He believes in practicalities and says his mind is littered with thoughts of EMIs, global warming, parking issues, leaving him little time for matters of the heart.

His constant companion, in a consciously undefined relationship, is the lovely Meera (Deepika Padukone) who, for most part, seems similar to Jai in both her personal and professional needs. So when it is time for one of them to cross oceans and pursue career goals, the unnamed relationship must take a backseat until separation and distance brings them closer.

Running alongside is the story of Veer (Rishi Kapoor), a restaurateur, sharing his love story in an attempt to convince Jai to think from the heart. Set in the 60s, when love was unplanned, women coy and men impulsive, Veer’s story helps Jai put pieces of his fragmented love life together.

Deepika Padukone is limited by a two-dimensional character. She compensates for it with enough charm and screen presence for audiences to forgive minor flaws in her performance (like her dialogue delivery). The actor playing Harleen Kaur is pretty. The part requires her to do little else besides looking ethereal. Rishi Kapoor is suitably competent while Rahul Khanna makes the most of a cameo.

The film is shouldered predominantly by Saif Ali Khan who plays a triple role here - Jai, the young Veer, and co-producer of the film. His demonstrates a flair for subtle humour combined with easy screen presence but also handles the emotional scenes with finesse, especially the wedding sequence when realisation dawns on him. It’s only through Saif that we feel an emotional tug - one of the flaws of the film and one of the letdowns of Meera’s performance.

Ali manages to get agreeable performances from his principle characters while ensuring the pace never slackens even though the start is a tad rushed and confusing. The transitions between past and present are well executed and the locations (notice the use of cities with bridges), music and natural dialogue make this a pleasant film that, in spite of its flaws, leaves you with a smile on your face and celebrating storytelling.