A wet blanket

Tum Mile
Director: Kunal Deshmukh
Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Soha Ali Khan
Rating: **
U/A

Don't be fooled -- this is not a film about the floods of July 26, 2005. It is just another relationship story told through a series of confusing flashbacks that concludes on the day of a devastating event. The floods and some tsunami references combine to serve as a setting for the climax of a romance and the final realisation of true love between Sanjana (Soha Ali Khan) and Akshay (Emraan Hashmi).

In fact you feel disappointed and cheated that, contrary to what the film's promotions promised, this is not a disaster film. Going by the complete lack of drama, it feels like the makers had not experienced the horror of being stuck in those floods.

If they had, bus conductors would not be cracking jokes; mothers would not be carelessly forgetting their children and the best friend would not be making speeches in lashing rain. Instead, we travel to and fro with Akshay and Sanjana watching how the romance between a rich girl and struggling artists blossomed and then went awry. Song after song does nothing to aid the storytelling or pacing. In fact, the shift in time zones is often confusing. When you are expecting a disaster film and a drama, you do not want to see romantic music videos.

As for the flood scenes themselves, unimpressive CG work, limited sets and a casual treatment of the scenario robs it of all suspense and tension. In his earlier work Jannat, director Kunal Deshmukh centred all other events and action around match-fixing and cricket. Here, he simply uses the floods as a gimmick. Hashmi's muted performance is surprising while Ali Khan looks a little out of sorts. Mantra as the best friend Vic offers solid support.

Tum Mile might have worked if it had stuck to the love story - about a mature relationship that sours when control and ego, dreams and ambition clash. A 26 July film it is not. If only it had not pretended to be.