Anjaana Anjaani

Director: Sidharth Anand Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, Zayed Khan  Stars: *** The challenge that film walas set themselves in today’s day and age is to create new parameters and break all the rules of traditional Bollywood film-making. And while they experiment, the audiences are served with a fine smorgasbord of feisty films to titillate their palette. The experiment that director, Siddharth Anand, has tried in Anjaana Anjaani, is to use just two major characters in the entire film - Ranbir Kapoor (Akash) and Priyanka Chopra (Kiara). Both these gorgeous young people have been beaten by life and decide to end it all by jumping off the New York Bridge. Of course they don’t finally do anything of the sort but make a decision to spend twenty days of their lives doing “things they have always wanted to” (now haven’t we heard that in a billion Hollywood films? The Bucket List leaps to the mind) While fundamentally the script does have only two characters interacting with one another, changing each other and impacting each other’s lives, but there are a host of peripheral characters that make their appearance, sometimes to take the story forward, sometimes to provide the background of the characters of Akash and Kiara.  Akash, an investment banker feels that he is a failure because he took huge business risks thereby sinking the business and his partners as well. Kiara, on the other hand, has had a failed relationship with a lifelong partner. Fed up, they both decide to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge. However, both land up on the same bridge at the same time. Anjaana Anjaani, is a fun film but it tries too hard. After the interesting start, it falls into the rut of the couple hitting the road, having a great time and falling in love with each other, and then (surprise!) deciding not to commit suicide. Yes, they strengthen each other in many ways, more so by helping each other to get in touch with their deepest desires and fears, thus while exploring the other, and they also come face to face with a few things about themselves.  Ranbir Kapoor is spectacular but one can’t say the same about Priyanka, who seems to be showing the pressure to perform. Basically, there’s an overdose of cuteness by Piggy Chops, which can get a bit over the top sometimes. The movie seems to be the college goer’s delight, and aimed at that class, since the lifestyle that every yuppy would aspire for is all there. Though how, when Kiara is out of a job and Akash, bankrupt, can the couple afford their trips to Las Vegas and boating trips in the Atlantic, is anyone’s guess.  But these are a few minor glitches and you aren’t supposed to ask these questions anyway. You are expected to just sit doing ‘awww…’ at the cute couple; wishing you were there when they get drunk on beer, go party hopping, gamble at the casino, go to all night parties and what have you. Basically, though the surmise is different, there’s really no meat on the bones of the film. The whole suicide bid scene by the couple, which by the way, carries on for pretty long, as they make one failed attempt after another, is just not serious enough. After all, it’s pretty serious to want to kill yourself, right? You have to be pretty sad to want to do it, right? So what are all the fun and games about? But that’s just another question you are not supposed to ask. Siddharth Anand has handled the movie with style. He’s aimed at the young city Indian and I’d say a lot of sweet young things are going to love this film.  The look and feel is slick and stylish, with lots of trendy locales and situations.  Both the protagonists look very hot, (though now that we are on the topic, about it, what has Priyanka done to her lips? There’s a permanent pout there.) Ranbir does an uber hot, bare chested, muscled appearance; he also does a pole dance, in a gay bar, where he strips with abandon. In fact, judging by the number of gay jokes and the fact that he’s lusted after by so many gays in the film, it appears that the attempt is to make Ranbir a pin up boys for the gays as well as the girls! The end is predictable and falls into the rut of the love stories. The dilemmas are resolved, both Kiara and Akash decide to face their demons and go their separate ways.  Finally they realize that they cannot do without each other (of course the realization comes during a long and tedious song sequence). Then comes…what else?...the chase to the airport, the race to the meeting spot, and voila! The lovers unite, and the audience goes, ‘sigh!’ Sweet! Nice music by Vishal Shekhar, great weekend watch for the younger lot!  Final word? Shall we just say that Anjaan Anjaani is Chicken Soup for the Romantic Urbanites Soul