Sep 25, 2005 09:04 PM
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(Updated Sep 25, 2005 09:04 PM)
Yash Raj has introduced a number of talents over the decades. This time, they've entrusted the directorial reins to yet another apprentice -- Siddharth Raj Anand.
Nick is head Chef at a famous restaurant named ‘Nick of Time’ in Melbourne. A laidback man with an easygoing attitude, Nick came from Ludhiana as Nikhil Arora. Nick hates waking up early in the morning. His only passion is to cook, party and to live life free of any commitments.
Ambar Malhotra came from Bangalore to Melbourne to study medicine. But the major reason for her love towards Melbourne is that she doesn’t have to keep meeting suitors that her parents back home want her to marry. She works part-time as a radio jockey at the radio station, ‘Salaam Namaste’, where she gets to interview Indians living in Melbourne.
As the movie’s story goes, Nick is invited to one of Ambar’s shows. But, being the easygoing man that he is, Nick oversleeps and misses the interview. A furious Ambar decides to teach him a lesson or two in punctuality and discipline...
Between the rants and reprisals the couple meet, and still unaware of their counterparts’ real identities take a liking to one another. Ambar is prudent, punctual and hard-working, whilst Nick has a carefree vagabond attitude to life, he hates kids; fears hospitals; and has issues with commitment. Yet despite their disparate differences there is an undeniable attraction and cupid strikes. The couple decide to try a live-in relationship, primarily platonic, though the boundaries soon dissipate. As initial affirmations of love are tested through their living together, reality soon hits home.
The film looks fresh and trips the light fantastic, it’s fun, breezy and full of laughs. It’s romantic, yet not too mushy or overly dramatic. Though the colourful first half is full of screaming bosses, bikini-clad beach weddings and impromptu song and dance routines, the second half takes a much more serious tone...
There are some truly magical moments of love and lovemaking. That whole interlude from the time when a gigantically pregnant Ambar craves for a particular brand of ice cream to the time when Nicky finally finds a place that serves up her desired delight, is done in a wondrously chocolaty enchanting mode...
The dance numbers are appropriately surreal and energetic and there are also some fun supporting performances, particularly Javed Jafferi's hilarious turn as an Indian landlord who believes he's the second coming of Crocodile Dundee...
Then there's the ever-dependable Arshad Warsi playing Saif's best friend. Warsi's daunting marital subjugation gives the film a revealing sub-plot while providing a broader canvas for the director to suggest his ideas on the way a man sees a woman, and vice versa.
This is a romantic comedy, exploring the serious side to a young relationship; compatibility, and issues in love and practicality. As Nick and Ambar have to rethink their thoughts on their relationship and each other, we can see their evolvement and maturity through fate and circumstance. The underlying message here being it’s easy to fall in love, but oh-so difficult to sustain it. This is a whole heap of fun, if light and breezy popcorn flicks...
