Young and pining...

July 05, 2014 07:29 pm | Updated 08:30 pm IST

Yes, this is a film that’s got raw actors in the lead. Armaan Jain looks like walking-talking eyebrows and makes Neil Nitin Mukesh look like a complete actor, while Deeksha Sheth, though much better off, falters in the scenes that require her to play it loud. They both show glimpses of potential though.

And yes, this is a film that could have been written with an Imtiaz Ali Do It Yourself Plot Generator.

Genre: Romance Director: Arif Ali Cast: Armaan Jain, Deeksha Sheth, Kumud Mishra Storyline: Boy elopes with girl, separates, grows up. Bottomline: A coming-of-age modern romance that somewhat works.

Boy realises he loves the girl he loves to hang out with____________(after his engagement/her engagement/her wedding/ his wedding) and decides to follow his heart and take a road trip with her to ________________________ (Insert exotic Indian location/s), separates because______ (he/she/both)___ (is/are) in denial and then_______ (he/she/both) realise they STILL love each other.

Yet, it all strangely works or maybe it’s just A.R. Rahman who has infiltrated our soft corners with his earworm music.

Whether or not you like this film comes down to just one moot point: Are young people generally this confused about what they want?

What do you think?

If you think they are, you are more likely to buy into this plot and premise, and invest in the characters.

Love works in strange ways and Imtiaz Ali’s brand of cinema works (this one is directed by his brother and collaborator Arif Ali) because he’s familiar with its workings. If Woody Allen strongly believed that “love fades” (an idea/thought that surfaces in all his films), Imtiaz Ali believes that “love lurks”.

Boy elopes with girl on his bike; suddenly stops on the road. “You changed your mind?” the girl asks. “No, I remembered something,” he says, kisses her, and says: “I love you.”

Sometimes, it takes you a while to realise you always felt that way.

Sometimes, it just takes a break to realise that it never left.

It may take you a moment to realise. Sometimes seasons. Sometimes years.

British and American romantic comedies and sit-coms have perfected the formula of lost and found love.

It took Harry years to find out that a boy and a girl can’t be just friends and end up with Sally. It took William seasons (‘Aint No Sunshine When She’s Gone’) before he would find Anna Scott back in Notting Hill . It took Anna and Jacob quite a bit of time, distance and emotional turmoil to realise that they love each other ( Like Crazy ).

Ross ( Friends ), Mr. Big ( Sex and The City ) and Ted ( How I Met Your Mother ) have often given women around the world hope that they could be Rachel, Carrie or Robin and still end up with their long-lost love, even if they lose their way. They can afford to be messed up. Because love lurks.

Rahul and Anjali… Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, tum nahin samjoghe ! (You won’t understand!)

Boy and girl hang out, long after they have separated, and suddenly wonder: What are we doing?

Have you been there? Then, you will connect a lot more with Generation Messed Up. These confused characters often help us find ourselves. Even if they show up in the silliest of films.

Lekar Hum Deewana Dil is certainly a forgettable film (one that you will catch on TV someday and say: Hey, it wasn’t bad at all!) but one that will make you remember the pangs of growing up, separation and coming of age.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.