Yeh Jawaani Hei Deewani

While Ayan Mukerji’s first film Wake Up Sid was something that had a larger concentration on pursuing passion, his second film Yeh Jawaani Hei Deewani is something that tries to go a step further. It’s a story that is equally partitioned between passion, friendship and romance. They have managed to keep that level of coolness which was visible in the promos throughout the film and that really helps the movie as it has almost all those typical drama segments which we usually see in Bollywood Rom-Coms. With a charming main protagonist and a story that never goes to a too much level, Yeh Jawaani Hei Deewani is a delightful entertainer.

The plot here is basically about the main male protagonist Kabir Thappar aka Bunny. Bunny is someone who just doesn’t want to get attached to anything. He just wants to travel around the world with his cam. In his own words he wants to fly, run, fall but just don’t want to stop. The movie’s real focus is on Bunny’s life after pursuing a certain level of his passion or a crazy solitude. The way he realizes the value of relationships in life is the soul of Yeh Jawaani Hei Deewani.

What’s good about the movie is the kind of spacing Ayan has given for the various emotional binding bunny has. Even the cameo appearance of Farooq Sheikh as Bunny’s father has a significant space in the screenplay. The kind of ignorance people have for good friends in the busy schedule is pictured quite practically. The romance part is also something not so typical. It is not that conventional melodramatic romance which we are quite familiar. For a larger portion of the movie, the leading pair is maintaining a positive chemistry between them and the way it slips into the romantic corridor isn’t that abrupt. What can be considered as a drawback is its dependency towards the director’s first film in conceiving the passion part. Also the similarity with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara is slightly there in some emotional levels like the friendship part.

On screen Ranbeer is so lively and the way he carries Bunny is quite superb. Awesome dance and charming expressions really makes him a charismatic presence on screen. Deepika is really good as Naina. One more drunken avatar for Aditya Roy Kappor as Avi. Must say that he delivered a neat performance. Kalki Koechlin  is also cool as the slightly loud Aditi. I really loved the way she goes crazy in that Manali trekking segment. One more geeky character for Kunaal Roy Kapoor and this time his acting style suits his character Taran. Small yet memorable roles for Tanvi Azmi and Farooq Sheikh. A memorable item number by the Dhak Dhak girl Madhuri Dixit adds that commercial boost to the movie.

In the making, it’s a much improved effort from Ayan considering the size of the canvas. The writing is also something that is quite impressive about this guy. What I wish to see from him is a phase shift in terms of selecting basic plots. As I said earlier the structure of the script has that vague similarity with other films that were also made based on the concept of self realization. The cinematography is impressive. The edits needed a bit more aggression (The energy we saw in the trailer was slightly missing). Music is very impressive and the choreography is also very appealing.

Overall, it’s a transition from “Wake Up Sid” to a grown up Bunny. It’s a movie that has commercial flavors and a pleasing content. I am giving 3.5/5 for Yeh Jawaani Hei Deewani. It’s not a letdown for sure.