Aashiqui 2

The lesser amount of melodrama is something that will surely please you in director Mohit Suri’s latest venture Aashiqui 2. With a smart first half and a cliché second half that depends a lot on the predictable elements which we are used to, Aashiqui 2 is an average movie which will definitely please you if you have a soft corner for romantic films.

The plot here revolves around the two protagonists Rahul Jaykar aka RJ and Arohi. RJ is an established singer whose career is sinking due to his alcohol addiction. One day RJ happens to meet Arohi and he comes to know that she is a great talent when he heard her singing his own song better than him. He offers Arohi a career in the music industry and takes her back to Mumbai. The rise of Arohi, the disturbances that happens in RJ ‘s mind, how Arohi takes care of the one who helped her to reach great heights in life and how RJ finds a solution for his issues is what Aashiqui 2 all about.

Well, the first half of the movie is indeed an enjoyable one with very practical approach towards the content. Even though the narrative reminds a bit about “Rock star”, the movie gets out of that shade soon after the introduction of the female lead. The innocence and openness of both characters and the positive feel of a caring upbringing makes these portions cheerful. The problem is with the second half which lacks creativity. The back and forth game with the emotions of RJ was too tiring and it fails to make an impact on the audience which I believe was very necessary. The lack of clarity in explaining the backdrop of the central character is also a demerit when we analyze the story at the end.

On screen, Aditya Roy Kapoor is uneven as the drunkard singer RJ. While he did well as the drunkard and lover, the performance as the singer and the mentally disturbed one wasn’t that convincing. The female lead Shraddha Kapoor was a pleasing performer. Her character demanded a level of innocence in all shades of emotions and I believe she has done that quite beautifully. Shaad Randhawa also did his part nicely as Vivek.

In the making, Mohit Suri has followed his typical style. The removal of tiring melodrama is something that will definitely make this movie watchable. The rendering of those scenes where RJ struggles to get the correct pitch was an impressive one. The screen play is gentle in the first half and uneven in the second half. The second half elements required some freshness to make it appealing but sadly the treatment wasn’t enough to make us feel the depth of selfless love. The cuts needed sharpness and the cinematography is good. The music is undoubtedly one of the best albums of this year and the BGM was a bit outdated at occasions. VFX was done smartly.

Overall Aashiqui 2 is a onetime watch. I am giving this movie a 2.5/5. With least expectations, you may find this musical journey satisfactory.