Writer/Director: Imtiaz Ali
Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Rishi Kapoor
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actors in Bollywood are as beloved as Saif Ali Khan. Ever since his rise to stardom during the 1990’s, Khan has become one of the finest actors in the Indian film industry. Whether it’s star-crossed lovers, dangerous gangsters or sacred police inspectors, Khan has proven that he can portray compelling characters in Indian films. Arguably, Khan’s strength as an actor is his versatility. He is one of those rare actors that has proven he can portray a wide range of characters in various genres. Through his versatility, Khan has created timeless movies in his career which Indian audiences value. A bright light shining in darkness, he has become an icon in the Indian film business whose films have always given audiences the emotions of happiness. A legendary figure in India, Khan has become an icon in Bollywood Cinema. Throughout his long-lasting career, Khan has produced several unforgettable films that are worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Khan and adore all movies he has crafted in his career. However, “Love Aaj Kal” stands out as his most meaningful movie. Released in 2009, Imtiaz Ali’s movie offered a bold portrait of breakups. Packed with strong musical sequences, engrossing story and amazing acting, it’s an engaging romantic drama. At the centre of it all is an amazing performance by Saif Ali Khan, who portrays a man facing a fractured romantic relationship. Although “Love Aaj Kal” is truly a riveting romantic drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It’s unevenly paced, lacking the strong momentum of the best films in the romance genre. Nevertheless, it provides spellbinding entertainment which would definitely satisfy fans of Saif Ali Khan.
“Love Aaj Kal” tells the story of a couple that faces breakups which are painful. Saif Ali Khan plays Jai Singh, a businessman that has strong ideals about love. Jai’s dreams come true when he falls in love with Meera (Deepika Padukone), a woman he cares for dearly. Meera is a free-spirited woman that has strong views on romantic relationships. Jai and Meera immediately fall in love with each other, imaging a bright future together. However, Jai’s life forever changes when his career threatens his romantic relationships. Focused on pursuing a competitive career, Jai wonders whether he any longer has any time for romantic affairs. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Jai questions if he will find love in his future.
Imtiaz Ali has always been fascinated by the romance genre. A brilliant Indian filmmaker, Ali has often made engaging movies about romantic relationships facing disasters. His iconic film “Jab We Met” offered a powerful portrait of lovers forming relationships after meeting on train adventures. With “Love Aaj Kal”, however, Ali directed his first romance drama about breakups. It was the director’s first attempt to capture the lived of lovers in breakups causing adversity but he pulled it off effectively. Using bold cinematography, Ali captures lovers that face breakups that cause adversity. Recalling Robert Benton’s “Kramer vs. Kramer”, Ali successfully uses montages to capture couples that endure a tense breakup. For instance, the montages elevate the ”Yeh Dooriyan” song. During this unforgettable scene, Ted and Joanna face grief as they go their separate ways in life following a breakup. Using montages, Ali crafts portraits of breakup that’s engaging. Montages are tricky techniques. As Farhan Akhtar’s “Dil Chahta Hai” proved, montages enhance Bollywood films about friendship. Nevertheless, it works immensely. Through stunning visuals, Ali captures tensions that lovers are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Love Aaj Kal” that merits appreciation is the production. Ali effectively uses cross-cutting to create musical numbers about breakups that are engaging. For instance, the cross-cutting elevates the Twist song. During this catchy song, Jai embarks on adventures to explore his country’s party culture after a breakup. Using cross-cutting, Ali creates a portrait of romance that’s engaging. Furthermore, the music score is magnificent. It gives the film an engaging atmosphere capturing burden that couples in breakups bear. Using strong production, Ali captures couples which face romantic tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Love Aaj Kal” is a Bollywood romance that is engaging. The film is beautifully written, and effectively uses silence to capture the hardships of couples going through a tense breakup. Emulating Shaad Ali’s “Saathiya”, Ali effectively uses silence to capture lives of lovers reuniting after facing breakups in India. For instance, the silence elevates the reunion scene. During this heartfelt scene, Jai has a reunion with Meera several years after their separation. Through silence, Ali constructs a portrait of breakups audiences can relate to. Silence is a tricky technique to use in film. As Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Omkara” demonstrated, silence enhances Bollywood Shakespeare adaptations. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through an engaging screenplay, Ali captures couples which experience breakups with a price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Saif Ali Khan delivers one of his best career performances as Jai. Khan first achieved appreciation for playing romantic heroes in classic Bollywood movies. With “Love Aaj Kal”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to portray a lonely bachelor that is going through a breakup that causes adversity but he succeeds immensely. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most meaningful role. With captivating expressions, he captures the angst, bravery and grief of a bachelor facing breakups that cause tensions. It’s a powerful performance from one of the most celebrated actors that is working in India today.
While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Saif Ali Khan, the supporting cast is also amazing and worthy of recognition. Deepika Padukone is powerful, bringing charisma to a young woman that faces a tense breakup causing a dilemma. Rishi Kapoor is riveting, capturing authority of a father struggling to care for broken family. Lastly, Rahul Khanna deserves appreciation. As a bachelor, he is unforgettable.
Despite its strong performances, however, “Love Aaj Kal” can’t quite capture romantic relationships which are painful. If there’s a shortcoming to the movie, it lacks engaging pacing. Ali’s choices to integrate flashbacks about old-fashioned lovers into the movie is bold but hinders the pacing. Due toward this faulty technique, scenes focusing on Veer’s romantic relationship in the 1960’s aren’t as engaging as Jai’s love. Therefore, “Love Aaj Kal” is one of those Bollywood movies that not everyone will adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Saif Ali Khan will enjoy “Love Aaj Kal” and so would audiences that seek engaging entertainment. A captivating Bollywood romantic drama, it celebrates an actor in India.
Nearly 20 years following the release of a bold Bollywood film about a pair of lovers facing breakups which cause despair, it’s a strong reminder of an actor that has built a strong career through his abilities to portray compelling characters in memorable movies audiences hold dear.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 