Love Aaj Kal - A misunderstood package that doesn't deliver its full potential
Love Aaj Kal - Relevant ideas, Sub-par acting and lazy writing
The storytelling idea of this film, is similar to the one Imtiaz
used in his 2009 film by the same name. He aims to use two parallel love
stories, separated by around 30 years, to show that the essence of love doesn’t
change even though the surroundings and the people might. In this film Imtiaz
uses his main female character, Zoe, played by Sara Ali Khan, to portray what
he believes are the confusions of today’s Gen Z girls. He portrays her as a
character that is determined on the outside but fragile on the inside, a girl
who is confused between her love life and her work life. Some of the points
Imtiaz makes are extremely pertinent, for example, the impact that a mother’s
life and experiences have on her daughter and the way she wants her daughter to
grow up to be. Another interesting point is the idea that girls today are
brought up to think that they have to be so career minded that there is no
place for love, making it seem as if it is an either/or situation, a trade-off that doesn’t exist in the minds of men, who
understand that both aspects can coexist.
However, there are also some significant flaws with the
writing and plot of the film. Firstly, the way that Kartik Aaryan’s modern day
character, Veer, is written, makes it seem as though Zoe is confused about
non-existent problems. He seems to be so madly in love with Zoe that he is
ready to do whatever she says, and it makes you wonder why she is so confused.
Secondly, Imtiaz Ali doesn’t manage to hit the perfect note in the writing of
Zoe and thus fails to put across the message exactly as he wants.
The performances of the actors are also a mixed bag. Sara
Ali Khan leaves a lot to be desired in her portrayal of Zoe. Her emotions are
extremely surface level, and it makes it seem as though she is trying to show
rather than internally feel. Kartik Aaryan fairs significantly better with the
material he has to work with. In what is arguably his first part that is out of
his comfort zone, he brings a range of emotions, both in his portrayal of Raghu
and Veer. He has a sense of vulnerability as Veer, while playing Raghu as a
free-spirited boy in love. It is refreshing to see him in a role that isn’t linked
to comedy. However, arguably the best performance of the film is by Randeep
Hooda (present day Raghu), who plays the guiding hand in the film (similar to
Rishi Kapoor from the original). He is the one who narrates his story to Zoe
and changes her views on the topic of love. He brings a flair to his character
as he aims to elevate this middling story. Unfortunately for him he cannot do
all the heavy-lifting on his own.
The music is one of the high points of the film. While there
are some remakes of songs from the original, there are also some new songs,
like Shayad and Mehrama, that portray the emotion of the scene perfectly and
even manage to portray to the audience some of the emotions that the actors
can’t.
In conclusion, I feel that Love Aaj Kal is a movie that had
a lot of potential. Some of the points that it makes are extremely relevant to
today’s society. Unfortunately, it does not manage to live up to its potential
and makes you wonder what if there were slightly better performances and a more
fleshed out story. However, I do feel
that a lot of the criticism that is being levied against the film is
unjustified. It makes you think about love and the way it is perceived in the
generation of today and the ease with which people get intimate. I do feel that
it is the kind of movie that may not get its due in the present day, and it may
take a couple of years and a couple of watches, for it to grow on people, a bit
like Imtiaz’s Tamasha.
- Ahaan Gupta
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