Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Story of three friends and their bonds with each other is a concept which is always remembered with 'Dil Chahta Hai' and now Zoya Akhtar modifies t... read more

Story of three friends and their bonds with each other is a concept which is always remembered with 'Dil Chahta Hai' and now Zoya Akhtar modifies this concept and presents 'Zindagi Na milegi Dobara'. There are three key factors which makes a movie Hit or a Flop; strong narration, moralistic ending and fine acting and undoubtedly 'Zindagi Na milegi Dobara' has all of these.

Not only it's an inspiring and innovative way of presenting an old concept but the locations dialogues and camera-work shown in the movie is excellent. To top them all wit and humor in the movie will leave you laughing out loud.

Speaking of performances they all get 10 on 10! Nothing looked out of place the ensemble cast took the movie to some other level and excelled in their roles. Peppy tracks will charge you and adventure sports topped with amazing camera-work looked fascinating. The idea of presenting movie with the backdrop from Spain worked wonders.

Do watch out for the scene where our three heroes, totally drunk sing the tune of Doordarshan. The end is amazing and we see that all three of them overcome their respective fears and understand that 'YES Today is a present... Live It!'.

Footer: Definitely is the watch of the week, can be enjoyed with friends, family or even alone!
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Is it possible to look upon 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' (ZNMD for the rest of the review) and not think of 'Dil Chahta Hai'? ; The answer atleast in... read more

Is it possible to look upon 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' (ZNMD for the rest of the review) and not think of 'Dil Chahta Hai'? ; The answer atleast in my case, highly unlikely.

Watching it in a theatre at a much younger age when new bonds of friendship seemed full of nuances and unknown potential the movie seemed to capture my attention like few I had seen before. Everything about it seemed to radiate a freshness which instantaneously forged a connection to my life back in reality; even if almost nothing other than the friendship the three guys shared onscreen was the only commonality. Keeping aside the witty dialogues, the great acting and amazing songs, the movie had a heart to boot which seemed utterly genuine. It is this very heart which ZNMD tries to recapture but doesnt quite have the genuineness which 'Dil Chahta Hai' displayed so effortlessly.

Three friends on a bachelor trip through Spain learn to confront their fears and pick up a few lessons about love and life along the way. Simple enough explanation about the tale but the thing which makes it stand apart is the devil in the details and also the lack of it.

First the good part; the movie is an easy watch though the running length of nearly three hours might start to turn your derriere a little sore. The music too is easy on the years for those of us who are undemanding and appreciate anything other than the 'sheilas' and 'munnis'. The real star however is the cinematography which captures the beautiful Spanish scenery with different shades of lyrical beauty and wild gusto with equal ease. Wild horses run by cars, long stretches of empty roads, towns with old houses and cobbled streets, the list is endless of all the beauty packed into the movies various frames.

Now for the part which doesn't quite click; the tale at the core lacks credibility. Though the movie tries pretty hard, the camaraderie between the three fluctuates wildly between being convincing to utterly put-on. There are snippets of conversations like that between Abhay & Farhan about their school professor on the side of a road watching Hrithik conduct his business affairs; which are so effortless in conveying the friendship without having to say much but there are equally clunky pieces of dialogue talking about life which sound more like a cliff's note about an Eminem song. Yes I know the movie's message about living life to the fullest is true but the manner is jaded and clichd.

The acting too is satisfactory at the best, while all the three leads fit into their roles adequately, Farhan's Achilles heel turns out to be his voice and accent, ditto for Hrithik's put-on "important business guy" accent. Kalki though emotive fails on similar fronts with her voice modulation. Katrina Kaif somehow manages to emerge unscathed even if she tones down the oomph factor more than a few notches. Naseeruddin Shah seems clueless in a small role while Deepti Naval is wasted in an underwritten role.

The movie survives thanks to its easy-going tone and gorgeous cinematography. It's a movie which inspires the traveller in me more than anything else but seen as a piece of art it is deeply flawed thanks to the genre clichs it so readily falls victim to. This is superficial cinema at its finest.

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Essentially a feel-good film, ZNMD explores that one philosophy screen-writers are wary to dwell on to, for the fear of coming across too sugary. A... read more

Essentially a feel-good film, ZNMD explores that one philosophy screen-writers are wary to dwell on to, for the fear of coming across too sugary. And that could have precisely punctured the ambitious road-trip of Zoya Akhtars new film. But then her characters who are on a spectacular expedition are not some fancy retards playing wine connoisseurs, but people battling serious inner demons, just like well, real people. Their various adventures metaphorise inner-conflict and its subsequent conquest, and the film deals with these life-altering events in an aesthetically subtle fashion, where it couldve come across mistakenly exaggerated.

Thats one big triumph of ZNMD. It doesnt exaggerate its core message. In fact, after conveying the intended point, it later trivializes its significance. So if Hrithik Roshans Arjun conquers his water-phobia after his scuba-diving act, he doesnt come out, yell loud with jaws wide open or jump and take another joy-dive; instead in a divinely gorgeous scene, he sits uninhibitedly on the boat, and weeps. Its a fine sequence that symbolizes the beginning of Arjuns transition from a steely and stiff, money-craving finance broker to a more laidback, composed, and realistic middle-aged man. Later, Farhans Imraan blabbers, "Ek hi dubki mein zindagi ke saarein raaz khul gaye? Tujhe toh underwater hi rehna chahiye." Just like it would happen between three friends coming together after a considerable span seeing one dramatically inspired.

Although it is inevitable, but suggesting that the makers indulge in advertising Spain tourism is a little insensible, because if your film is a road-trip or an adventure-induced drama, invariably the decided destination Spain, or Sudan is bound to benefit. And here it does cats and bulls.

The gorgeous landscape as backdrop is inspiring and comforting to the eyes. Also is convincing as a place where youd like to go on a sabbatical. It couldnt most surely be New York (remember Anjaana Anjaani?) So spectacular Spain chronicles the life-shifting escapades of three hunky men, whose lives, mediocre and boring so far, suddenly see an addition of varying textures, previous issues are sorted, and future decisions modified.

Also, it is mentionable the effort taken by the screenwriters to sketch out each of the three characters. Farhan Akhtars Imraan is the funny guy carefree and flamboyant, yet the smiles camouflaging a hidden worry are unmistakable and you are genuinely concerned for the mysterious cause. Hrithik Roshans Arjun is better. He voices his displeasure and is staunch on his agenda. Abhay Deols Kabir is the in-between guy keeping things cool, and trying to make it evident that he is okay with an impromptu commitment to his fiance (a hate-able Kalki Koechlin) The three protagonists are consistent and over the films course get to breathe and evolve and show-off varied hues.

Katrina Kaif as the diving instructor has got a sweet little role which she plays earnestly. She is crucial in bringing about Arjuns transformation, (and when an extremely pretty woman tells you, You will be fine, you blindly believe.) Kalki Koechlin as the dangerously possessive lover-about-to-turn-wife is a winner from shot one.

The films humor is likeable and immensely relatable. Farhan Akhtar gets to say the best lines, and he does so, in true just-out-of-college fashion. All of this skydiving or Spaniard horses sprinting around countryside, is matched with some soulful compositions by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The renditions correspond so well, you dont want the film to end. There goes its USP it is so overwhelmingly aspirational, it is difficult to not like it.

Although I must admit, it needed a close-fitting editing as some parts, beautiful and well-enacted as they might be, could be cut-short to timely reach the objective. In the meanwhile, Zoya and co-writer Reema Kagti freely consume time in exploring different themes that span from friendship and its influence to life to also reflecting the contrastingly changed times we live in. So when jilted son Imraan confronts his biological father on abandoning his mother during his birth, the father (a well-restrained Naseerudin Shah) still remains stubbornly unapologetic. Mature and contemporary.

So, Zoya Akhtar with help from brother Farhans superior enactment and some fine words (he co-wrote the dialogues), and father Javed Akhtars hypnotic poetry that gives the narrative a classic advance, deservingly ensures a Hit.

Life-celebratory and innocent, well-carved and restrained, soulful and pleasant, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is one of the finest and clearly the best the year, or Hindi films in general have seen in a while.

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My only quibble with this movie is that its as long as its name which is too long to begin with. But the three hourcar ride is worth the ticket mon... read more

My only quibble with this movie is that its as long as its name which is too long to begin with. But the three hourcar ride is worth the ticket money apart from the opportunity cost gained of the fare to Spain. I guess there will be a spike in interest for tour packages to Spain and the next thing we know there will be Gujjus enjoying their sev puri in Seville.

Zindagi tells the story of three school friends who go to Spain as a bachelor party for one of them. The deal is that each one has to suggest an adventure sport once they get there and all of them have to do it. This means that we get to see some amazing scenes of underwater diving, sky diving and the Bull Run in Pamplona which is truly heart stopping. As the trip progresses we come in closer contact with the stories of each of the 3 pals. Given that each star needs adequate screen time we get a 3 hour movie- one hour each for Hritihik, Farhan and Abhay.

The chemistry between the three actors is good but it seems a bit forced at times. The dialogues save the situation though. They are smart and funny and keep the story moving along at a healthy pace. The music though is not that happening and sadly Hrithik does not get to do a proper dance number though Spain provided enough opportunities for it. This equal distribution of screen time is the culprit I think for this lapse.

Farhan being the scriptwriter gets the best lines and the funny jokes. His character as the joker of the pack is also the most endearing. Hritihik looks fabulous and carries the part of a busy financial professional well. Abhay Deol plays the straight guy who gets the jitters about his impending marriage. He is the bridge between the other two friends and looks earnest in the role though his dimples provide us with great promise of another more fun side. I loved Katrina here. Not overly made up she exudes a healthy glow and a sweet innocence about herself. Needless to say her pairing with Hritihik is a match made in heaven (or rather Spain!). We should see more of them in the future. I was waiting for some sizzling scenes between the two but was disappointed. Kalki Koechlin as the possessive fianc has the smallest role but is competent in it.

I would recommend you watch this movie. Its easygoing, laidback and keeps a smile pasted on your face for the better part. Just remember to order your snacks outside first. You need a lot of tapas and wine to get into the right mood to enjoy this one.
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So the much awaited and hyped for all reasons possible, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara finally comes out. Does it live up to the hype? Oh hell Yeah it do... read more

So the much awaited and hyped for all reasons possible, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara finally comes out. Does it live up to the hype? Oh hell Yeah it does. After a slow paced but yet a good effort in Luck By chance one knew that Zoya Akhtar had it in her to become great. Shes comes up with a script along with Reema kagti which could easily have been a sequel to Dil Chahta Hai.

ZNMD is all about the characters and their lives. The crux of the movie is about 3 friends going on a wild trip and rediscovering themselves. Add to the mix a mystery in each one's life and it makes the movie one interesting watch. The 3 friends themselves ooze shades of similar characteristics as that of the 3 friends from DCH. On this road trip they come across issues that need to be resolved and in this quest they rekindle their friendship. Its the situations and the dialogs that make this movie. The plot line is thin, but the execution and the screenplay make this one a winner.

The subtle dialogs, the screenplay and the visual treat are the ones that push this movie across the winning line. The quirky yet emotional Imran who secretly writes poetry, the confused Kabir who acts like the lynchpin between his two friends and the intense Arjun who is so much into earning that he forgets to live life are characters that everyone can relate to. Its these characters that make this movie special. Passed along with a message that is subtle, the movie never gets preachy.

Not strangely enough, the best lines go to Farhan Akhtar's character. This is the character that sticks in your head after leaving the theater. Funny, quirky but still an inner hidden sadness makes it a good recipe for being the best character. Hrithik gets to play the all serious version of Akshay Khanna's character. The perfectionist that he is, he adds another feather to his cap. Abhay Deol just goes out there and does business as usual, a brilliant performance. Katrina looks gorgeous and actually does some acting this time around. Kalki disappoints.

Music wise, ZNMD is a mixed bag. It is definitely not SEL's best work. But all the songs are situational and at least I started liking the songs better after watching the film. The pick of the album remains, Senorita which is a fun filled number to watch and hear both especially in Abhay Deol's singing and dancing portions. Ik Junoon crooned by Vishal is the next best thing. Bottom line I think the music grows on you once you watch the movie.

Zoya proves that she has it in her to make good entertaining movies. The story telling fell short in her last outing and this time around she makes sure she learnt from her past mistake. Script screenplay and dialog wise, Zoya, Reema and Farhan do a mind blowing job. Including experiences like the "mantal" professor's speaking style, Doordarshan's animation is something that everyone in this generation can relate to and was a masterful stroke. The climax is unconventional and one of the highlights.

Reasons to watch:
1) The 3 leading guys pulling the house down
2) Awesome visuals.
3) Stylish story telling
4) All round entertainment

Reasons to skip:
1) None.

Repeat value: Several times over the years. view less