Love Aaj Kal: Why Kartik Aaryan And Sara Ali Khan’s Film Became My Guilty Pleasure

When the much-awaited trailer of Imtiaz Ali’s Love Aaj Kal was shared by the makers, most movie buffs were super excited to see the very handsome Kartik Aaryan and the gorgeous Sara Ali Khan together for the very first time. While the trailer left me confused about what’s exactly happening, I decided to wait patiently for the film to hit theatres and was sure it would be a blockbuster considering the star cast and the filmmaker’s other masterpieces. Well, when Love Aaj Kal finally released on the big screens, I checked the reviews on other news portals and social media. I was more or less convinced that it is nothing in comparison to Imtiaz’s 2009 film featuring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone and decided to skip a visit to the movie hall. Little did I know that I would be proven wrong 2 months later.

The film was finally available on Netflix and one fine day I decided to watch it with my family. However, the memes were still fresh in my mind and I promised myself to turn it off if I start getting bored. Well, I was taken aback by an extremely pleasant surprise. Saying that the film ‘completely changed my life’ would be an overdramatic statement, but yes, it really did. The dialogues which became fodder for the memes actually made a lot of sense to me, like ‘Aana toh puri tarah aana, ya toh aana hi mat.’ The fact that Sara said ‘tum mujhe tang karne lage ho’ the way she did, or how she walked away from a perfect relationship, it all makes sense once you sit and watch the gem of a film!

One particular scene which truly touched my heart was when Veer (Kartik) tells Randeep Hooda that things are not okay between the couple. While a concerned Randeep says he will try to talk to Zoe (Sara), Veer stops him and explains that she won’t really be herself if she returns to him because someone else asked her to. Things will only work out when she understands what she wants and deals with it herself, in her unique way. And isn’t that what love really is? Not changing someone but falling for who they actually are.

I have been a true blue fan of Kartik Aaryan for the longest time and watching him act is a delight. But this time, he left me speechless with his powerful, versatile performance. The people who think he can only recite monologues, kindly watch Love Aaj Kal! This guy is a star. Sara, on the other hand, is pretty perfect for this role and her conversations with the incredibly talented Randeep deserve your full attention. And can we take just a minute to admire her killer expressions and amazing outfits!

Randeep’s story was an important element of the film and initially I expected his character to be similar to Rishi Kapoor’s role in the 2009 movie. But I was in for a shock! He wasn’t telling Sara about all the amazing things you feel when you are in love. Randeep was actually trying to guide her so she doesn’t make the same mistakes he did. He wanted her to understand that people you love can’t be taken for granted! I can’t think of any other actor who could have done justice to the character the way he did.

My final verdict: Yes, the film is sometimes simple and sometimes extremely complex. But isn’t that exactly what life is? This Imtiaz Ali movie is real. It gives us a glimpse of how dysfunctional relationships in today’s generation can be. But also gives us hope of finding true love, without having to sacrifice our careers or real personalities! You don’t need someone like Veer in your life to complete it. You are more than enough. But if you do plan on sharing your life with someone, find a person who wants the full you- andar waali, bahar waali, career waali, family waali, FULL!

Just like Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone’s Tamasha, it took me a little extra time to understand Love Aaj Kal. But in the end, it truly became my guilty pleasure.