Bachna Ae Hasseno

Does the United States government keep alien spaceships at Area 51? There might not be enough evidence to validate that. But there is enough evidence to validate that Yash Raj banner should take a break from associating themselves with any more movies. After a series of flamboyant catastrophes like Neil & Nikki, Tashan, Todha Pyaar Thoada magic, it’s Bachna Ae Haseeno.

However, watching Ranbir Kapoor was like being under the influence of anesthesia. The pain was numbed to large degrees. The movie is shot in breathtaking locals of Zurich, Italy & Australia. At times I felt the dazzling outdoor was so mesmerizing, that the actors easily disappeared into the background.

The long and short of it - Don Juan Kapoor (Ranbir) meets Mahi (Minissha) on the U rail. Mahi, like most of us, is suffering from ‘Simran-ness’ an incurable phenomenon that defies explanation – DDLJ and is constantly on the lookout for the perfect love story. Her story progresses as she meets Raj, they miss the train to Zurich, sing a song and she falls in love. However, when she accidentally overhears him spinning tales (to his friends) of his imaginary manhood and the time they spent together, she realizes his pyaar was jhoota and that’s how Mahi ka dil toota.

Couple of years down the line, enter Radhika (Bipasha), an upcoming model/heroine who is romanced by Raj but is left stranded & soaking in a shaadi ka joda and mehndi on the steps of the marriage registrar’s office. Radhika ne manga sindoor but Raj bhag chukka tha bahut duur.

By now my anesthesia is wearing off and I can start to feel the pain.

Australia, taxis and Gayatri is what Raj meets next. She’s (Deepika) independent, educated, drives a taxi by night and works at a super mart by day to support her masters. She doesn’t believe in love or marriage but wears beautiful outfits and sings songs at the 12 Apostles. When Raj finally falls in love which up till now was just a game, Gayatri wants none of it and walks away, oh what a shame!

Hurting, he realizes, jab dil toot ta hai to hota hai dard, phir woh koi aurat ho ya mard!
Up until now, his character must have thrown up a few names in your head, but none of them ever come back to apologize for breaking your heart. That’s when he begins to differ from all those guys you met while growing up. He tracks down Mahi but before her we meet her husband Joginder (Kunal Kapoor). Yaara menu Papajis badde sone lagne lagge hai.

Apologizing will not be as easy as ringing a door bell. But Raj has to bring back Mahi’s faith in love, in romance, in goodness, in her marriage, everything she believed in before that fatal day. It’s a movie and he succeeds.

Next, Radhika. How do you ask for forgiveness from someone you stranded at the altar? You don’t. You can only be forgiven if the person decides to become a bigger human being. It’s rare. But it’s also a movie, and he returns successful back to Australia.

By now Gayatri has written hundreds of letters, which he finds in his apartment, confessing a change in her opinion on marriage and love. Thank god, because by now I’m ready to scream! Predictable? Just like the ending.

The music helped though, Vishal and Shekhar have done a good job with recreating the title track ‘Bachna Ae Hasseeno’. Other songs like ‘Ahista Ahista’ and ‘Khuda Jaane’ gave me a reason to forgive.