Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai   Producer: Harry and Pammi Baweja Director: Hansal Mehta Starring: Prashant Chianani, Aamir Ali Malik, Vaibhav Yash Raj Vir, Tarun Anand, Deepti Daryanani, Payal Rohatgi, Punar Nava and Samita Bangargi Music: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy Lyrics: Javed Akhtar Genre: Comedy Recommended Audience: Parental Guidance Film Released on: 11 October 2002 Reviewed by: Rakesh Budhu  - Rating: 7.0 / 10   Let us know what you think about this review Music Review

Cinema´s directors are privy to a change now and then. With Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai, Hansal Mehta has changed tracks from thought provoking cinema to that which demands that you leave your brains and thoughts at home. After several critically successful directorial ventures, Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai is at the very least a blunder in Mehta´s career. This is more than likely due to the fact that while it may appear that little is required to make a successful young sex comedy film, Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai is quite the example of the opposite. Several loop holes and unwanted blunders are commonly placed which break the pace from what it has intended. Whilst we would have liked to leave our brains at home, some portions beg to ask us to include it and think the occurrences are logical. Still, the majority of the film keeps the high spirit -remember the good old days- feeling alive. Don´t expect a Dil Chahta Hai or that cohesive knot between presenting a rivetingly upbeat story and a good film as well, it´s not here. For an above average decent timepass and a few laughs, that Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai will give you.

As promoted, the film takes moderate inspiration from American Pie, and that itself is a major blunder. There is possibly no way to transfer a smut ridden, vulgarly implying (yet highly entertaining) Hollywood screenplay as that from American Pie to Indian Cinema. Yet, they have tried. Four young men Jhonny (Yash Pandit), Rahul (Aamir Ali Malik), Ranjit (Prashant Chianani) and Bunty (Vaibhav Jhalani) are entering their final year of college. As they realize that this is their last year before true adulthood they make the decision that they can´t go into the real world without having sex at least once. The four females whom their eyes are set upon to do so are Preiti (Deepti Daryanani), Anu (Samita Bangargi), Esha (Payal Rohatgi) and Stella (Punanarva Mehta).

This young group is faced with a number of dilemmas all underlied with the one goal of deciding to sleep with each other. Jhonny is in love with an older woman Stella, who is a teacher. Esha has a big attitude which doesn´t do well for Ranjit who believes there is no one in this world better than her, Bunty can´t find his true love and Rahul is too clumsy to find any girl, yet alone the one whom he will eventually sleep with. Throw in the situations that call for flirting, the parties, the snotty girls, the mandatory villians and the close but not close enough occurrences and the end approaches.

Is lajja in question here? No. None of the stories are presented in any provocative manners nor does the script or film for that matter get close to the blue filmish lines of Ek Chottisi Love Story. The idea of sleeping with the females are thankfully refrained to humor and fun barring one sequence, and Hansal Mehta has done a good job with keeping such a controversial topic as sex refrained to the background even though it is the main point of the film. Hansal has also done a good job with other portions of the film, and does deserve applaud for at least attempting the film albeit unsuccessfully. The four young men´s tales, though at times familiar from other Indian films, are given the right screen times and conclusion sequences. Even if cliched, he has framed the film appropriately. With signs of brilliance in his previous works, however, Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai sees him entering a territory a little too unserious.

The film, however, carries itself extremely well. Despite the regular and obvious flaws, the young newcomers are entertaining in laid back debuts and are very fun to watch. At times refreshing even, when other stars try too hard. Hansal must have had an acting 101 with them to at least give them a decent debut as such. Even though they are many to count, and are relatively left to do fun and fanatics, which means little radiance of superb talent, they are undoubtedly watchable, even a second time around.

Along with some delightful music from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, the technical credits are also eye pleasing. They keep up with the mood of the film and its many greatly entertaining numbers. Most, if not all of the songs leave an impression on the viewer.

Suparn Verma, who is Hansal Mehta´s writer for a number of upcoming films has scored on the many humor scenes and one liners but when the change from laughs to logic comes in it is sometimes hard to stomach the transition. Were the film entirely based on the hilarious sequences the film would have carried itself a little better. Yet, the overall focus still remains in tact and his pairing with Hansal Mehta again has proven that neatly paced films are always a notch better than your typical Bollywood flick.

Though not as perfect as his previous endeavors, Hansal Mehta´s Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai is not as bad as other attempts at teenage cinema and certainly better than N. Chandra´s Style. A few laughs are guaranteed and great tunes are also reason enough to give Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai much more viability than recent Bollywood disappointments. Though the statement proves only partially true, Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai is a film where you should leave your brain at homes and enjoy its ability to provide some light on the senses entertainment.