I Hate Luv Storys   Producer: Karan Johar Director: Punit Malhotra Starring: Imran Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Sameer Dattani, Samir Soni Music: Vishal-Shekhar Lyrics: Anvita Dutt, Kumaar, Vishal Genre: Comedy Recommended Audience: General Film Released on: 02 July 2010 Reviewed by: Ankit Ojha  - Rating: 7.0 / 10 More Reviews and Analysis by PB Critics:     • Feature Review by Amodini Sharma - Rating: 3.0 / 10   Let us know what you think about this review Music Review

Skepticism also arises in the form of Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor, whose last two efforts (Kidnap and Luck for Khan and Saawariya and Delhi-6 for Kapoor) have been box-office disasters with very few takers. What then should be the expectations for this film? Both Imran and Sonam desperately need a hit, and this may as well be one huge opportunity for them (remember the revival of the careers of Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan with Johar’s last production in Dostana?). Confiding in Johar and the quality of his cinema, I entered the cinema hall, awaiting the unexpected.

Before I go further with my review of the film, let’s quickly recap the synopsis of the film – Jay Dhingra, a snob who loves to call himself J (something about the J here too reminds me of Kites, but never mind), hates ‘love stories’ but Simran loves ‘love stories’. Fate brings J and Simran together when he has to work under her, managing properties for epic romance director Veer’s next saga. Their opposite thinking generates friction and slowly makes them friends. How they find their own true love story forms the crux of the film.

From the promos, what we expect is something different from other romantic comedies. Unfortunately, that’s not the case, and whilst being an intelligent spoof of many love stories in the past decade, you sense a dĂ©jĂ  vu every now and then.

But what pulls the movie down also brings it up in many places because at times with the whole essence of predictability you know that director Punit Malhotra is only trying to play with the whole idea of clichĂ©s. Regardless, the story falls flat like a Coke minus the fizz. Fortunately, the screenplay is so intelligently narrated it hooks the viewer with its very entertaining first half which flys by. The second half though is a sore point and there’s too much of weeping and depression, but what brings it up yet again is the serpentine and excellently narrated screenplay, which at least keeps the movie running at a smooth pace. Dialogues are pretty basic, but that is what ups the whole cool factor of the movie, with the characters not written like they’re epic, but normal and relatable.

Technically, the movie is terrific, with awesome music and even more awesome visuals to the music. Camerawork and cinematography nail it right on the head with terrific visuals, intelligently taken shots and lush locales. The movie boasts of some really good editing, which becomes almost invisible, thereby making it pretty stable as far as the movie goes. Color correction is excellent, and motion graphics for the opening titles are pretty decent.

If the predictability of the storyline is upped by its well-narrated screenplay (watch out for the idhar udhar ki baatein, vagaira vagaira scene; not telling you a lot about it – you’ve got to see it for yourself), the chemistry becomes a catalyst in the proceedings, thereby making it a sumptuous main course (even though there’s less salt). Imran Khan, as stated by the director of the film, “has the amazingly ‘cool’ body language; he can become a hero, and won’t look like one either.” Sonam is stunning and the simplistic, slightly real, performance as the madly-in-love-with-love performance she gives reminds her of the character Katrina Kaif played in Rajkumar Santoshi’s highly successful romantic comedy . The pair make for an excellent chemistry and this is what keeps the movie in motion, despite the partly clichĂ©d story. The upper hand, at the risk of repeating myself, is the refreshingly narrated screenplay, which will hook the youth and multiplex audience, with the clichĂ© being a trump card for a handful of single screen movie viewers.

Overall, though this Luv Story will have a mixed response from a handful of viewers, it is the youth that will lap this up considering the awesomely refreshing and sweeping chemistry of Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor and dollops of humor, intelligently narrated and decently packaged to make for addictive viewing for romance lovers, thereby making this an ideal date flick. Though the chemistry isn’t as powerful as the electrifying Ranbir-Katrina chemistry in recent months, it is certainly magnetic enough to pull you into the theaters and hook you till the end of the movie, making you root for them till the end.

Ultimately, luv it or hate it, luv storys like these cannot be ignored! After all, who doesn’t crave for an ideal date flick once in a while? Go watch it. Like Samir Soni says in the movie, “Forget everything and listen to me.” Well, not really, but this movie is worth at least a try!