Planet Bollywood
Bachna Ae Haseeno
 
Producer: Yash Raj Films
Director: Siddarth Anand
Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Bipasha Bashu, and Minissha Lamba
Music: Vishal & Shekhar
Lyrics: Anvita Dutt Guptan
Genre: Romantic
Recommended Audience: Parental Guidance
Approximate Running Time: 2 hrs 30 min
Film Released on: 15 August 2008
Reviewed by: Aakash Gandhi  - Rating: 7.0 / 10
More Reviews and Analysis by PB Critics:
    • Feature Review by Lidia Ostepeev - Rating: 5.5 / 10
 
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Public Rating Average: 5.11 / 10 (rated by 410 viewers)
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After a couple of disappointments this year with Tashan and Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic, Yash Raj Films tries it again with the youthfully crafted BACHNA AE HASEENO. Director Siddharth Raj Anand tries to improve upon his previous mediocrity of Salaam-Namaste (2005) and Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007). Headlining the star-cast are Ranbir Kapoor, Minissha Lamba, Bipasha Basu, and Deepika Padukone. Needless to say, expectations are gargantuan.

Aditya Chopra's story is a novel one – Playboy Raj Sharma (Ranbir Kapoor) is a non-romantic, a player so to speak, who preys on the vulnerable emotions of girls who fall victim to his false charm and hollow antics, eventually repenting his wrongdoings and seeks forgiveness. First it's Mahi (Minissha Lamba) in Switzerland, then it's Radhika (Bipasha Basu) in Mumbai, and then Gayatri (Deepika Padukone) in Sydney; three stories that span twelve years. However, things are reversed with Gayatri, as it's Raj who's on the short end of that relationship. Gayatri's rejection brings back memories of what Raj had once done to Mahi and Radhika. This sparks a spiritual awakening, as he vows to go back and make amends with the women he's wronged.

The film is absolutely gorgeous in the first half. Told through an episodic structure of three sub-plots, YRF finally stumble on a realization – it's clear that their previous uni-story films were lacking punch...perhaps melting three romantic (or lack thereof) tales together would be enough to satisfy the demands of one quality film. Lucky for them, it does!

The opening tale between Mahi is a hilarious spoof on YRF's cult classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge. Raj's sarcastic glow is a treat to watch, as his character has been written effectively and believably. The fact that Mahi falls in love after just one day is slightly hard to understand. But luckily the script provides enough insight into Mahi's obsession with DDLJ's Raj to the point where we can make sense of her love-blind gestures.


Flash forward to 2002, seven years later, and Raj is still the same playboy who is now in a live-in relationship with girlfriend Radhika, played convincingly by Bipasha Basu. The writers are on their A game once again while writing this episode. From the initial acquaintance to Raj's failed attempts at side-stepping his impending marital doom (no pun intended), the dialogue is fresh, the sequences are new, and the results are pure entertainment!

2007, Sydney – Raj finally falls in love. It's none other than real-life girlfriend Deepika Padukone who pleasantly surprises with her candid and confident portrayal of Gayatri. Of the three women, it's Deepika's Gayatri who stands out the most, since we rarely see a female character so rooted in confidence, independence, and at times forward bluntness. Yet again, the screenplay does not bore. Aditya Chopra and his team of writers wrap up all three episodes with sincerity and most importantly – an engaging, quick-paced, and enjoyable first half.

Post-interval, the film hits a few speed bumps. However, it's nice to see that the film seems to be created with the intention of sending a moral message to the audiences – it's never too late to right the wrongs you've committed. And as soon as Raj decides he wants to go back and ask forgiveness from Mahi and Radhika, I knew the writers would have a difficult time with the treatment of the subject from the perspectives of Mahi and Radhika.

Nevertheless, the film doesn't fall-off too much. In the case of both girls, I find it very unbelievable that both characters were so deeply affected by Raj's violations that it scarred them for the rest of their lives. Please! Are the characters that one-dimensional? Of the two events, it's his encounter with Radhika which seems to have a hollow script, as she comes off as confused and awkward in her struggle to decide whether to forgive him or not.


Perhaps the weakest point in the film is the climax. After outwardly rejecting Raj, he returns to Sydney six months later to discover letters from Gayatri professing her new-found love for him. Hello? Where's the insight into this woman's emotions? Perhaps this is the most detrimental pitfall for any scriptwriter – one-dimensional characters who have no life outside of the frame.

Despite these setbacks, the film, thanks to its impressive first hour, still manages to hold your attention throughout. Siddharth Raj Anand without question directs the best film of his career, successfully squeezing the most out of a very young and inexperienced cast. Dialogue by Anvita Dutt Guptan is a delight. Devika Bhagat's screenplay deserves mention as well, as not only did she write a great first half, but the second half could have easily become overtly predictable. Editing by Ritesh Soni is very smooth and effective. Technically, the highlight of this piece of work is Cinematographer Sunil Patel, who captures each frame, each local with majestic beauty. The film really comes alive, especially in the foreign locales.

Music by Vishal-Shekhar is quite OK. Khuda Jaane, Bachna Ae Haseeno, and Ahista Ahista are the three most enjoyable, with Khuda Jaane flourishing on screen. However, it's the background track of the title number that plays throughout which is the real treat in the music department.

Ranbir Kapoor is phenomenal, as he puts a whole new spin on YRF's love affair with the character of Raj. A complete turnaround from his character in Saawariya, this proves that the guy can act with versatility. It's clear he's a romantic at heart, but he's not a half bad sarcastic comedian either. Kudos to Ranbir for single-handedly raising this film's enjoyment level two-fold!

Call me a sucker, but I've been a fan of Minissha Lamba from the moment she walked into the frame of the much under-rated film Yahaan (2005). Physically reminiscent of Preity Zinta, her oh-so slight lisp mixed with her dead-on facial expressions make for the perfect Mahi, a wide-eyed dreamer and love-struck romantic. Despite the slight flaws in her written character, she delivers another outstanding performance alongside Ranbir.

Bipasha Basu fits Radhika's ambiance appropriately. Although I've had major issues with her emotional deliveries in the past, she seems to have greatly improved, as her mannerisms were subtle, yet evident. I feel for Bipasha in her second appearance during Raj's forgiveness rendezvous, since it's clear her character was quite confused. Nevertheless, she is still able to salvage Radhika in the eyes of the viewers.

I am a Padukone skeptic. I personally found her performance in OSO distasteful, but she creeps up with a pleasing presentation as the confident, independent, and slightly stuck-up cab driver Gayatri. Only if her character wasn't written so poorly during the climax, it would have greatly added to Gayatri's impact on the film.

BACHNA AE HASEENO may not have completely lived up to all the hype. Yet, it is a truly enjoyable film – one that doesn't necessarily require you to β€œswitch your mind off.” Although stories apart, the film can still be placed in the same category as Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na for its fresh treatment and youthful spirit. YRF deserve credit for making BAH, especially after suffering a heavy drought with the critics and the BO. There's still some life in the big giant...


Aakash Gandhi is Managing Editor and Senior Writer for Planet Bollywood. He also freelances with the Asian Variety Show at avstv.com.

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