Movie Review: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

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Movie Review: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil       Release: October 28th 2016

Director: Karan Johar                               Genre: Romantic Drama

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is this Diwali’s “masala” film – love, laughter,  romance and tears. The story is about an aspiring singer and MBA student, Ayan, who falls in love with a happy-go-lucky girl, Alizeh (Anushka Sharma) on a European adventure. Alizeh, however, doesn’t love him back –  she’s still in love with her ex, DJ Ali (Fawad Khan). The story questions, can a guy and girl be “just friends”? Can you fall in love again if you’ve been in love before? What is it like to love somebody who will never love you back?

The positives:

  1. The return of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. If this is the only reason you go see this movie, it’s worth it. She’s hot, beautiful, and sexy all in one. She plays a divorcee who is ready to entice you with her Urdu “shayari.”
  1. Exceptional acting by Ranbir, Anushka, and Fawad – this was quite possibly one of their best performances so far. The excellent chemistry on-screen makes their characters so convincing.
  1. The soundtrack by Arijit Singh and Pritam Chakraborty is definitely a strong suit of this movie. My favorites were: “Break Up Dance,” “Channa Mereya” and “Bulleya.” Here’s the link to the full video playlist, with some behind the scenes shots!
  1. Special appearances! Some of Karan Johar’s favorites will surprise you!

The negatives:

  1. The drag. The first half keeps you entertained pretty well, but you’re often wondering…where is the twist? If it weren’t for Aish’s appearance in the second half, I probably could have been happy just watching the first half of the movie.
  1. The ending. Quite possibly one of the poorest endings I’ve seen in a Karan Johar movie…completely irrelevant and inconsistent with the rest of the storyline. I can’t give this away so you’ll just have to see for yourself!
  1. Warning: this is a tear-jerker for sure. Whether that’s a good or bad thing for you, plan on bringing a few tissues!

On the whole, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is this year’s romantic drama that has Karan Johar’s love life written all over it. If you’re a fan of his type of movie, or want to see Aish on the big screen, then definitely check it out in theater. Otherwise, leave it to watch for a date night at home.

Fun Facts: Did you know this is Aishwarya’s first time starring in a Karan Johar film?

Summary:

Acting: 4/5
Story: 3/5
Costumes: 3/5
Choreography: 3/5
Sets/Filming Location: 3/5
Songs: 5/5
Eye Candy: 4/5
Length of Movie: 2/5
Overall: *** (3/5) or 6/10

Rated: R (not suitable for children under 17)

Key:
* = flop, don’t even bother
** = time pass, you’ll live if you don’t see it
*** = worth a watch
**** = A hit, see it in the theater!
***** = Bollywood Blockbuster

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Bollywood Movie Previews – Fall 2014

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Let’s be honest…the Bollywood film industry gave us a pretty boring summer 2014. There were very few decent films or blockbuster releases. Not to worry though…there are a handful of potential “hits” with big name actors coming out in the next few months. Here is a glimpse!

Film: Mary Kom
Genre: Drama
Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Minakkshi Kalitaa
Director: Omung Kumar
Production: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Release date: September 5th, 2014

“Mary Kom”, is based on the true story about the Indian Boxer and Olympic Bronze medalist Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom. Priyanka Chopra plays Mary Kom in this much-awaited Sanjay Leela Bhansali production. The movie depicts Mary Kom’s struggles of life and her journey in pursuit of her passion: boxing. “Mary Kom” Trailer!

 

Film: Finding Fanny
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia, with Ranveer Singh in cameo role.
Director: Homi Adajania
Production: Maddock Films/Fox Star Studios
Release date: September 12th, 2014

Now this looks like an entertaining one – an off-beat light-hearted comedy story about five oddballs who set out to Goa to find Stefanie Fernandes (Fanny). Throughout their journey, they discover love and friendship in one another. This is an English short-film you don’t want to miss! The director, Homi Adajania, is well known for his films “Cocktail” and “Being Cyrus.” “Finding Fanny” Trailer

 

Film: Happy New Year (HNY)
Genre: Action-Comedy
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachan, Boman Irani, Vivaan Shah, Sonu Sood, Sarah-Jane Dias and Jackie Shroff. Possible cameo appearance: Prabhu Deva and Malaika Arora Khan
Director: Farah Khan
Producer: Gauri Khan Production: Red Chilles Entertainment Pvt.
Release date: October 23, 2014

Get ready for this “masala” film with a stellar cast, releasing Diwali 2014! Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone return as co-stars once again after their blockbusters “Chennai Express” and “Om Shanti Om”. Judging from the trailer, this seems to be a story about con-artists and bank robberies (quite the common theme). With Farah Khan as the director, we can expect some much-needed Bollywood ‘naach-gaana’ flare!
“Happy New Year” Trailer