When the creator of the inimitable and unforgettable Andaz Apna Apna ventures to beat the 'Davids' & Goliaths of Bollywood's Comedy genre at their own game, one needs to take RajKumar Santoshi seriously. With 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' (APKGK), Santoshi achieves what most have failed at – a fresh comedy with humour that is actually funny. Not that APKGK is flawless but there are more laughable scenes and dialogues than many comedies of recent times put together and for that, the movie is a wholesome entertainer. It does come with weird, inexplicable moments of unnecessary action, drama and slapstick and there is always scope for better comedy in those scenes but in the end, the dialogues, performances and several scenes make it an almost 'Ghazab' kahani.
Prem(Ranbir Kapoor) is the President of a Happy Club founded with his friends in a little town like Ooty to help estranged lovers and helpless souls. His encounter with the beautiful Jenny (Katrina Kaif) starts out as a riotous mix up that leads to him falling for her (literally, at times). This love story is partly sweet, partly cheesy but overall very refreshing because of the amazing chemistry of the duo that seems completely at home in their comic avatars. The movie will make you giggle, chuckle and even laugh your ass of as Prem attempts to win Jenny's heart. Enter Upen Patel
One big problem with APKGK is its casting. Most actors would live just to act in RajKumar Santoshi's comedy film but he decided to cast Upen Patel out of all people. This guy still cannot speak fluently and can barely stand straight. One can think of at least 43 actors who could've done so much better than him. Govind Namdeo as his father is also typecast as either a wicked policeman or a crooked politician. This time his role takes away the humour from the film. Darshan Jariwala as Prem's father is very impressive and his dialogue delivery at times elevates a simple humorous scene to make it memorable. Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous in the simplest of outfits and she is more comfortable smiling, laughing and crying than many actresses who struggle with it. Her dialogue delivery has improved considerably, thus augmenting the chemistry with her hero. Ranbir Kapoor has enjoyed this film. One can see that he doesn't need to act as his character most of the time. He is a natural actor in that sense, much like his father and this film establishes him, yet again as the finest of his generation. His comic timing is super and it would really be a treat to watch him perform with veteran actors in more funny movies.
Pritam's musical score rocks again. This time, he combines the distinct talents of Jaaved Ali, Neeraj Shridhar, KK, Hard Kaur and Atif Aslam in a soundtrack with different moods and themes. Jaaved Ali in a romantic Aa Jao Meri Tamanna, Hard Kaur in Follow Me with Ranbir's eccentric dancing, KK in Main Tera Dhadkan Teri at his usual best, Neeraj in a rather funny Prem ki Naiya, Atif Aslam & Alisha Chinoy in the marvelous Tera Hone Laga Hoon and a solo by Atif in a soulful Tu Jaane na shot in spectacular locales of Turkey while the rest of the film was shot in Goa. Santoshi does that . Remember he shot Pukar on a set and took the actors to the glaciers of Alaska for one song .
In terms of noteworthy flaws, a recurring problem that is noticed is the amateur editing. The scenes jump from one sequence to another without transition or meaning. Some inane sequences drag longer than they should and drama overpowers the subtlety. Santoshi too is to be blamed for the witless opening sequence, the climax action that is reminiscent of Andaz Apna Apna but nowhere even close, the ridiculous sporadic action sequences and the inapt casting.
Yet, APKGK is worth watching for the numerous scenes and dialogues that are fresh in flavor, witty in humour and enjoyable due to some fine performances mainly by Ranbir, Katrina and Jariwala. While one tries to recollect the previous funny one liner while watching the film, another one just pops up and believe it or not . that is rare in movies these days .
Prem(Ranbir Kapoor) is the President of a Happy Club founded with his friends in a little town like Ooty to help estranged lovers and helpless souls. His encounter with the beautiful Jenny (Katrina Kaif) starts out as a riotous mix up that leads to him falling for her (literally, at times). This love story is partly sweet, partly cheesy but overall very refreshing because of the amazing chemistry of the duo that seems completely at home in their comic avatars. The movie will make you giggle, chuckle and even laugh your ass of as Prem attempts to win Jenny's heart. Enter Upen Patel
One big problem with APKGK is its casting. Most actors would live just to act in RajKumar Santoshi's comedy film but he decided to cast Upen Patel out of all people. This guy still cannot speak fluently and can barely stand straight. One can think of at least 43 actors who could've done so much better than him. Govind Namdeo as his father is also typecast as either a wicked policeman or a crooked politician. This time his role takes away the humour from the film. Darshan Jariwala as Prem's father is very impressive and his dialogue delivery at times elevates a simple humorous scene to make it memorable. Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous in the simplest of outfits and she is more comfortable smiling, laughing and crying than many actresses who struggle with it. Her dialogue delivery has improved considerably, thus augmenting the chemistry with her hero. Ranbir Kapoor has enjoyed this film. One can see that he doesn't need to act as his character most of the time. He is a natural actor in that sense, much like his father and this film establishes him, yet again as the finest of his generation. His comic timing is super and it would really be a treat to watch him perform with veteran actors in more funny movies.
Pritam's musical score rocks again. This time, he combines the distinct talents of Jaaved Ali, Neeraj Shridhar, KK, Hard Kaur and Atif Aslam in a soundtrack with different moods and themes. Jaaved Ali in a romantic Aa Jao Meri Tamanna, Hard Kaur in Follow Me with Ranbir's eccentric dancing, KK in Main Tera Dhadkan Teri at his usual best, Neeraj in a rather funny Prem ki Naiya, Atif Aslam & Alisha Chinoy in the marvelous Tera Hone Laga Hoon and a solo by Atif in a soulful Tu Jaane na shot in spectacular locales of Turkey while the rest of the film was shot in Goa. Santoshi does that . Remember he shot Pukar on a set and took the actors to the glaciers of Alaska for one song .
In terms of noteworthy flaws, a recurring problem that is noticed is the amateur editing. The scenes jump from one sequence to another without transition or meaning. Some inane sequences drag longer than they should and drama overpowers the subtlety. Santoshi too is to be blamed for the witless opening sequence, the climax action that is reminiscent of Andaz Apna Apna but nowhere even close, the ridiculous sporadic action sequences and the inapt casting.
Yet, APKGK is worth watching for the numerous scenes and dialogues that are fresh in flavor, witty in humour and enjoyable due to some fine performances mainly by Ranbir, Katrina and Jariwala. While one tries to recollect the previous funny one liner while watching the film, another one just pops up and believe it or not . that is rare in movies these days .
- 7.99 on a scale of 1-10.