Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Movie Review: Ranbir is the only saving grace in this Rockstar marries Kuch Kuch Hota Hai-esque film

It is the sheer good fortune of Karan Johar that his leading man is such a fabulous actor. And it is Ranbir Kapoor’s sheer misfortune that he hardly ever gets a character or a film that gives him what he deserves – a well-rounded, crackling story he can have fun with. There’s no doubt that Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is all heart but that necessarily doesn’t translate into a solid story, without which even the sturdiest of movies can go limp. It is baffling how someone like KJo who has redefined romance in Bollywood has got something as elementary as casting wrong. Anushka Sharma is a good actress but she isn’t Alizeh. It is hard to buy that Ranbir falls so deeply in love with her that even till the end, he doesn’t let it go. His love story in the film begins on shaky ground and despite, RK holding it hard, it crashes soon into the film.

The narrative follows the story of two friends – Ayan and Alizeh. They are playmates, they complete each other’s sentences, twin souls but is that love? Alizeh says it is but that’s not the same as Aashiqui. She has a man, a past she is head over heels in love with. He isn’t her soulmate but that’s man she wants to marry. Karan Johar is definitely out of his Pyaar dosti hai zone. But adhuri prem kahanis are still not his stronghold.

In total, there are three scenes in the film that’ll blow your mind – Channa Mereya, the anthem of unrequited love is smashing. The wedding sequence breaks your heart. As silent tears roll down from Ranbir’s eyes, you just want to give the guy a hug. The second scene, features Aishwarya, Shah Rukh and Ranbir. Oh, man. Not many can create the magic of Shah Rukh Khan. His dimpled smile, eyes seething with rage, harmless jealousy, hidden wrath, angst, pain – all in just five minutes. He managed to display an array of emotions, more than most actors do in an entire lifetime. And finally, the one where Ranbir realizes that the love of his life can never reciprocate his feelings in the quantum he expects her to. He breaks down only to pick up the pieces of his shattered heart to begin anew.

Ranbir is pretty much the binding factor of the plot. Well, that’s how Karan has designed it. The first half is all about bantering, peppered with laughs. But you get a sense that Karan isn’t attempting treading a new territory in this film. Is he bolder than ever before? Probably in just a few scenes – the most striking one is where Saba (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) asks Alizeh (Anushka Sharma) why she never fell in love with Ayan (Ranbir Kapoor). Long silences and eyes doing the speaking as their soiree ends in truths being unraveled – makes it practically the most memorable scene of the film.

But that’s all ADHM is about besides the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who looks spectacular. Like a dream! And we run the risk of getting vandalized but Fawad Khan’s charming smile casts a spell.

Besides all this, the director’s heavy self-referencing is annoying (maybe a little adorable for his fans). The Kuch Kuch Hota Music, the dialogues (I don’t like jokes, I don’t like you), the beautiful song Lagg Ja Galey that he famously used in Bombay Talkies, the background score of Kal Ho Na Ho. We love your past films, Karan but can we have something new now? Frankly, in its dull parts, ADHM is a snoozefest. The first half is a bunch of lame jokes between you and your best friend, taped and replayed. Fun once, but it’s a regular Saturday night show right out of your living room for which you don’t need to make a trip to the theatre. The heartbreak lecture by Anushka had the vatavaran of Kumud Mishra’s speech from Rockstar; we have seen it all – about dukh, dard and how you won’t be gobbling samosas when your heart breaks, with the same actor. Of course, we didn’t go in hoping for novelty. But we hoped for a good film and this doesn’t count as one, for sure,

Ranbir is the only element that renders some authenticity to this otherwise superficial film. Colloquially speaking, he plays a guy friend-zoned to epic measures. But he does make it look like he is shattered, even though the writing doesn’t support much. Anushka is bubbly, vivacious but she and Ranbir have no chemistry which is what hold you from investing in her. We guess, some shabby editing too played mischief here.

As a Diwali hamper, it is passable. You laugh at the jokes, you cry a little. The music is great. If you don’t mind watching Rockstar marries Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and has a child named Fault in your stars in two-and-a-half hours, then you can watch Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. This Diwali, it is the less ridiculous of the two releases.

We are going with a generous 45% on the Pinkvilla Movie Meter.

P.S: Plays the breakup song We are celebrating heartbreaks till your next film.