Student Of The Year

Cast: Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Rishi Kapoor
Director: Karan Johar

You know what happens with films like 'Heroine', 'Aiyaa', 'SOTY', you cannot deny them, but at the same time you can't even accept them whole heartedly. Resultantly, the review also comes in spurts :(

In 'SOTY', Karan Johar got so neck deep involved in casting, sculpting (their bodies) and dressing (again their bodies), that he got completely distracted with script and direction. Neither friendship, nor competition, the two core emotions of the film were portrayed even half-properly!

The film is a cross over between 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' and 'Kal Ho Na Ho'. Meaning to say that the story is kind of based upon the former and the casting and presentation has a big time hangover of the latter. Its like reincarnation of Shah Rukh as Siddharth, Saif as Varun and Preity as Alia! Between the heroes, Siddharth is a better looker (even a faint resemblance of Brad Pitt!) and Varun is a better actor. If there was any real acting in the film, then it was done by Rishi Kapoor, who has played the character of the Dean (gay) of the School with the right touch of fun required for such films. His brooch collection is to die for. TV stalwarts Ronit and Ram (with wife Gautami) are also there. Gautami’s strong and silent acting somewhere reminds you of Jaya Bachchan. Musicwise 'Radha' song is typical KJ stuff i.e. good to hear, well choreographed and with very good designer wear. It will be a hit in parties.

The whole movie is like a big eye candy without any impactful scene. The guest appearance by Kajol in a dance sequence, was the most powerful star presence that I could detect in the entire film! It seems that you need to belong to the 'right' age group to make such movies and KJ has moved past that. Indecisiveness, passion, short term goals and haste of adolescents is not easy to portray forever. No wonder Yash Chopra is a legend with love stories because he has been able to capture and re-capture the beautiful emotion of love across multiple generations.