Film Review: I HATE LUV STORYS

Cast: Imran Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Samir Soni, Sammir Dattani, Kavin Dave, Khusboo Shroff, Bruna Abdullah, Ketki Dave, Anju Mahendru, Shireesh Sharma, Aseem Tiwari

Writer & Director: Punit Malhotra

The Story: Jay’s (Imran Khan) parents are separated and live in Long Island. He has left home to pursue his dreams of becoming a Bollywood director. While he hates love stories, he works for Veer (Samir Soni), the most successful director of romantic films so as to have the experience on his CV. Simran (Sonam Kapoor) is an art director who believes that romance is the only way to live. She goes to work on Veer’s latest film and Jay becomes her assistant. Thus begins the chemistry between the opposite poles. While Simran is engaged to Raj (Sammir Dattani), the man of her dreams, DDLJ-style, she slowly but surely begins to fall for bad-boy Jay who befriends her. Jay is your typical Casanova who just wants to have fun. Simran and Raj are quite serious about their love life, even to the point of colour-coding their clothes. While Raj meets her every day with a white flower, he does not even know enough about Simran to realise that she hates white. Simran falls in love with Jay, but he does not believe in love. Will Ms. Romance get together with Mr. Romance or Mr. Bad-guy forms the rest of the story.

Our Perception: While the end is absolutely predictable, nothing else in the film is. To begin with, it is totally hilarious, the dialogues witty and keeps you hooked throughout. Every scene you believe you know what to expect in the next, only to be surprised at every turn.

Unlike Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om and Sajid Khan’s Housefull (also spoofs) this film spoofs most scenes from romantic flicks such as the famous DDLJ, Dil Chahta Hai and Hum Tum in a beautiful fashion. It’s been done so subtly and makes for a fun watch.

Imran Khan – I thought the actor was a one-film wonder after the flops like Luck and Kidnap. Well, I am glad to say that I was proved wrong. Imran Khan’s role as Jay has been executed extremely well. We have heard of actors’ eyes speaking volumes. Here, we get to see the actor’s eyebrows speaking. That’s right, you read right, Imran Khan’s eyebrows speak a lot. He was totally suited for the role and has done it with absolute ease.

Sonam Kapoor was good. I read a couple of reviews that said otherwise. But, she looks beautiful with a young and innocent face, best suited for this role. She has a stupid smile on her face most of the time but then the role demands it. She plays a girl who is always coochie cooing romance, what else can you expect? She looks good and acts good and considering that she is still on the threshold of her acting career, she has a long way to go. But this babe will go a long way in Bollywood and that’s for sure. I sincerely look forward to seeing her in Aisha along with Abhay Deol.

Samir Soni as director Veer was very good in his role. So was Sammir Dattani as Raj. In fact, the casting overall was perfect with each actor playing his/her role to perfection.

The hot babe Bruna Abdullah as Giselle sizzles the screen with her presence in a few scenes that are worth a mention.

That’s one big Congratulations! to first-time director Punit Malhotra for giving us a wonderful, time-pass film with good actors doing their roles just right.

Verdict: If you go to the theatres to acquire gyaan, then this is not your film. If you see movies just to have fun and be entertained, then don’t miss this one. I am glad I did not.

Rating: ****Snazzy

* Silly

** Shaky

*** Smart

**** Snazzy

***** Super