Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producers: Farhan Akhtar & Ritesh Sidhwani
Screenplay: Zoya Akhtar & Reema Kagti
Story: Zoya Akhtar & Reema Kagti
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif, Kalki Koechlin, Naseeruddin Shah (special appearance)
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Cinematography: Carlos Catalan
Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) is a film that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. It is also about living life as if there’s no tomorrow. But the director keeps it all real and the film can be termed as ‘a slice of life’ as the characters aren’t heroes but normal human beings on a trip which would change their outlook on life.
ZNMD is a film that also deals with overcoming personal fears: it showcases the sheer beauty of several locations and their deep connection to the characters’ state of mind.
The plot sees Abhay’s Kabir getting engaged to Kalki’s Natasha, but before they get married he wants a bachelor party — a road trip through Spain with his bestest of friends, Imran (Farhan Akhtar) and Arjun (Hrithik Roshan). The film progresses and the jaunt to Spain turns out not to be just a trip — it is a journey of the soul and finding oneself in the midst of all the thought-provoking scenes.
All the young men have their own phobias, but they are bound by an agreement sealed between the friends that no matter what the task, all of them have to do it. So they are compelled to overcome the odds through acts of courage that change their lives forever.
The adventures that they encounter bring them closer together while making them realise the true meaning of life and how to spend it: it’s not always about making sensible decisions but about doing things that make one happy.
Kabir’s family runs a construction company and he’s afraid of commitment; Imran is a copywriter who is a poet in his spare time but has trouble with personal issues; Arjun’s a stockbroker who lives in the UK and has an obsession with money. Through it all, Katrina Kaif is a deep-sea diving instructor that the three meet during their adventure in Spain.
Zoya Akhtar, with her distinct feminine touch, brings a delightful lightness to the scenes and loads of witty dialogues, making the plot of ZNMD brilliantly refreshing. The performances and the chemistry that the three men share is also fantastic. Farhan Akhtar is outstanding playing the role of a funny guy, Abhay Deol is a natural like always while Hrithik Roshan’s character is shown to be complex-natured and the actor pulls it off really well.
Hrithik and Katrina have teamed up for the first time in ZNMD and their on-screen chemistry is the talk of the town. The music is a blend of Spanish and Indian with the song Senorita standing out. What makes it good is that all the leading men have sung it themselves, and a deserving mention here of the film’s cinematographer Carlos Catalan for capturing Spain’s landscape and scenery in a breathtaking manner and in true travelogue fashion.
Overall, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a family entertainer. It takes the light-hearted tone of a fun, boys’ road trip through to give you a deep and truly heartfelt message. Meant to be watched with friends and family, ignore the fact that its opening sequence is strongly reminiscent of The Hangover.
-With dawn.com input