Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

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Back in 2001, Farhan Akthar’s “Dil Chahta Hai” surprised audiences with its complex, overarching themes associated with friendship, love, and life. The film became a trendsetter for future ultra-modern, urban, coming-of-age movies in Bollywood. Ten years since its release, the film’s framework has been copied numerous times. Indeed, it is impossible not to compare any new movie about a group of friends embarking on a life-changing journey to “Dil Chahta Hai.” Among many other movies based on the same theme, “Rang De Basanti” (2006), “Rock On!” (2008), and “3 Idiots” (2009) have successfully implemented Farhan Akthar’s formula by bringing together unique characters and stories. Almost a decade later, Akthar’s sister, Zoya Akthar, directs another movie on this theme: 2011’s “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” (“Won’t Get Life Back Again” in Hindi). The film stars Hrithik Roshan (“Kites,” “Jodhaa Akbar”), Abhay Deol (“Road, Movie,” “Dev. D”), Farhan Akhtar (“Rock On!,” “Luck by Chance”), and Katrina Kaif (“Tees Mar Khan”).

The film begins with Kabir (Abhay Deol) proposing to this girlfriend, Natasha (Kalki Koechlin). Soon to be married, Kabir along with his close buddies, Arjun (Hrithik Roshan) and Imran (Farhan Akhtar), decide to go for a bachelor trip to Spain. This is something they planned from their college days. Finding a way out from his busy work schedule, Arjun decides to join Kabir and Imran for the trip. Finally, all together, they begin their road trip to Spain, visiting three cities: Costa Brava, Seville, and Pamplona. In Costa Brava, they meet an Indian girl, Laila (Katrina Kaif), who happens to be their diving instructor. Seeing an opportunity, Arjun and Imran flirt with Laila. Meanwhile, Natasha suspects something between Kabir and Laila and soon travels to Spain to ruin Kabir’s bachelor party. After Natasha leaves, their next stop is Seville, where the group indulges in skydiving. Finally, their trip ends in Pamplona, where all three participate in the deadly bull-run event.

The plot feels like been-there-done-that, but it’s the characters that inject life into the old formula. The youthful, joyous energy is captured in an entertaining and meaningful way. Zoya Akhtar’s tone is distinctive, because she uses comedy sequences as a veneer to present deeper issues building in the lives of the characters.  In addition, while there is not much going on story-wise, the film uses the journey as a metaphor to discover one’s inner self and to enjoy life to its fullest. More than anything else, the movie is solely about the characters, and the story becomes rather secondary. The characters are confronted with several realistic situations, and their responses are instrumental in developing the characters even further. The script develops mini plots at each location, infusing youthful energy and symbolism into the relationships. What’s more, this approach makes the characters remarkably distinct and instantly likeable.

Director Zoya Akhtar right from the start makes us aware of differences that exist between the characters. In the opening segment, we hear about Kabir’s personality and his good qualities from his friend. Kabir’s personal trait becomes evident when the group decides to go scuba diving. Kabir is like water, as he takes the shape of a container without much resistance. His relationship to Natasha is similar to the relationship that exists between a vessel and water. He tends to follow the flow, and in spite of Natasha giving him a hard time on a few things, Kabir molds himself to the demands of their relationship very well. Usually open-minded among the three friends, Kabir is like glue, holding Imran and Arjun together despite their individual differences. Abhay Deol’s performance in the film is his most-mainstream role so far, and he is acceptable as Kabir.

Next, we have a financial broker played by Arjun; for him, work is the most-important thing in life. He is chasing after money and corporate glory. We are not surprised when Arjun picks skydiving as the sport that completely fits his personality. He has no fear of heights, and for him the skydiving event represents the height of the corporate ladder, something he aspires to reach one day. But on a personal front, Arjun is unable to balance his personal life with the demanding needs of the corporate world. Hrithik Roshan’s portrayal of Arjun shows lot of intensity in the initial sequences, but once he falls for Laila, his character rapidly morphs into a conventional type. Still, he is still very charming in this role and is surely going to please an audience.

Finally, unlike the characters of Arjun and Kabir, who are dissatisfied in their own worlds, Imran’s character appears content with his life. He keeps things simple in his life, but after knowing a family secret, Kabir’s quest in Spain is only about discovering his true identity. For me, Farhan Akhtar’s performance as Imran lifts the movie to a different level in the acting department. The segments with his dad are emotionally charged--not with melodrama--but with an understated, bitter coldness that has the capability to shake one’s inner core. The moment also becomes a revelation for Imran, as he realizes the impact of his cold-heartedness attitude toward Arjun. Indeed, life teaches Imran an important lesson on this journey, and he comes out learning from this experience.

The film features superb cinematography by Carlos Catalan. The deep-sea shots, the skydiving aerial shots, and the running of the bulls are captured to perfection. The lush Spanish landscape looks gorgeous, and there is no doubt the film feels like a tourism marketing campaign for Spain. Indeed, after watching the film, I wanted to venture out into Spain myself to experience its beautiful locations and culture. The film’s score is provided by a trio known as Shankar-Eshaan-Loy, who also developed the musical score for “Dil Chahta Hai.” Mostly, the music is played in the background, except one song where all the characters sing. The tunes are peppy, with deep lyrics.  I liked how the filmmakers didn’t invest a whole lot in creating beautifully choreographed songs; instead, they focused more on the story and its characters.

Despite all the positives, “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” takes a predictable approach to storytelling. I also felt the film could have benefited by editing out a few scenes. At a hundred and fifty minutes, the film feels too long, especially in the beginning of the third act, which has a lot of filler moments, and some scenes are extended too far. Still, the film is about the characters, and they do radiate a lot of positive energy. The film’s message is believable and relatable. In the end, “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” is a solid entry in the coming-of-age genre that is hugely entertaining. Highly recommended.

Film Value = 8/10

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