London, Paris, New York (Ali Zafar, Aditi Rao)

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Thehree Si Zindagi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjG75KaJ4TM

I've been listening to this again and again. Aditi's voice doesn't have polish, but it gives the song a nice melancholic vibe. I really love it. Sadly, it's the only one I like so far.

Aditi Rao Hydari seems to capture every scene she is in. Now, the attention-getting young actress is given the chance to shine on her own, as the female lead in 'London Paris New York'.

Directed by Anu Menon, 'LPNY' is a modern tale about Lalitha, a middle class south Indian girl who is on her way to New York to study politics with full scholarship; and Nikhil ( Ali Zafar), a Punjabi rich kid who is going to study filmmaking in London on his dad's dime.

The two cross paths in London, find a spark between them, and decide to make a promise to meet each other for one night, once a year, for the following eight years. "The film is in three chapters and each chapter is shot in a manner that mirrors the mental state of Nikhil and Lalitha," said a spokesperson.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/cinema/Aditi-Rao-Hydari-stars-in-globe-hopping-romance/articleshow/12016693.cms

[Dariya]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1pWzS3uGp0&feature=relmfu - Ting Rang. Ali being adorable despite slight inability to dance (only adds to adorable-factor).

And is it just me or does he even manage to make gori-spanking look less offensive? I always cringe when that moment arrives in an Akshay movie, but somehow I did not cringe here.    Still, I had dearly wished for that move to never appear before my eyes outside of an AK film. So freakin' distasteful. 

I love this song! And I'm so pleased that Ali continues to use his own voice.  I had thought that maybe he would have to give up his singing privileges to protect the integrity of the industry or something.

This is one of a lot of BW films lately where the ONLY reason I'm going to watch is the male lead.  That's really not a good sign.  Aditi Rao is super cute though, so maybe I can say I'm watching this only for the jodi. 

[Brindavani]

Anyone seen this from here?  I found it to be a delightful, well acted romantic movie.  Both Ali Zafar and Aditi Rao Hydari were great.

[tabula rasa]

Isn't playing in my region, very disappointing

[Kajolownsyou]

I watched this over the weekend, and it didn't really click with me. I thought parts were enjoyable...I liked the Paris segment of the movie. But, I didn't really feel for the characters or understand their motivations. I felt like the filmmaker(s) were showing me something I should like, with all the right elements, but the formula didn't come together for me. I was impressed by Aditi Rao's ability to depict her character so differently from one segment to the next. It was a good one time watch for me, but left me feeling 'meh' in the end.

[princess917]

I saw it and thought it was a cute chick flick..ali zafar was less annoying than he was in mere brother ki dulhan..the girl is cute with her big innocent eyes..it definitely reminded me of hum tum in ways..but less of a real story, this whole movie was basically one long conversation..not bad to watch on DVD

[Amber_Phoenix]

I watched this over the weekend, and it didn't really click with me. I thought parts were enjoyable...I liked the Paris segment of the movie. But, I didn't really feel for the characters or understand their motivations. I felt like the filmmaker(s) were showing me something I should like, with all the right elements, but the formula didn't come together for me. I was impressed by Aditi Rao's ability to depict her character so differently from one segment to the next. It was a good one time watch for me, but left me feeling 'meh' in the end.

That's how I felt, like the key piece of the puzzle was missing    Aditi and Ali gave good performances ,I liked that it was that Aditi resisting, the cinematography really reflected the mood (in the Paris bit especially) and liked the use of shots,  the songs blended in well,  but I didn't really feel for the characters.  All the elements for a great films were there, but it just didnt work for me. Doesn't stay with you long after its ended. What a pity, I had high hopes for this! 

[purplecowmoo]

I loved it! A very refreshing romcom, whether in HW or BW sense. Every time I thought some usual trope was about to be played out, it surprised me. It stayed clear of my romcom pet peeves: a) protagonists being really lame about saying they love each other or not, and b) depicting long-distance relationships as if there are no phones etc. Oh and my Hindi movie peeves too: a) Dumb white people and b) Virgin/whore moralising. I liked that Nikhil confessed to falling in love with her in part for her innocence but didnt get to Paris to be all 'crap! This girl drinks wine and wears lipstick, quick get a sari and get her on making some rotis!' Oh and did I mention I am bloody infatuated with Ali Zafar? Dear God, no one man should be so charming, it's ridiculous.

This is probably the one Hindi movie I have ever seen where I wished it were LONGER and that there were MORE characters. I loved Ali and Aditi's characters and performances, and the fact that it was so conversation-driven really appealed to me, but I almost felt like they'd slimmed down a longer movie and had fewer actors than it seemed to need (Cecile and Alan for two, and then I really wanted to meet Nikhil's parents). Perhaps budget issues.

Overall though, I just LOVED this couple - two whose names I'll bother learning, up there with Geet/Aditya and Anjali/Rahul they seem like they'd be the sort of married couple you meet and just think...wow. You guys are so plainly in love with each other.

[Mumbaiker]

I think when I went to see this last weekend what I expected was a markedly more 'mature' and thorough Hindi rom-com fare, especially given the fresh pairing - and how I've seen them perform otherwise...

Unfortunately, the saccharine - almost regressive 90s/early 2000s-ness of it all made me check out in the interval and head for the screen that was showing Wanderlust instead.

I can only review what I saw of course, which certainly seemed promising at first - albeit a little too dialogue heavy - the lead characters revealing their lives and nature in a little TOO much exposition as opposed to letting some of the visuals (reactions, body language etc.) do the talking instead. I did take a deep breath or two about 7 minutes in.

At first I thought the female contributors to this forum would love it - given the well referenced feminist dialogue of the female character, but quickly realized that the screenwriter was to proceed to go out of his way to find reasons to invalidate a lot of her arguments within the narrative and make her an almost illogically bitter lemon for a great part of the flick. Illogical in the sense that, yes she had a great experience for a day with this guy in London and yes the beginnings of something promising may have been apparent, but when he fails to meet her in New York after them having decided not to have talked for all the months leading up until then - she's still carrying the slight, intensely, as a warped and disillusioned drunk in Paris 2 years later...?

Maybe it's just me...but I think she'd just as soon have got her faculties together and got on with it, without any hard feelings that run too deep. It certainly my have nagged her, but it wouldn't have twisted her so horrifically. Unless, it was later described in a way that made it a great deal more palatable. The character building up until that point felt far too rushed to allow me to buy that she was so soul destroyed by those events.

Other factors made me cringe into my seat a little. The water-hose rain sequence, when in London - I haven't seen a Hindi film since about 2001 that I can remember where torrential rain just bucketed down (on a sunny British day) in an instant. The blink of an eye. At first I thought that was the joke of it - but it didn't seem too well placed with the general tone of the film before that point, so I couldn't be sure.

The song in the church was another moment... when the 3 routine-wielding Nuns appeared on the balcony, I mentally checked out once and for all. It might also be the least tuneless number I've heard in the cinema for any HiFi flick! :S

This is so bad - but also a few cringeworthy moments were saved and turned, or played on my ideas of what the typical eye-roll Hindi film moment might be (a la the early 2000s as I said, I cringe a lot less at mainstream fares nowadays!) and then worked away from them. Example the priest who tells the female lead off for 'playing the Church piano, which is against the will of God' and later admits to joking....

Is that even a thing? I know some Christian groups believe that music and dancing is not of God - but I'm pretty sure it's not Catholics. Even orthodox ones?

[Simran_Singh]

Unfortunately, the saccharine - almost regressive 90s/early 2000s-ness of it all made me check out in the interval and head for the screen that was showing Wanderlust instead.

Thank you! I also felt there was something really dated, to the point of seeming amateurish, about the film - especially the visual style. I can't help comparing it to EMAET which, although not without its flaws, at least had a beautifully crisp and modern-looking cinematography.

At first I thought the female contributors to this forum would love it - given the well referenced feminist dialogue of the female character, but quickly realized that the screenwriter was to proceed to go out of his way to find reasons to invalidate a lot of her arguments within the narrative and make her an almost illogically bitter lemon for a great part of the flick.

I was actually surprised to discover, after I had watched it, that the movie was written and directed by a woman!

Illogical in the sense that, yes she had a great experience for a day with this guy in London and yes the beginnings of something promising may have been apparent, but when he fails to meet her in New York after them having decided not to have talked for all the months leading up until then - she's still carrying the slight, intensely, as a warped and disillusioned drunk in Paris 2 years later...?

Maybe it's just me...but I think she'd just as soon have got her faculties together and got on with it, without any hard feelings that run too deep. It certainly my have nagged her, but it wouldn't have twisted her so horrifically. Unless, it was later described in a way that made it a great deal more palatable. The character building up until that point felt far too rushed to allow me to buy that she was so soul destroyed by those events.

I also felt like Lalitha's response was an overreaction, especially since (I don't know if you saw this part) we find out that Nikhil wrote to her two or three times explaining why he didn't make it to New York and she never answered his letters. Perhaps her overreaction can be explained because she is a very young woman inexperienced with romantic relationships, but I still found it hard to relate to.

And it gets even worse at the end of the Paris section when Lalitha, IMO, crosses the line from really upset to slightly psychotic

[Mumbaiker]

Thank you! I also felt there was something really dated, to the point of seeming amateurish, about the film - especially the visual style. I can't help comparing it to EMAET which, although not without its flaws, at least had a beautifully crisp and modern-looking cinematography.
 

I was actually surprised to discover, after I had watched it, that the movie was written and directed by a woman!

I also felt like Lalitha's response was an overreaction, especially since (I don't know if you saw this part) we find out that Nikhil wrote to her two or three times explaining why he didn't make it to New York and she never answered his letters. Perhaps her overreaction can be explained because she is a very young woman inexperienced with romantic relationships, but I still found it hard to relate to.

And it gets even worse at the end of the Paris section when Lalitha, IMO, crosses the line from really upset to slightly psychotic

Completely agree.

I cannot believe this is the work of a female director - it's just so ill-thought out and void of identifiable emotions! Complete opposite of say, Zoya fares...

I'm so glad I didn't stick it out - I just thought to myself, 'no way - I know Hindi cinema goes way harder than this, so why bear the sub-standard'? :p

Ek Main Aur Ek Tu is a mighty fine example.

[Putturani]

Wow, I started this movie not expecting to like it at all, but it surprisingly grew on me, a lot. I found it very modern, not dated at all. Relatable, unlike the other "modern" films Bollywood is churning out nowadays where the characters look like they've skipped out for a made-for-TV American movie. Ali Zafar, is of course, capable of reducing anyone to fangirliness. Every grin of his was so charming! Based on the trailer I thought Aditi Rao Hydari would be annoying but she put in a good subtle performance too, I thought.

[rang de bollywood]

Just recently watched this movie. Like some others said upthread, this movie didn't really click with me, either. I couldn't relate the characters/story. Even when it later on explained why Aditiya did what she did at the end of the Paris section, I still felt eh about it. Actually, now that I think about it, I feel that her misery was her fault; granted, if I were her, I'd still be miffed, but looking at it rationally, it was totally preventable. I'd watched the movie expecting to like it, but idk, something was missing....I liked "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu" (both the story & the characters) much, much better.

Loved Aditiya's look in the Paris section, though. Ravishing! Very noir. The short hair suits her.

[NishaTG]

Illogical in the sense that, yes she had a great experience for a day with this guy in London and yes the beginnings of something promising may have been apparent, but when he fails to meet her in New York after them having decided not to have talked for all the months leading up until then - she's still carrying the slight, intensely, as a warped and disillusioned drunk in Paris 2 years later...?

Maybe it's just me...but I think she'd just as soon have got her faculties together and got on with it, without any hard feelings that run too deep. It certainly my have nagged her, but it wouldn't have twisted her so horrifically. Unless, it was later described in a way that made it a great deal more palatable.

I also felt like Lalitha's response was an overreaction, especially since (I don't know if you saw this part) we find out that Nikhil wrote to her two or three times explaining why he didn't make it to New York and she never answered his letters. Perhaps her overreaction can be explained because she is a very young woman inexperienced with romantic relationships, but I still found it hard to relate to.

I am not sure if you guys saw this part, but Lalita wasn’t upset just because he failed to meet her in New York. As she described later, after he didn’t meet her, she was upset for a bit but later decides to go pay him a surprise visit. It his during this visit that she saw him making love with another woman, and that is what got her so upset. I think that is reasonable, considering she was inexperienced with relationships, her connection with this guy must have been a big deal for her and seeing that he was sleeping around with other people probably shattered her world view of things.

[rang de bollywood]

I am not sure if you guys saw this part, but Lalita wasn’t upset just because he failed to meet her in New York. As she described later, after he didn’t meet her, she was upset for a bit but later decides to go pay him a surprise visit. It his during this visit that she saw him making love with another woman, and that is what got her so upset. I think that is reasonable, considering she was inexperienced with relationships, her connection with this guy must have been a big deal for her and seeing that he was sleeping around with other people probably shattered her world view of things.

Yeah, I saw that part. On one hand, I probably would've been upset, too.
But on the other hand, looking at it rationally, she didn't respond after the 3 letters (which were sent over the course of 3 years, right?), so he could've thought that she wasn't interested in him anymore & thus moved on. Plus, hadn't some time passed (some months if not more) after she had received the letters? If so, it seems only fair & the situation is kind of her fault, imo.