The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : But for sizzling Katrina, it's a jaded love story

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 17, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

But for sizzling Katrina, it's a jaded love story

PREDICTABLE FARE: Katrina Kaif with Akshay Kumar providing the sole spark in `Humko Deewana Kar Gaye.'

Humko Deewana

Kar Gaye ( Hindi)

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif and Bipasha Basu

Director: Raj Kanwar

She is the kind of girl to take home to meet your mom, the kind of girl to grow old with. A girl blessed with soft appealing eyes that make autumn a worthy destination.

Her curvaceous lips don't have to be aquiver for men to miss a beat, and her peach complexion tells you that here is a beauty, untouched, unblemished. In the years to come Katrina Kaif, she of silky tresses, pearly smiles, is likely to mean many things to many, many cinemagoers. Here in Raj Kanwar's film, she is a heartthrob to Akshay Kumar's automobile engineer.

As Jia, engaged to a big businessman, too occupied counting his millions to care for her priceless charms, she marries innocence with vulnerability. There is seduction in her grace, wonderment in beauty.

For a while, she arouses dreams, fuels fantasies. Then the realities of this long, long film dawn on the filmgoers. Yes, Katrina is a beautiful girl with all the gentle attributes worthy of admiration. But after an hour of unabashed eye feast, one realises that the story has not moved an inch. The lovebirds still smile and don't smooch, they still sing songs and dance, but never take the next step. And their partners - they are both engaged to others you see, Akshay to Bipasha's aloof fashion designer, Katrina to a man too old to be hers - are still conveniently away. Yawn. You want the director to call, `cut', and proceed to the next shot.

Akshay out of sync

No such luck. The lovebirds fill in the reels with Akshay managing to look quite out of sync and jaded in close-up as a soft romantic hero. Only at the stroke of interval does the film pick up pace. By then many would have lost patience and walked out. If you have a stomach for Bollywood-style visual feast, it is not a bad bargain. Enjoy the view, hum along with music that blends well with the film, with the song "Fannah, fannah" already down the rounds of the countdown shows. Admire Katrina. Want to enjoy a film that is worthy of three-hours of uninterrupted viewing? Stay away.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail