Directed by Ayan Mukerji, whose last venture was the impressive Wake Up Sid, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani has all the elements required to make a good film. However, Ayan falters way too often, both with the screenplay and direction, which make YJHD just an average film. The story has shades of Dil Chahta Hai, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and 3 Idiots, but it does not charm you like any of those. I thought the screenplay was mediocre.
But its the leading pair which make the YJHD stand out. Ranbir is brilliant as the vibrant Bunny, chasing his dreams, while Deepika is superb as bespectacled Naina. Ranbir looked at easy and charms you with his performance, and Deepika oozed out the oomph factor and looks amazingly hot. Aditya Roy Kapoor and Kalki Koechlin are superb in their respective roles. Kunal Roy Kapoor is excellent, while Farooq Sheikh is brilliant in a small yet vital role. My only problem was with Evelyn Sharma, for she was plain irritating. Madhuri Dixit sizzles in the item song (However, I don’t like the fact that she’s stooped down to doing item songs!).
On technical front, music by Pritam is a definite plus point. The foot tapping numbers are well choreographed. Background score was pretty decent too. Cinematography by Manikandan is of top notch quality while editing by Akiv Ali could have been better. The film was way too long. Though the film looked extravagant and production by Dharma was excellent, I thought the artwork and sets, especially during the item song and Manali episodes looked pathetic (They looked similar to ones in second grade movies). That apart, the extras in all the songs looked plain dumb and out of sorts, especially the ones jumping without sync and rhythm in the far background.
Overall, a decent one time watch. Deepika and Ranbir sizzle up the screen, while the rest of the cast does a good job. On the downside, a shorter film with better screenplay would have been more effective.
Is it worth your time and money??: If fun is what you’re looking for, and have the patience to sit through a long movie, then Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani is for you.
Acting: 8.5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 7.5/10
Technical Aspects: 7/10
Verdict: 8/10
