SRK's Always Kabhi Kabhi - Movie Review

Producer: Gauri Khan
Director: Roshan Abbas
Starring: Ali Fazal, Giselle Monteiro, Zoa Morani, Satyajeet Dubey
Music: Ashish Rego, Shree D, Pritam Chakraborty
Lyrics: Roshan Abbas, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Prashant Pandey, Irfan Siddique
Film Released on: 17 June 2011

  

 

Planet Bollywood Review

‘Always Kabhi Kabhi’ is a story of four unique lives trying to compete with the pressures of growing up and the firsts we all experience in school. From crushes to classes, from bunking to break-ups. A modern age Romeo named Sameer (Ali Fazal) whose biggest theory of living life is through shortcuts. Who has eyes only for his Juliet, this dreamy eyed girl called Aishwarya Dhawan (Giselle Monteiro) who is a new admission in school. Aish leads a life, which is lived by her; but designed by her mother.

Tariq (Satyajeet Dubey) is Sam's best friend and the geek who has the cheek to be cool but carries the burden of having to excel at everything. His sole ambition is to study and to try staying out of Nadini's way.
Nandini (Zoa Morani) is the school brat; who you love to hate and hate to love. Living life on her terms and breaking rules to make her own makes Nandini; the most envied girl in school and no one agrees to that more than Tariq.
It's the final year at St. Marks, and they begin with a lot of excitement. Principal Khan and Ms. Das have decided that the school was going to participate in the interschool ‘Shakespearewallah’ contest and present Romeo and Juliet!.
The story then unfolds a series of dramatic incidents that take place in each of these characters’ lives and how they find the answers to each question on a youthful journey together where life has many lessons for these carefree souls. But to the questions which life throws at them, they have only one answer "Kabhi Kabhi Jo Dil Kahe, Always Wohi Karein".
First time director Roshan Abbas comes up with a fresh concept; but he and his team of writers (Ranjita Raina and Ishita Moitra) somehow are not able to showcase it with full conviction. While the first half has light moments, the graph escalates towards the second half. Dialogues are dipped in youth flavor, but while some of them try to sound ‘cool’ (if that was the intension behind it); they aren’t. On the acting front, newcomer Ali Fazal is plain mediocre and also needs to work on his looks. Giselle Monterio is expressionless and should take a crash course on acting. Zoa Morani is at least confident; but again is no heroine material. Satyajeet Dubey is the best of the lot with his boy-next-door looks and a likeable performance. No great shakes though.
The other cast includes Satish Shah, Lilette Dubey, Mukesh Tiwari, Manoj Joshi, Akash Khurana, Navneet Nishan whose roles aren’t well defined and hence does not leave any impact whatsoever. Vijay Raaz is wasted.
Music by Ashish Rego, Shree D and Pritam Chakraborty has no repeat value (except the title song) which is a ‘must’ for a film with romance as it’s backdrop. Even the ‘Antenna’ song filmed on Shahrukh Khan is not tuneful. Editing by Sanjay Sharma is of standard. Cinematography by Fuwad Khan and Anshuman Mahaley is of top order. Art directors Mansi Mehta and Tanushree Sarkar succeed in capturing a vibrant ambience and a colourful atmosphere. Pack your bags. Brace yourself. It's time to re-visit your school!

Gulf news Review 

Always Kabhi Kabhi not always original

 

Film centres around the trials and tribulations (romantic and otherwise!) of teen life

The plot Based on director Roshan Abbas' play, Graffiti, Always Kabhi Kabhi centres around the trials and tribulations (romantic and otherwise!) of teen life. Set in St Mark's high school, a gang of four students discover love, friendship, careers and much more. In a competitive, confusing and hard world, the gang discovers that their futures may take them away from each other, but that they'll always share their school days.

What we liked The honest attempt to cast new faces in the lead, with the exception of one-film-old Giselle. But apart from the talented support cast - Lilette Dubey and Vijay Raaz - we think it'll be producer Gauri's star husband Shah Rukh Khan, who'll attract the audiences.

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What we didn't like In a word: clichéd. Unforch, it's a storyline we've seen all too many times before, and we reckon it's not in the same league as Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. The ‘high school escapade' theme gets a stylish makeover, but doesn't make us yearn for our school days.

e+ says If you're feeling a bit good samaritan-ish, then head out and support this raft of new faces and talent.
Our rating 2/5

Who's who in Bollywood... Zoa Morani 

Bio Before Always Kabhi Kabhi, Zoa worked as assistant director on Rajkumar Santoshi's Halla Bol and Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om, and even studied at Anupam Kher's acting school.

Fact! Her producer dad, Karim, is being held for alleged corrupt dealings!