If I were to sum this film in one line... it would be, 'The film had great potential if it was truly an Ayan Mukherjee Film'. It began as an Ayan Mukherjee film, lost it way and then got lost some more. So much so that in the end I'm sure it suffered from a huge identity crisis and Ayan Mukherjee was compelled to end it abruptly to put it out of its misery.
I for one loved Ayan Mukherjee's first film, Wake up Sid, there was a freshness, a sense of wonder in each scene that is unfolding on the screen. Here is a sensitive director who can take a everyday scene that could be from anyone's life and make it appear more meaningful on screen, the metamorphosis of Sid into a mature adult is beautifully captured on screen. He extracted every ounce performance-wise from Ranbir Kapoor in what I feel is a near flawless film. However, YJHD reduces talented actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Farooq Sheikh and Kalki Koechlin to mere caricatures.
Lets start from the beginning shall we, the narrative is jumpy and the songs seem to have been added on later as an after thought to plug the holes in the narrative. In an attempt to make a stylish movie the director forgot the soul of the film. Sadly the the viewer is unable to connect with the soul less film.
Keep that aside for a minute shall we, can someone please explain to me why his friends don't feel happy for him when he gets a scholarship to attend a journalism course of his choice. As far as the viewer is concerned Bunny (Ranbir) is a guy of modest means and he wants to travel and see every corner of the world, he even maintains a scrap book of the place he wants to see. If indeed his friends were as close to him as the director wants us to believe, they would know that and would be jumping for joy that he is indeed taking a step in the right direction. But what do they do, they send him on a guilt trip... with friends like these who needs enemies.
Deepika is absolutely spot on portraying Naina's discomfort when she initially tries to gel with the other group members. She continues with a strong performance as Naina continues to fall hopelessly in love with Bunny. Even though Naina does say that neither of them waited for the other, it does seem that while Bunny was painting the town red, Naina was actually waiting for him to realise that he loved her and that he would come and rescue her from herself, it does seems a little too far-fetched, but who knows, such things happen, so I will let it pass.
Moving on to the script or the lack of it, I strongly suspect the while the trek sequence was in the original script the slap stick comedy goon fighting sequence was someone else's idea that the director was road rolled into adding. Also pray tell me why the need for an item song with Madhuri ?? Don't you believe in your product?? We could honestly have lived without having been subjected to it. The only song which has any sense or melody or any reason to be in the film is Kabira.
There are sequences that have the Ayan Mukherjee sensitivity, like the one where Aditi reveals to Bunny that Taran was only trying to stop her from having a show down with Avi on his wasteful expenses. Or the one where Bunny makes Naina admit that she is dying to go to the party. Or take for instance the one where Naina's mom talks about Aditi at the dinner table. You do get glimpses of the talented director, but they are like flashes, you blink and they are gone.
I would really like to see what the original script was like before too many cooks spoilt it on the way to making the Great Indian Masala Movie.
