Movie Review – Dear Zindagi

A reasonably well made feel OK film

This film was in my watch list since its release. This looked like a very good film to watch. Yes, the look. Alia Bhatt was herself, cheerful and beautiful. Shahrukh looked fab too. And got to know that it’s one of those movies where he had mellowed down to suit to the role and there were no romantic song or dance sequence in the movie which made me want to watch it badly. But as usual I had other things keeping me busy so missed out on this.

Finally I watched it on a wee day with nothing better to do. It’s one of those movies you want to watch on a rainy day with a huge cup of coffee and popcorn (I don’t like popcorn, just saying). So I was in a mood for that and I watched it in somewhat similar mindset. I loved the opening scene where Kaira (Alia Bhatt) suggests a change in the way a specific scene was shot. Raghuvendra (Kunal Kapoor) oversees the production and we could sense an instant chemistry between Kaira and him. Kunal is such a charmer. I felt that he’d have been the best bet for Kaira in the film.

There were flashes of romance between the two and I thought the film would take a different angle once they both start working but she doesn’t even take the job. Like her friends, when Kaira says that she doesn’t like to go to Goa, even I was disappointed. I so wanted her to go to Goa, she’d look beautiful in those summer dresses and tresses. Instantly Goa reminded me of Deepika’s look in Finding Fanny. That’s one another reason I wanted her to go to Goa instead of some foreign location for the shoot. So when she didn’t go to shoot for the film I was actually happy.

I didn’t like the way her insecurity was shown, where she shouts at Raghuvendra, her friends etc. Her tantrums to the people who don’t know her actually looked cute. We feel more like cuddling her when she’s in that situation, than get irritated with her. Yes it’d have looked good for a film but it lacked the feel. I’d have liked a more honest, less beautiful, serious presentation of how depressed people would react in that situation. Here it was too easy.

The way she gets to know about Shahrukh and her joining therapy was too farfetched. I didn’t find a concrete reason as why she’d go. Shahrukh does the role of Jehangir-The Jug-Khan with ease. It’s a piece of cake for him. But I expected a Chak De India kind of perfection which was lacking. Also for most part both his advices and jokes didn’t work. It was not one of the face cringe moments but not really a feel good moment too. So he criticizing Kaira’s jokes were not fair. At least she was cute. Even the chair (Khursi) example was bad. Something more imaginative could have been better. That’s why I titled the film as feel okay instead of feel good. But I liked the climax twist with Khursi. I wanted the film to be in the lines of ‘Good Will Hunting’ but sadly it never took itself seriously.

In spite of the shortcomings the film was very much watchable because of the lead pair, Shahrukh and Alia. Music was excellent, very pleasant goan feel to it. Shahrukh’s part could have been written well but I liked the suspense part where he cancels the penultimate therapy session without us knowing the reason. The sadness he has on the scene in ferry was really good. Alia on the other hand has a lot of good scenes, firstly the scene where she shows her anger to parents and the breakdown scene where she tells the climax. That’s what good actors do. Just imagine what a proper actor could have done to the flashback scene in ‘Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum’ instead of Mysskin. Alia is also one of the best crier on screen. Best would definitely be Deepika. But Alia too has an original honest expression when it comes to crying. Needless to say both have a billion dollar smile too.

The second romance with the guitar guy didn’t really work for me. The very first moment it started I got to know that it wouldn’t last and was also happy that it didn’t. Finally when she falls for SRK it was bad, it’s one thing I wish had not happened in the movie. I’d have liked it if he had ended like a father figure to her. Just a well-wisher and nothing else.