FILM REVIEW: 'MILENGE MILENGE'

Is the obviously strong chemistry between the two sufficient to save 'Milenge Milenge'?

By: Parimal M. Rohit

July 10, 2010

The film’s title may literally translate into “We’ll Meet Again,” but perhaps Bollywood stars Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor hoped their most recent meeting never happened. Paired up as an on-screen couple for the fifth time, Shahid and Bebo met again on the set of Milenge Milenge about five years ago in order to complete Boney Kapoor’s latest venture, which was a Hindi take on the 2001 Hollywood classic film Serendipity, which starred John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. With South Indian director Satish Kaushik at the helm of this Eros Entertainment-distributed Bollywood remake, Milenge Milenge ultimately turns out to be quite the disappointment, despite being a highly anticipated romantic comedy release. Even more, this may just be the last time Shahid and Bebo are paired together in the vein of Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol, Amitabh Bachchan-Rekha, or Dharmendra-Hema Malini.

Okay, so Shahid and Kareena definitely have enough on-screen chemistry to make Saif Ali Khan jealous. The problem is that chemistry may not be enough to save Milenge Milenge from being a disappointment. Taken one step further, odds are fans of Hindi cinema are not going to meet with Milenge Milenge again in the near future. Instead, many moviegoers will want to mimic Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2 and yell, “Hasta la vista, baby!”

So much for serendipitous moments involving that latest blockbuster release of Hindi cinema, eh?

Alas, moviegoers will probably still hit the multiplexes in throngs this second weekend of July in order to at least catch a glimpse of Shahid and Bebo on the big screen, especially if it is indeed the duo’s last run together as lead co-stars of a Bollywood blockbuster. Still, it would definitely help if those moviegoers were armed with the proper knowledge before the theater lights dim and the reel begins to roll.

Among the issues in Milenge Milenge are an underdeveloped plot that is disconnected from modern times, and an overbearing lack of creativity. Oh, not to mention the plot is overtly predictable, but that is something Bollywood fans have come to expect and almost love amongst blockbuster romantic comedies. After all, what fun is it if the lead male and female do not eventually find a way to love each other amidst the cheesiest and most unrealistic of circumstances, right?

Still, in many respects, Bollywood fans have seen movies like this before, where man and woman fall in love at first sight but fail to follow through on their respective feelings, only to have an exorbitant amount of time pass that strengthens such emotions instead of dissipating them.

What is worse: in a world now dominated by social networking and instant reunifications of long-lost friends (or contacts), having a film about two star-crossed lovers living in a big city but who cannot find each other despite knowing each other’s names seems, well, superbly unrealistic. Hence the feeling of disconnect from reality. After all, it is one thing for a plot to be fantastically detached from real life. Yet, save for satirical or period-piece films, to be behind the curve is almost inexcusable.

Perhaps the most glaring weakness of the film is its writing. There are just too many coincidental moments as the plot develops, usually meaning a lazily written story. In the end, Milenge Milenge is just a series of events that all have a common explanation: fate. While romantic comedies are not rocket science, Bollywood fans should expect a little more than kindergarten plots and playpen stories.

Thankfully, there are two redeeming qualities that save Milenge Milenge from being a complete disappointment: the film’s score/soundtrack and the chemistry between Bebo and Shahid.

For the most part, the Milenge Milenge soundtrack is peppy and well-mastered, though “Kuch To Baaki Hai” does play a bit too often throughout the film, almost to the level of annoyance. Also, while the film’s two leading actors do lay it on a tad too thick throughout the story, there is no denying that Bebo and Shahid have something special between them.

Beyond that, Milenge Milenge is just barely watchable, as there is nothing original, memorable, or compelling about it to justify wanting to experience serendipitous moments with this film over and over again.

Milenge Milenge is now playing in theaters worldwide and also stars Delnaaz Paul, Aarti Chhabria, and Kirron Kher.