Love Aaj Kal

Love Aaj Kal

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Imtiaz Ali
Produced by Saif Ali Khan
Dinesh Vijan
Written by Imtiaz Ali
Starring Saif Ali Khan
Deepika Padukone
Rishi Kapoor
Giselli Monteiro
Music by Songs:
Pritam
Background Score:
Salim-Sulaiman
Cinematography Natarajan Subramaniam
Edited by Imtiaz Ali
Aarti Bajaj
Production
company
Distributed by Eros International
Release dates
  • 31 July 2009 (2009-07-31)
Running time
 130 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi
Budget ₹48 crore (US$7.1 million)[1]
Box office ₹120 crore (US$18 million)[2]

Love Aaj Kal (English: Love Nowadays) is a 2009 Indian romantic comedy-drama film starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles[3] with Rahul Khanna, Rishi Kapoor and Giselli Monteiro in supporting roles.[4] The film is directed by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan. The film portrays the feeling of pure love which never changes, although the perspective of realising one's soulmate has changed over time. Although there was a lot of pre-release speculation that the film was a remake of the 2005 Taiwanese film, Three Times, post-release reviews have proven that this is not the case.[5] This film was remade into Telugu as Teen Maar with Pawan Kalyan and Trisha Krishnan in lead roles.[6]

Plot

Jai and Meera are a modern-day couple living in London. They are happy with each other, but do not believe in tying each other down so when career beckons, they have a mutual break-up, but remain friends. Meera goes to India, while Jai stays in London, hoping to be called to San Francisco, where working at the Golden Gate Inc. is his dream job. Jai begins to date a blond named Jo, while Meera returns the feelings of her boss, Vikram. The couple believes they have moved on.

Running simultaneously, but set in the past, is the tale of Veer Singh. A great believer of love, the Sikh narrates his love story to Jai to try to convince him not to let Meera go from his life. He explains how he fell for a girl named Harleen. Jai ridicules Veer, who vowed to marry Harleen before he had even gotten to talk to her. But, on Veer's insistence, he agrees to pay Meera a surprise visit in India. Meera is stunned, and the two lie to both Jo and Vikram to spend time with each other. They realize how much they still like each other's company. Jai and Jo break up as Jai is unable to reciprocate the deeper feelings that Jo longs for. On the day Jai is to leave, Vikram proposes to Meera. She meets Jai secretly, who tells her she should make a decision. Angry, Meera tells him to leave her life or else she will never be able to really move on. Parallel to this, we find that Harleen has told Veer she was engaged without being told, and he must leave her.

Jai is called to his dream job in San Francisco the same day Meera realizes her marriage is a mistake. She tells Vikram the truth and calls Jai, but he tells her about the Golden Gate. Realizing he is going to San Francisco, she tells him nothing. Meanwhile, Veer declares his intentions of marrying Harleen but is badly beaten by her family.

Jai begins to lose interest in his "dream job," finding that he is not as happy as he thought he would be. He is beaten by some thugs when, while being mugged, he refuses to give them a picture of Meera. He then realizes he still loves her, and goes back to India. He finds Vikram, who informs him that Meera left him. In the past, Veer travels to Harleen's house on the day of her wedding, and convinces her mother that Harleen can only be happy with him. Harleen's mother lets Veer secretly sneak out with her daughter, and the two marry happily. In the present, Jai and Meera have a heart-touching reunion.

Cast

Production

The shooting of the film started on May 2008[7] and took place in the railway station of Patiala, Red Fort, Purana Qila and on the streets of Delhi. Parts have been shot in London, San Francisco, and Kolkata. The building used as Golden Gate, Inc. in the film is actually the City of San Jose City Hall, commonly known as the Rotunda.[8] The film wasn't given a name until January 2009, after shooting was complete.[9]

Release

Marketing

The producers of the film inked marketing tie-ups with 2009 ICC World Twenty20, Shoppers Stop and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance.[10] The apparel worn by the lead cast is exclusively available at Shoppers Stop. With Bajaj Allianz they have a tie up to share the special moments where they could win a chance to meet Saif Ali Khan, the protagonist and the producer of the movie. The tie up with ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2009 was that both Deepika and Saif will be in England before the tournament begins, with Saif expected to commentate on matches for Indian television.[11]

Reception

Critical reception

The movie received a positive to mixed reception from critics. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the movie 4 stars out of 5, saying that "On the whole, Love Aaj Kal is for the young and romantic at heart. Sure, it's not perfect, but the terrific performances, melodious music and stirring emotional moments more than compensate for the hiccups."[12] Nikhat Kazmi of Times of India gave the movie 4 stars in a scale of 5, concluding that "Go watch it for its GenNow feel and its ekdum modern appeal."[13] Sonia Chopra of Sify gave the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, commenting that "With lilting music and characters you'll love, Imtiaz Ali brings out one of the most romantic films in recent times. It's a love story of the aam junta, with a delicious contemporary edge. Go get your fill."[14] Shubhra Gupta of Indian Express gave the movie 3 stars in a scale of 5, noting that "It's hard not to warm up to a film which is, at its core, likeable. I just wish I could have liked it more."[15] Aniruddha Guha of DNA India gave the movie 3 stars out of 5, writing that "Though Love Aaj Kal may not quite be the film you expect it to be, it does not leave you feeling disappointed either. Watch it without too many expectations and you will come back smiling. And if you have wanted to ask someone out for a while, this film is the perfect ice-breaker."[16] Raja Sen of Rediff gave the movie 2.5 stars in a scale of 5, stating that "Love Aaj Kal is a harmless, watchable film – sad, because it could have been truly special. It has its moments in the first half, while the second half is an over-melodramatic drag."[17] Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave the movie 2 stars out of 5, pointing that "The film in the end is ordinary stuff, watchable but never memorable like the director's previous efforts, the far superior Socha Na Tha and Jab We Met. I'm going with two out of five and an average rating for Love Aaj Kal. It's like that plump mango you bite into only to discover it's not ripe yet. Watch it nevertheless for the sharp dialogue and some clever humor."[18]

Box office

Love Aaj Kal netted ₹428.7 million (US$6.4 million) in its first week.[19] and ₹163.9 million (US$2.4 million) in its second week.[20] Love Aaj Kal netted ₹668.9 million (US$9.9 million) in India.[21] It was declared a super hit by Box Office India, grossing ₹89 crore (US$13 million).[22]

Soundtrack

Love Aaj Kal
Soundtrack album by Pritam
Released
31 July 2009 (India)
Genre Feature film soundtrack
Length 45:59
Label Eros Music
Producer Pritam
Pritam chronology
Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
(2009)		 Love Aaj Kal
(2009)		 Dil Bole Hadippa!
(2009)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Bollywood Hungama[23]
Rediff[24]

The music of Love Aaj Kal is composed by Pritam with lyrics penned by Irshad Kamil. The album earned Pritam his first IIFA Best Music Director Award.

Track No Song Singer(s) Notes
1 Twist Neeraj Shridhar & Suzanne D'Mello
2 Chor Bazari Neeraj Shridhar & Sunidhi Chauhan
3 Aahun Aahun Master Saleem, Neeraj Shridhar, Suzanne D'Mello
4 Dooriyan Mohit Chauhan
5 Aaj Din Chadeya Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
6 Thoda Thoda Pyar Sunidhi Chauhan
7 Main Kya Hoon KK
8 Twist Neeraj Shridhar Remix by DJ Sanj
9 Chor Bazari Neeraj Shridhar & Sunidhi Chauhan Remix by DJ Sanj
10 Aahun Aahun Master Saleem, Neeraj Shridhar & Suzanne D'Mello Remix by DJ Sanj

Remakes

Love Aaj Kal remake rights were sold for ₹4 crore (US$590,000) to remake it in Telugu and Tamil. Its rights were bought by Pawan Kalyan, Ganesh Bandla.[25]

References

  1. ↑ "The power of romance makes 'Love Aaj Kal' rock box office". The Economic Times. 5 August 2009.
  2. ↑ "Top Lifetime Grossers Worldwide". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Deepika un'Uttu' choice". Mid-Day. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  4. ↑ "Rahul Khanna to star in Uttu's and Karan Johar's home productions". BollywoodHungama. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  5. ↑ "Love aaj kal another foreign film copy?".
  6. ↑ "Pawan Kalyan Teen Maar | Pawan Kalyan Love Aaj Kal remake Teen Maar". Gulte.co m. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  7. ↑ "Deepika un'Saif' choice". Mid-Day. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  8. ↑ "Casting Deepika was a risk: Imtiaz Ali". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
  9. ↑ "Saif's film called 'Love Aaj Kal'". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  10. ↑ "Hopes ride high on Love Aaj Kal". The Economic Times. 1 August 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Love Aaj Kal Tied up with ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2009".
  12. ↑ Adarsh, Taran (30 July 2009). "Love Aaj Kal Review Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  13. ↑ Kazmi, Nikhat (30 July 2009). "Love Aaj Kal Review Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  14. ↑ Chopra, Sonia (30 July 2009). "Review: Love Aaj Kal hits you like fresh air". Sify. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  15. ↑ Gupta, Shubhra (31 July 2009). "Movie review: Love Aaj Kal". The Indian Express. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  16. ↑ Guha, Aniruddha (31 July 2009). "Review: Love Aaj Kal is the perfect date movie". DNA India. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  17. ↑ Sen, Raja (31 July 2009). "Yet another love story. Okay, two.". Rediff. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  18. ↑ Masand, Rajeev (2 August 2009). "Masand's Movie Review: Love Aaj Kal". CNN-IBN. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  19. ↑ "Top Opening Weeks All Time UPDATED". Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  20. ↑ "Top Second Weeks ALL TIME Updated 16/02/12". Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  21. ↑ "Box Office 2009".
  22. ↑ "All India 2009 (Figures in INR)". Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  23. ↑ "Love Aaj Kal: Music Review by Joginder Tuteja". Bollywoodhungama.com. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  24. ↑ "Desi ghee, firang recipe". Rediff. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  25. ↑ http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2009/love-aaj-kal-remake-rights-190809.html
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