[ZNMD] : Expressive and Feel-good one
Tags: Movies, Pune, Entertainment, Spain, Drama

Director: Zoya Akhtar

Genre: Drama, Feel good, coming of age

Year: 2011

Runtime: 153 minutes

Verdict: 7/10

It reminds me of my trip to Ganapatipule a couple of years back. While returning we reached Karad at 1930 in the evening. It was raining heavily, and we still had to complete around 150+ kilometers on bike. The glorious roads had ended and what remained was the perilous and monotonous journey back to Pune. Pitch black darkness, my headlight trying to cut through walls of raindrops. My hands were numb, and fatigue was taking over. There was only one way to go, forward. Sometimes when I am feeling low, I still remind myself of that time.

You’d ask what the point in remembering those times here is. So let me explain, I was feeling exactly like the three guys Imraan, Kabeer and Arjun when they tried to overcome their fears, each one had his own opponent to conquer, and I had mine. Each one felt very close to the maker that day, so did I when I finally parked my bike at my apartment.

The name of the movie aptly conveys the message of the movie. Three childhood friends, have made a pact that they will go for an adventure trip when any of them is getting married; something on the lines of Bachelor party. When Kabeer decides to get married, they all take time off their busy schedules and meet in Spain. Each of them have decided one adventure sport to for the group, but there is a catch, not everyone is perfectly happy about each of the choice of sport. Still out of respect towards the promise made to each other everyone agrees at the end and has a wonderful time. Apart from the pleasures of hanging out together the Spain trip gives each some insight about their own lives.

The movie does not fir in traditional good guy, bad guy movies. There are no bad characters. The characters are more realistic, more human. Dil Chahta hai is another movie which I remember along the same lines, but in the second half it focused too much in personal life of Amir Khan. On the other hand, this movie refrains from doing so. It maintains a panoramic view of all the characters along with painting a bright, scenic picture of Spain. Along with portraying friendship in rich colors it also brings up emotional backgrounds of three leading actors. Laila and Natasha get screen time little more than traditional extras. The whole movie revolves around Imraan, Arjun and Kabeer.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy has come up with beautiful music with Spanish touch. Even though I had not seen the movie till last week, I was dancing to the tunes of Senorita and Suraj ki Bahon mein for quite some time. Now that I have seen the movie the song placement also felt fitting in the story. In between the course of the story there are well placed poems, and Shayri by Javed Akhthar. Those are rendered in the voice of Imran. When he is reciting a verse of such, the background music slows and the cinematography freezes, you get engrossed in those words, and the combine effect is very much emotional.

Having said that the movie is not serious drama, as Wiki puts it, it’s more of a coming of age film, and hence there are times of pure humor and leg pulling. The humor in the movie keeps the movie light at heart at the same time conveying the emotions in a rightful tone. I regret that I hadn’t seen the film when it was in theaters but as they say better late than never. Chances are you have already seen the movie, if not it’s something not to be missed.

Dilon mein tum apni betabiyan leke chal rahe ho.

Toh zinda ho tum!

Nazar mein khwaabon ki bijliyan leke chal rahe ho

Toh zinda ho tum!

Hawa ke jhonkon ke jaise aazad rehna seekho

Tum ek dariya ke jaise, leharon mein behna seekho

Har ek lamhe se tum milo khole apni baahein

Har ek pal ek naya samaa dekhe ye nigaahe

Jo apni aankhon mein hairaniyan leke chal rahe ho

Toh zinda ho tum!

Dilon mein tum apni betabiyan leke chal rahe ho

Toh zinda ho tum!