Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai Movie Review

Yash Raj Films' MERE YAAR KI SHAADI HAI, directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, is a love triangle.

Love comes to people in all sorts of ways. To some with the tenderness of roses, to others with a sparkle of a smile. To Sanjay (Uday Chopra), however, love came hitting like a ton of bricks.

Ria (Bipasha Basu, in a sp. app.), a model, shares an apartment with Sanjay. Her romantic liaison with Sanjay lasted only for a week, at the end of which she dumped him just to remain friends. Sanjay is the dithering casanova, constantly bungling up his romantic liaisons.

Till one day the phone rings. It's his childhood friend Anjali (Sanjana) and she's getting married. It is now that the bricks fall on him. Observing Sanjay's reaction to this news and hearing him talk to Anjali, Ria concludes that Sanjay is in love with Anjali.

Sanjay wakes up to this truth reluctantly but surely. But isn't it too late, now that Anjali is getting married? Well, Sanjay doesn't think so! He sets off to Dehradun on a 'noble' mission – to break the wedding!

In Dehradun, he is reunited with the lovely Anjali and is simply overjoyed. Till he meets the groom to be – Rohit (Jimmy Shergill) – the suave NRI from New York (Rohit and Anjali met and fell in love in New York itself).

Sanjay's hopes of sabotaging the wedding are effectively crushed on meeting the handsome, charismatic, every girl's dream-boy Rohit. Nevertheless, Sanjay's love for Anjali impels him to take on the world and he sets off on a crusade of poisoning the family's mind against Rohit and setting up traps for Rohit to fall into.

Rohit soon realises that Sanjay is behind these seemingly innocent coincidences and confronts him – a clash between the good and the not so good. Both men decide to give each other a fair chance, letting Anjali be the final decision maker.

Does Rohit's integrity win over Anjali or does Sanjay's love emerge triumphant?

The film seems like a collage of so many successful films – the basic plot is similar to MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, a few portions bear a striking resemblance to MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI and a couple of sequences – mainly the wedding celebrations – appear like an extension of HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN.

Of course, it goes without saying that the director seems heavily inspired by the Yash Chopra school of film-making as well. The Swiss locales, the confrontation sequences, the emotion-charged climax… Nevertheless, despite so many 'inspirations', MERE YAAR KI SHAADI HAI is a decent attempt in providing clean and wholesome entertainment.

The best thing about the film is that the story moves on one track throughout – concentrating on the three principal players. Although the pace is slow, the screenplay is quite captivating at several places.

Sequences between Uday and Jimmy are well written. The cat and mouse game between them is quite enjoyable. The 'Bachelor's Party' in the first half and the confrontation thereafter (interval point) is delightful as well. The change of events towards the climax is equally fascinating. It's emotional and contrary to what one would've expected, which is why it appeals all the more.

Not that the film is without its share of blemishes.

On the script level, the drawback lies in the fact that too many things happen too suddenly. Like, for instance, in the climax, Jimmy tells Sanjana's mother (Neena Kulkarni) that he has realised that he wasn't her first choice. How did Jimmy jump to this conclusion, remains unexplained till the very end.

Ditto for the climax, when Jimmy and Sanjana reach the Gateway of India (Mumbai) from far-away Dehradun all of a sudden. To think that the marriage was just a couple of hours away, their sudden appearance in Mumbai seems illogical and absurd. But, on second thoughts, everything is possible in a Hindi flick!

Directorially, Sanjay Gadhvi has handled a few scenes with grace. The cat and mouse game between the two lead men succeeds in arresting the attention of the viewer. Even the emotional moments succeed in touching your heart. Also, the culmination of the love story is amongst the film's high points.

Jeet-Pritam's music is quite tuneful. The film has a couple of ear-pleasing tunes, notable among them being 'Resham Si Hain Ye', 'Sharara Sharara' (its picturisation is chic!) and the title track. However, the college number, though well picturised, should've been promoted as well.

Cinematography is striking. Dialogues are witty at places, specially those delivered by Uday Chopra.

Uday Chopra has a meatier role and the youngster essays it with supreme confidence. The naughty look in his eyes and his character in totality will appeal to the masses definitely. Jimmy Shergill is efficient, essaying a sober role with elan.

New-find Sanjana looks cute, but needs to polish her acting skills. Yet, she makes her presence felt. Bipasha Basu has been credited with a special appearance (!!!), but her role is throughout. She is quite alright. Amongst the hordes of character artistes, Neena Kulkarni and Tanaaz Currim stand out.

On the whole, MERE YAAR KI SHAADI HAI is a decent entertainer that should appeal more to the city audience.