Aashiqui 2

Mohit Suri has directed what seems like a combination of Devdas, Jannat and Rockstar; without forgetting the obvious link to A Star Is Born. The story of an accomplished singer-turned-alcoholic who wants to make a small-time village girl famous is farfetched, to say the least.  There was never a real insight into why RJ, played by Aditya Roy Kapur, had become an alcoholic; was it because he couldn’t handle fame? Was he heartbroken from something else? Did he hang with the wrong crowd? This lack of information also makes you wonder why he’s getting attacked so often by the ‘gunde’. However, instead of suggestion and wondering, I want to explore what Suri did with the script he was given.

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What worked well in Aashiqui 2 was the sincerity of the central characters; especially of Aarohi, played by Shraddha Kapoor. It’s safe to say that both of these actors are relying on this movie as a stepping platform. If I were to choose one as the more successful performer [for the sake of debate] I’d have to go for Shraddha. Her loyalty, purity and innocence throughout the movie are a joy to behold and I really enjoyed her performance. Whether it was at the beginning when we got a glimpse of her cheeky side, in the mid-section during the intimate love scenes or at the later stages when she had become famous, her performance was consistently believable. Aditya did a good job and more importantly, looks the part. However, a small-scale Twitter debate got me thinking that perhaps there was something missing from his performance. Initially, he was untouchable. In the opening scenes as the alcoholic superstar, his voice and stature was spot on. His expressions were intriguing and you just want to see more, know more. However, the scene when RJ shouts hell at his manager friend for not informing him of Aarohi’s calls was just not convincing enough. At times, the screaming became awkward and reminded me of Zayed Khan (think Main Hoon Na). I liked that the structure of the movie was reflective of RJ’s rehab nature. When one point of tension reached its cause, a few minutes of light relief comes in; but not long before another problem arises and the tension gets back up. This structure is an exemplary decision by Suri which separates him from others. We can see why he’s an accomplished thriller director. Oh, and the ending of the movie is executed brilliantly. A heartbreakingly painful climax for which you'll probably need tissues.

Aashiqui 2 was never going to come anywhere near its predecessor in terms of music but the movie has two songs that, in my opinion, do some justice. These two songs have become a craze amongst all Bollywood fans. I’ve spoken to people that rarely watch Bollywood whom have heard Tum Hi Ho, complimenting the heart touching lyrics and painfully wonderful singing. The one that stands out for me though is without a doubt Sunn Raha Hai. It would take a huge miracle to challenge this powerful ballad to the song of the year award. It’s certainly the song of the year for me. The execution of the song in the movie was perfectly fit for RJ and his story. When he opens up his concert with “Apne karam ki kar aadayein”, you’ll feel a cold sensation travel through body to straight to your heart. Ankit Tiwari deserves all sorts of recognition, award and appreciation for his beautiful performance on this song. Here’s a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3UHfi9vpbc. Turn your lights off, listen to the lyrics and fall into the anthemic trance that is Sunn Raha Hai. Bhula Dena is a decent addition to the soundtrack but I think we can agree that the composers didn’t take full advantage of Mustafa Zahid’s voice. Zahid is one of my favourite singers of all time and that’s an opinion based on just three of his songs. To give him such a weak song is so disappointing. Milne Hai Mujhse Aayi – which incredibly didn’t make it into the movie – is a well written song, but the main two mentioned earlier stand towers above the rest. All in all, this movie is a decent watch and I enjoyed it but ultimately, it should not have been made as a sequel to the 1990 Aashiqui. Have producers become so desperate that they’re forced to sacrifice legacies in order to sell a new movie? 

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