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Film Review

I don’t have any reason to cry about, but just now liking humming the lyrics of a song from recently popular Hindi movie ‘Aashiqui 2’. This Indian romantic drama film is considered more as a musical love story, which being a passionate story of two ‘niche carving’ ambitious singers it has to be. Directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Bhushan Kumar and Mukesh Bhatt under the banners T-Series and Vishesh Films, the film is the sequel to 1990’s musical blockbuster film ‘Aashiqui’. It does not follow the regular sequel format but like a franchise with no resemblance to the previous story. Presenting the fresh talents of Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead roles, in the characters of Rahul Jayakar and Aarohi Keshav Shirke, the film depicts their journey and relationship going through love and hate, twists and turbulence, success and failure in their lives. 

Poster of 'Aashiqui 2'

Poster of 'Aashiqui'

It's must not be a coincidence that the movie is inspired by Frank Pierson's 1976 drama 'A Star Is Born'. And one can draw similarities between 'Aashiqui 2' and 'Abhimaan' of Hrishikesh Mukherjee also. Mukherjee made his melodious 'Abhimaan' on the same theme portraying Jaya Bhaduri as a better artist than Amitabh Bachchan but the treatment is contrast. Here in 'Aashiqui 2' Sharddha Kapoor plays off against his hero Aditya with steel willed vulnerability that echoes Jaya Bhaduri in 'Abhimaan'. The story revolves around how obsession pulls one down and importantly there are no ego clashes between the protagonists but a lot of love for each other that eventually gives strength to both.  

A super star musician RJ is rapidly declining from his stardom but he doesn't care of it much. Amidst of this fall to disgrace, he comes across Aarohi, a middle class 'Dream to catch Moon' girl. He is blown away with her vocals and gives her a dream of making big in music. He in the entire journey to her stardom stands next to her protecting and promoting her being immensely in love with her not caring his family status. Aarohi's rise to top brings happiness to the couple but society sees brand RJ as a fallen tree who is taking solace in the rise of Aarohi. Aarohi on the other hand holds together RJ not to fall completely apart, but sadly unsuccessfully. During this unfavorable time, Aarohi who was a middle class ambitious girl but totally unhappy with her stardom bringing perplexity in her personal life, wants to go away from her success. In this case, it reminded me the ambitious character of Priyanka Chopra of 'fashion' paying the price of her fame and success. But here at the end, considering himself a stigma of being the one who is pulling Aarohi down from her rise, RJ part his way from her committing suicide for what he always dreamt for Aarohi. 

Aditya Roy Kapoor as Rahul Jaykar

Sharddha Kapoor as Aarohi Keshav Shirke

From the cast point of view, both protagonists fit their roles to the best filling up the screen with a measure of voluptuousness allowing the emotions to spill over without creating an excessive drama. Sharddha Kapoor as a middle class girl looks every bit of it, she looks ravishingly refreshing, not with lot of makeup her natural beauty does the charm all the way. Acting wise, I thought she could have done a better job but she was convincing in her role. Aditya Kapoor has appeared in few movies before but this movie would give him something better as he deserves. In pursuit of pleasure derived from the alcohol his character stays much of 'bottled' a cross between Shahrukh Khan's Devdas and Ranbir Kapoor's Rockstar. Like all the heros of Mahesh Bhatt's cinema, Aditya too has to portray a man who frequently create scenes and embarrasses the person he loves the most. 

The movie is surely director's baby and Mohit Suri needs pat on back for handling the story so well. Suri traverses the angst-soaked territory with a sincere and deep understanding of the dynamics that destroy love and trust between couples in the glamorous and competitive profession. The writer Shagufta Rafiqui ferrets out the feel-good places in the script where the protagonists plunk their emotions with a confidence and conviction that reaches out to the audience. The way two main lead actors perform their parts of two soul-mates and singers, credit should also go to the musicians and singers Jeet Ganguly, Mithoon and Ankit Tiwari stands by the characters and never lets them down. Although the singing here is not quite that what we heard Lata Mamgeshkar, Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar do in 'Abhimaan'. 

Apart from the all other aspects, the story and character building is the thing, which made me to initiate some hours to sit and write about the impact of the movie it has left over me. Rahul Jayakar’s character one may find a highly unpredictable, hotheaded, careless and fidgety from outside but I felt him an intelligent, honest artist and having a vision to see the future. This inside visitation of his personality makes one to find the reasons of his genuine efforts towards the ambitions of girl Aarohi Shirke. I felt Rahul is very well known to his talent and impediments as well. He knew that he won’t ever be able to get over from his alcohol addiction, thus to continue his stardom anymore. And achieving stardom and remaining the same are two interrelated but different things. So after confronting to Aarohi and her voice while she was repeatedly looking at Lata Mangeshkar’s poster, he eventually found the one to whom he could transfer his musical erudition, resources and even stardom, thus his music can get immortality through someone who deserve it more than him. No doubt it is a love story, but in this sense it is love of an artist towards his art music than of the love of a nympholept towards his female partner. 

Stills from the movie

One another endorsement could be given to this in the form of the treatment of love story. Love stories generally contain instant physical intimacy especially in ‘reel’ life and becomes more underlinable in the case of ‘Bhatt camp’ movies or let this statement go out for ‘real’ life too. But here the intense, pure, selfless and heart wrenching form of love has presented apart from any lusty romance. I also heard from few friends that the end of the story is not well as not being a happy ending movie. But some audience are might be pretty much habitual of digesting the happy ending story only. A subtle abstract end which leaves one protagonist alone without the other is the real purpose of the story which leaves the eyes wet and throats dry. I found it the skill of the writer and director completing the ambitions of a 'bottled' man Rahul Jayakar, into a well going career of 'Aarohi Rahul Jayakar' instead of 'Aarohi Keshav Shirke' as she writes her name in the diary of a fan at the end of the movie. 

To let the love live the lover must die, whether if love is towards the better female half or towards the passion called music. It's a curious trade off and one carried off in this film with an exuberance of emotions, and finally a love story away from the standard Romeo and Juliet format. Made on a budget of Rupee 12 crore, the film is becoming a major commercial success, collecting Rupee 100 crore worldwide in four weeks collection. A good one time watch, one can mark 8/10.