YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI MOVIE REVIEW

Ayan Mukerji made his Bollywood debut with Wake Up Sid, starring the same Ranbir Kapoor, back in 2009 and that one was also produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. In 2013, Ayan is back with his second, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, featuring stars such as Deepika Padukone, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kalki Koechlin and Kunal Roy Kapoor alongside the inimitable and dynamic Ranbir Kapoor.

The pairing of Ranbir and Deepika, they being a former real-life couple, has added to the interest levels of YJHD along with Pritam's cracking score comprising chartbuster hits such as Badtameez Dil, Balam Pichkari, Dilli Wali Girlfriend and Kabira to name a few.

YJHD is a peek at the journey of Bunny and Naina which starts with an adventurous trekking trip to Manali and culminates eight years later when they meet again for the marriage of Aditi, their common best friend. We also have Avi, Bunny and Aditi's other best friend to add another angle to this tale, brimming with emotions.

Ranbir is perfect for the role of Bunny, one who believes in living life to the fullest and one who nurtures a wish to travel to the nook and corners of the world. He loses out on some invaluable moments with his near and dear ones though. Ranbir is natural and endearing as always and we root for him all the way.

That Deepika is hot and gorgeous is an universally acknowledged fact. She is such a charmer and clinches the role of the simple and sweet Naina. The change in her role over a span of eight years from being a timid closeted young college girl to a confident young woman is well brought out.

The chemistry between Deepika and Ranbir is magical and they look so good together. Some of their scenes together in Manali atop the peak and then towards the end, when they propose their love towards each other will stay in your mind. The lip locks that they share are very intense and well-felt too.

The other actors such as Kalki, Aditya and Kunal carry equally important roles. Aditya plays a role similar to his drunken avatar in Aashiqui 2 and the bromance between him and Ranbir impacts you. Kunal repeats his Nautanki Saala act, that of a clumsy but sweet simpleton and he wins Kalki's hand in the end.

The movie also has a really heart-wrenching portion towards the end when Ranbir realizes how much he misses his dad's presence and care, after his death. Farooq Sheikh as the dad is first class and so is Tanvi Azmi as the step-mom.

There are guest roles for the likes of Madhuri Dixit in a merry dance number and Rana Daggubati in an inconsequential appearance. The suave Poorna Jagannathan and the hot Evelyn Sharma are also part of the scheme of things in minuscule roles.

Manikandan's visuals give the movie real class and gloss and we are presented stunning shots of Manali's snow clad peaks, the Indian heartland's rustic appeal and the romantic side of Paris.

The movie’s pace is deliberately leisurely and its running time is spread across more than two and a half hours. But, no scope for boredom here.

With almost all the elements that make for a mainstream Bollywood entertainer such as awesome songs, stunning visuals, a beautiful lead pair and elements such as an endearing romance, bromance and friendship, YJHD has everything going for it. What more do you need, to enjoy your 3 hours in the cinema hall?