Posted:
London Paris New York has been getting a lot of positive reviews.. I'm sooo happy for Ali.. Let's make this an official London Paris New York thread.. I would keep adding the reviews and business articles as they come in..EEEKSSS... .. They make a very good looking couple.. Aditi is pretty.. Ali is Charming.. the movies sounds very interesting.. I hope the movie does really really well !!
| London Paris New York Movie Review | |
| March 2, 2012 11:04:18 AM IST updated March 2, 2012 11:40:47 AM IST By Martin D'Souza, Glamsham Editorial |  |
| view LONDON PARIS NEW YORK videos |
LONDON PARIS NEW YORK is bold and beautiful! Producers Goldie Behl and Shristri Arya have taken on a huge gamble with a non-conventional script (by Bollywood standards) and a new director. Over and above that, they have backed their two main leads, relatively fresh, Aditi Rao Hydari and Ali Zafar. This is what you call banking on talent and backing your gut-instinct.
CHECK OUT: Ali makes it three in a row with LONDON PARIS NEW YORK
Anu Menon is a filmmaker trained in London and her western sensibilities are apparent in the approach to her debut film. She has dealt with the subject with immense maturity and has come up with an award winning performance. Having said that, let me add that having no big stars will work adversely for the film. If there was a Ranbir Kapoor or Priyanka Chopra, the opening would be different. Sad, but true. Indian audience need to break from the star mould. Newer stars and directors need to be given their due, so what if they do not belong to any film families.
Aditi and Ali manage to hook you from their first scene together onwards. Don't go by the star tag, these are stars of the future. Especially Aditi.
Their on-screen chemistry can be felt. Their falling in love is almost magical. Their meeting over three cities to test their love is a novel way of exploring their emotions. Can a long distance relationship survive?
CHECK OUT: Ali makes it three in a row with LONDON PARIS NEW YORK
Anu Menon is a filmmaker trained in London and her western sensibilities are apparent in the approach to her debut film. She has dealt with the subject with immense maturity and has come up with an award winning performance. Having said that, let me add that having no big stars will work adversely for the film. If there was a Ranbir Kapoor or Priyanka Chopra, the opening would be different. Sad, but true. Indian audience need to break from the star mould. Newer stars and directors need to be given their due, so what if they do not belong to any film families.
Aditi and Ali manage to hook you from their first scene together onwards. Don't go by the star tag, these are stars of the future. Especially Aditi.
Their on-screen chemistry can be felt. Their falling in love is almost magical. Their meeting over three cities to test their love is a novel way of exploring their emotions. Can a long distance relationship survive?
On a flight to London, Lalitha (Aditi), who is off to study Political Science, is told that she will miss her connecting flight to New York because this flight has been delayed. On the way out of the airport, she bumps into Nikhil (Ali Zafar), who will be studying Film Direction. She drops a book she is reading and he picks it up for her. Soon the conversation moves from Mills & Boons to Politics. Lalitha has information on any subject. Nikhil is the quintessential flirt who works his charm on Lalitha. Nikhil gives her company in London as they spend a day exploring the streets of the city. Sparks fly. Nikhil promises to meet Lalitha a few months later in New York, after a passionate kiss. This was in 2005.
CHECK OUT: Aditi Rao Hydari- Ali and I don't want any negativity
The scene then moves to 2007, in Paris. Nikhil has come in search of Lalitha and after enquiring about her whereabouts he has managed to track her down. Explanations are offered about why he could not meet her. They begin their journey again. Their romance now is even more intense, but abruptly, Lalitha leaves him in his hotel room. I can't reveal the reason here! She asks him to be true to his self.
The scene now moves to New York, five years later. Nikhil has once again come in search of Lalitha. She is only too happy to see him. Unfortunately, she is to marry the next day. Nihkil pleads for one night out on the streets of New York.
So will she marry Allan her fiance? Or will Nikhil be the lucky man?
I have a problem with the beginning and the end. Eight hours is too short a time for one to fall in love. But to Anu's credit, she bares Nikhil's and Lalitha's emotions beautifully. Still, you wonder, is it possible to fall in love? I guess, yes. The end too could have been drastically different. At least the viewer would have gone home thinking.
Aditi Rao Hydari is a spontaneous actor. She has a sweet charm of her own that is infectious in nature. Her timing is perfect. She is a complete actor, perfectly immersed in the character she is portraying. Ali Zafar on the other hand, redefines the art of flirting and gives cocky a new meaning. Both set the screen on fire. Mention must be made of the dialogues too.
The subject is bold in its treatment. The way these two youngsters, who are away from their homes in a foreign land, conduct themselves is also laudable. Not every parent would want this but then every 20-year-old has a mind of his own.
For two new actors to hold you mesmerized is laudable. This movie should be a definite 'must see' on your 'to do list' this weekend.
CHECK OUT: Aditi Rao Hydari- Ali and I don't want any negativity
The scene then moves to 2007, in Paris. Nikhil has come in search of Lalitha and after enquiring about her whereabouts he has managed to track her down. Explanations are offered about why he could not meet her. They begin their journey again. Their romance now is even more intense, but abruptly, Lalitha leaves him in his hotel room. I can't reveal the reason here! She asks him to be true to his self.
The scene now moves to New York, five years later. Nikhil has once again come in search of Lalitha. She is only too happy to see him. Unfortunately, she is to marry the next day. Nihkil pleads for one night out on the streets of New York.
So will she marry Allan her fiance? Or will Nikhil be the lucky man?
I have a problem with the beginning and the end. Eight hours is too short a time for one to fall in love. But to Anu's credit, she bares Nikhil's and Lalitha's emotions beautifully. Still, you wonder, is it possible to fall in love? I guess, yes. The end too could have been drastically different. At least the viewer would have gone home thinking.
Aditi Rao Hydari is a spontaneous actor. She has a sweet charm of her own that is infectious in nature. Her timing is perfect. She is a complete actor, perfectly immersed in the character she is portraying. Ali Zafar on the other hand, redefines the art of flirting and gives cocky a new meaning. Both set the screen on fire. Mention must be made of the dialogues too.
The subject is bold in its treatment. The way these two youngsters, who are away from their homes in a foreign land, conduct themselves is also laudable. Not every parent would want this but then every 20-year-old has a mind of his own.
For two new actors to hold you mesmerized is laudable. This movie should be a definite 'must see' on your 'to do list' this weekend.
London Paris New York - Movie Review
Romantic comedies or Rom-coms are not a new genre. Love stories have been told in the past too and will be told in the future. Every rom-com has a bit of predictability in it but still every now and then, a 'Jab We Met' comes. A film which has that special visual treatment, powerful performances, gratifying moments and a good feel to them. London Paris New York (LPNY) is one of those special films.
Set in three lovely cities of the world and spread over more than half a decade, LPNY is a story of Nikhil (Ali Zafar) a happy-go-lucky charming boy and Lalitha (Aditi Rao Hyderi) a simple, nerdy Madrasi girl falling in love with each other thrice in six years.
And that's it.
That's all LPNY is. No impediments, no pretentiousness, no preaching, no 'zaalim samaaj' and even no supporting cast. The only third person with a line to say is Dilip Tahil who appears in the last ten minutes of the film.
The first few looks of the film give an impression that it has shades of 'When Harry Met Sally' which has already been done in Bollywood (Hum Tum), however, LPNY is a different story with a different treatment. In fact, it's closer to '500 Days of Summer' and also has a peculiar similarity with 'Rodger Dodger' because of its heavy dependence on dialogue between only two main characters. Nonetheless, LPNY is a lot simpler than any of these movies. Instead of relying on twists and complications of the plot, it thrives on performances and the affability of the lead characters.
It's a short film of less than two hours, one of the strongest points of the film because of which it does not drag at any point and is fairly gripping for a simple story. The first story of London is a bit tacky and one takes some time to get comfy with the characters specially the extrovert Nikhil. As the story moves forward, the entertainment and audience engagement bars go up. Paris story is better than London and then New York wins from Paris hands down. The climax is beautiful. Watch out for the penultimate sequence at Hudson River; best scene of the movie. The film could have finished at that point and it would have ended at a high second to no other love story of recent times. No complains though.
Ali Zafar is dynamite. 5,000 tons of talent. Besides being the lead actor in the film, he is the music director, singer and lyricist as well. While he has done well on all the fronts; acting still takes the cake. In Tere Bin Laden, you were convinced on his comic timing but needed convincing on his ability to handle emotional scenes as TBL had none. LPNY has shown the audience his flexibility, range and ability to carry the film on his shoulders. He shows his emotional side and what a show this has been. His comic timing in London segment, impatience in Paris and outburst at the climax in New York' fantastic performance. Amazing screen presence and charm.
Aditi Rao Hyderi is not far behind either. Her portrayal of Lalitha and transformation the character goes through are extremely natural hence authentic. Her adorably shy demeanor in the first story, sultry looks and heartbreak in the second and mature conduct in the third are absolutely brilliant. Her best performance after smaller roles in 'Yeh Saali Zindagi' and 'Rockstar'. She looks gorgeous in rain sequence in London and steals the hotel room scene in Paris which of course is a defining moment in the story too.
The third star of the film is Anu Menon. Anu too has worn multiple hats for the film. She has written the script, directed it and has also written the dialogues. Had I not known, I would have thought LPNY is an Imtiaz Ali film and that's a huge compliment for Anu. Her aesthetic senses deserve applause for the way he has handled intimate scenes between the lead pair. The story has been kept simple, narration even simpler while dialogues put soul in the film. They do get cheesy at times but that is the requirement for Nikhil's character build-up. Anu hasn't gone over the top and has kept the film as close to reality as possible. If there is a term 'Unrealistically Realistic', it fits LPNY. I can swear several guys have gone through what Nikhil goes through on the bench in London. Yes, it's that real. She also deserves credit for keeping the film short, not going beyond two hours by dragging the film needlessly. The credit for this should also go to the debutant editor Sally Salgoanker.
LPNY is exactly the way love stories should be made. Trendy, Urban and fairly realistic. It takes great courage to make an entire film for only two characters, played by new comers and that too a talkie one. Even if it does not win bumper opening at the box office, it will increase the audience size for Ali, Aditi and Anu significantly. A beautifully made artsy commercial film which deserves a successful run.
London Paris New York
By Taran Adarsh, 28 Feb 2012, 14:41 hrs IST
Rom-coms appear to be the most preferential genre, notwithstanding the fact that you can foretell where the narrative is headed a few minutes into the film. But what sets most rom-coms apart is the implementation of the theme. It all hinges on how persuasively the narrator recounts and executes the plot, how compelling the central characters are, how mesmeric is their chemistry on screen and most importantly, does the cinematic account have soul?
The Hindi film industry is famed for churning out rom-coms by the dozens year after year, but just a handful of films dare to defy the stereotype. LONDON PARIS NEW YORK, directed by first-timer Anu Menon, is, in all honesty, one of those flicks that dares to be diverse.
LONDON PARIS NEW YORK is a chic rom-com that's filmed -- no prizes for guessing -- in three hot-n-happening cities of the world. But unlike the rom-coms churned out in the past, this one's more for spectators with urban receptiveness and a refined taste for cinema, on the lines of say an EK MAIN AUR EKK TU or a WAKE UP SID. What also sets this film apart is the fact that the story unfurls in eight years in three of the world's most thrilling cities, with the viewer getting a foretaste of everything that's allied with a rom-com in this globe-hopping voyage.
LONDON PARIS NEW YORK mirrors the torment and ordeals of the twenties, the most vivid segment of one's life -- when you are taking a call on what course your life ought to take, you have your first momentous relationship and most significantly, structure your personality in this world. This is the story of Lalitha [Aditi Rao Hydari], a middle class South Indian girl from Chembur [a suburb in Mumbai], who is on her way to New York to study politics, and Nikhil [Ali Zafar], a rich Punjabi kid from Bandra [a posh western suburb of Mumbai], who's going to study film making in London. They decide to hang out together one evening in London and find that they are completely drawn to each other even as their future lies on separate continents.
The film follows their special voyage and their love story as they meet in London, Paris and New York over eight years. The film is in three subdivisions and each chapter is shot in a manner that mirrors the psychological state of Nikhil and Lalitha.
Armed with an inventive and ingenious plot, LONDON PARIS NEW YORK owes its allegiance, to an extent, to the Hollywood movie [500] DAYS OF SUMMER than to the atypical Bollywood rom-com. The director makes an endeavor to be as bona fide and natural as possible, illustrating sentiments that adolescents go through when they fall in love and also all that comes with it, including pain, angst and torment when heartbreak occurs. That's what makes LONDON PARIS NEW YORK an unblemished and credible take on relationships, with authentic and identifiable circumstances, germane and relevant dialogue [Ritu Bhatia and Anu Menon] and no overstated styling of the actors' attire or hair/tresses.
Besides, like I indicated at the outset, Anu Menon chucks away the time-honored prescription of exaggerated drama that we are so acclimatized to watching in Hindi movies. Instead, she makes the narrative spirited and vivacious by depicting characters that you witness in factual life. In a way, the film emulates what one is so used to watching in our everyday life and that's where the exquisiteness of the film lies. A contemporary romance that's so credible, so realistic, so coherent.
However, LONDON PARIS NEW YORK is not devoid of its share of hiccups. The languid tempo in the first hour, with the narrative getting a little too verbose and talk-heavy, is a deterrent. Above and beyond, there's not much of advancement in the story after the two central characters are introduced. It's only a few minutes preceding the interlude that the wheels start undulating. What transpires in the second hour shoots the graph of the movie northwards. The exhilaration builds up magnificently, leading to an explosive culmination. In fact, the concluding moments -- I'd like to single out Ali Zafar's flare-up -- are worthy of additional brownie points. The sequence is so brilliant that it reverberates even after the movie has concluded.
Filmed in three most dazzling cities of the world, the movie boasts of some enchanting visuals. The director and also the DoP [Sameer Arya] have the aptitude for fitting camera placement, bestowing the film with a certain added charm.
Ali Zafar shoulders multiple responsibilities in this movie, which comprises of composing the songs as well as writing the lyrics. The actor/composer sticks to the theme of the film and comes up with tunes that uphold the synergy with the plot and setting of the movie. 'Woh Dekhne Mein' is, of course, the cream of the crop. The title track is racy and ear-pleasing.
In TERE BIN LADEN, Ali Zafar made the spectator break into guffaws and in his subsequent outing MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN, he made you grin and beam. Perceptibly, one would imagine Ali Zafar to get into the jocular and frivolous zone yet again in LONDON PARIS NEW YORK. Ali gets to depict a character that's a far cry from the hackneyed characters one is so used to watching and I must add, he glows luminously all through the film, particularly towards the concluding installment in New York. This motion picture will motivate even his staunch critics to structure an elevated estimation of him as a performer and revere him as an artiste of immense caliber.
Aditi Rao Hydari looks stunning, but more significantly, she appears to capture every moment, every scene most radiantly in this coming-of-age love story. She has an unadulterated take on how to construe a scene. What you get to witness is much ahead of the customary expressions and rejoinders. She appears so unflustered and unperturbed even in the most intricate moments, which only goes to prove her remarkable credentials as an actor. Besides, the intimate moments between Ali and Aditi are aesthetically filmed, not looking forced or an aberration in the scheme of things. Dalip Tahil and Mantra appear in a cameo.
On the whole, LONDON PARIS NEW YORK is akin to a lungful of fresh air amidst the hackneyed and passe rom-coms. It's a quirky, witty, coming-of-age movie that takes a conventional premise and twirls it into something delightfully unconventional, designed to charm and magnetize the urban youth. The movie speaks their lingo, mirrors their objectives and depicts the anguish and elation of falling in love. If you are young or young at heart, celebrate your weekend by leaping on to this feel-good earth hopping romance.
The Hindi film industry is famed for churning out rom-coms by the dozens year after year, but just a handful of films dare to defy the stereotype. LONDON PARIS NEW YORK, directed by first-timer Anu Menon, is, in all honesty, one of those flicks that dares to be diverse.
LONDON PARIS NEW YORK is a chic rom-com that's filmed -- no prizes for guessing -- in three hot-n-happening cities of the world. But unlike the rom-coms churned out in the past, this one's more for spectators with urban receptiveness and a refined taste for cinema, on the lines of say an EK MAIN AUR EKK TU or a WAKE UP SID. What also sets this film apart is the fact that the story unfurls in eight years in three of the world's most thrilling cities, with the viewer getting a foretaste of everything that's allied with a rom-com in this globe-hopping voyage.
LONDON PARIS NEW YORK mirrors the torment and ordeals of the twenties, the most vivid segment of one's life -- when you are taking a call on what course your life ought to take, you have your first momentous relationship and most significantly, structure your personality in this world. This is the story of Lalitha [Aditi Rao Hydari], a middle class South Indian girl from Chembur [a suburb in Mumbai], who is on her way to New York to study politics, and Nikhil [Ali Zafar], a rich Punjabi kid from Bandra [a posh western suburb of Mumbai], who's going to study film making in London. They decide to hang out together one evening in London and find that they are completely drawn to each other even as their future lies on separate continents.
The film follows their special voyage and their love story as they meet in London, Paris and New York over eight years. The film is in three subdivisions and each chapter is shot in a manner that mirrors the psychological state of Nikhil and Lalitha.
Armed with an inventive and ingenious plot, LONDON PARIS NEW YORK owes its allegiance, to an extent, to the Hollywood movie [500] DAYS OF SUMMER than to the atypical Bollywood rom-com. The director makes an endeavor to be as bona fide and natural as possible, illustrating sentiments that adolescents go through when they fall in love and also all that comes with it, including pain, angst and torment when heartbreak occurs. That's what makes LONDON PARIS NEW YORK an unblemished and credible take on relationships, with authentic and identifiable circumstances, germane and relevant dialogue [Ritu Bhatia and Anu Menon] and no overstated styling of the actors' attire or hair/tresses.
Besides, like I indicated at the outset, Anu Menon chucks away the time-honored prescription of exaggerated drama that we are so acclimatized to watching in Hindi movies. Instead, she makes the narrative spirited and vivacious by depicting characters that you witness in factual life. In a way, the film emulates what one is so used to watching in our everyday life and that's where the exquisiteness of the film lies. A contemporary romance that's so credible, so realistic, so coherent.
However, LONDON PARIS NEW YORK is not devoid of its share of hiccups. The languid tempo in the first hour, with the narrative getting a little too verbose and talk-heavy, is a deterrent. Above and beyond, there's not much of advancement in the story after the two central characters are introduced. It's only a few minutes preceding the interlude that the wheels start undulating. What transpires in the second hour shoots the graph of the movie northwards. The exhilaration builds up magnificently, leading to an explosive culmination. In fact, the concluding moments -- I'd like to single out Ali Zafar's flare-up -- are worthy of additional brownie points. The sequence is so brilliant that it reverberates even after the movie has concluded.
Filmed in three most dazzling cities of the world, the movie boasts of some enchanting visuals. The director and also the DoP [Sameer Arya] have the aptitude for fitting camera placement, bestowing the film with a certain added charm.
Ali Zafar shoulders multiple responsibilities in this movie, which comprises of composing the songs as well as writing the lyrics. The actor/composer sticks to the theme of the film and comes up with tunes that uphold the synergy with the plot and setting of the movie. 'Woh Dekhne Mein' is, of course, the cream of the crop. The title track is racy and ear-pleasing.
In TERE BIN LADEN, Ali Zafar made the spectator break into guffaws and in his subsequent outing MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN, he made you grin and beam. Perceptibly, one would imagine Ali Zafar to get into the jocular and frivolous zone yet again in LONDON PARIS NEW YORK. Ali gets to depict a character that's a far cry from the hackneyed characters one is so used to watching and I must add, he glows luminously all through the film, particularly towards the concluding installment in New York. This motion picture will motivate even his staunch critics to structure an elevated estimation of him as a performer and revere him as an artiste of immense caliber.
Aditi Rao Hydari looks stunning, but more significantly, she appears to capture every moment, every scene most radiantly in this coming-of-age love story. She has an unadulterated take on how to construe a scene. What you get to witness is much ahead of the customary expressions and rejoinders. She appears so unflustered and unperturbed even in the most intricate moments, which only goes to prove her remarkable credentials as an actor. Besides, the intimate moments between Ali and Aditi are aesthetically filmed, not looking forced or an aberration in the scheme of things. Dalip Tahil and Mantra appear in a cameo.
On the whole, LONDON PARIS NEW YORK is akin to a lungful of fresh air amidst the hackneyed and passe rom-coms. It's a quirky, witty, coming-of-age movie that takes a conventional premise and twirls it into something delightfully unconventional, designed to charm and magnetize the urban youth. The movie speaks their lingo, mirrors their objectives and depicts the anguish and elation of falling in love. If you are young or young at heart, celebrate your weekend by leaping on to this feel-good earth hopping romance.
London Paris New York
The Critic has posted comments on this MovieTNN, Mar 1, 2012, 09.57PM IST Email this review
Save this review
My Saved reviews
Reduce font size
Increase font size
Share on Hotklix
Share on Messenger
Share on Facebook
Share on Yahoo Buzz!
| Google Bookmarks | Newsvine |
| Live Bookmarks | Technorati |
| Yahoo Bookmarks | Blogmarks |
| Del.icio.us | ApnaCircle |
Tags:London Paris New York|Ali Zafar|Aditi Rao Hydari
| A still from the movie More Pics | Critic's Rating: Revised from to 3, based on popular feedback Cast: Ali Zafar, Aditi Rao Hydari Direction: Anu Menon Genre: Romance Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes Avg Readers Rating: |
| More from London Paris New York |
| Trailer |
| Music Video:Voh Dekhnay Mein |
| London Paris New York - Lalitha's first kiss |
Story: A globetrotting love story, with modern romantic equations and emotions evolving at every stopover.
Movie Review: Does your love change with the character of the city you are in? Do your pheromones trigger a different response when you kiss the same girl in different parts of the world? That's the formula of this three-city, romantic tour called London Paris New York. Reminding us loosely of the Hollywood romance 'Before Sunrise' (starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphi),London Paris New York, is a story of a couple who spend three nights, in three beautiful cities. This sparks a light-hearted romance over crackling conversational chemistry and long walks through the picturesque metros. Intensifying with dramatic highs, and emotional meltdowns.
Nikhil Chopra (Ali Zafar) and Lalitha Krishnan (Aditi Rao Hydari) are free-spirited, urban adolescents who meet by chance in London. They're instantly drawn to each other. Like most urbane youth on their own, they chat, kiss and vow to meet again in six months. In Lalitha's home city of New York. However, they decide not to pursue a long distance relationship, yet, they can't get over this not-so-fatal attraction. Hence, this mismatched and geographically-crossed couple go their separate transit lounges around the world, to search out each other, only to love and lose each other over and over again. Blame it on the rivers - Thames, Seine and Hudson - for pouring waters over their attraction each time. With a new twist in each city.
Ali Zafar is just the charming, almost cocky boy this love story needs. He is lovable, natural and subtly brings that slight cheekiness, sprinkled with boyish humour and attitude. He effortlessly adds dimensions to his character that is expected of his age and time. The casualness, yet confident aplomb with which he approaches his role is impressive. His emotional outburst under the Brooklyn Bridge in New York proves he is capable of much more than serenading you with his strings, songs and smiles.
In her first full-fledged lead role, Aditi Rao Hydari is immensely likeable on-screen, and confidently displays maturity in some moments. At times, her attempt to draw the right expression borders on being forceful, but the awkwardness only adds to the charm of this girl-next-door and her transition from a girlie-girl into a girl woman. The duo make an affable on-screen pair.
The London-based Tam-Brahm, Anu Menon, takes the Director's chair for the first time with a rather simple subject, but manages to make it a non-cliche for some parts. The screenplay (also by Anu Menon) lacks a certain sense of fluency and at times seems disconnected. However, the characters and dialogues (Anu Menon & Ritu Bhatia) are real and unpretentious enough to lure the youth, whether it's the slight reference to sex positions or the bodily chemistry of a lip kiss.
When you have a pop-icon for a music composer, the tracks are bound to be spot-on. Ali Zafar's music gives the film its freshness and adds to the lyricism of the love story. London Paris New York is a sweet story that deals with very real emotions. It is urbane, cool and thankfully, not dated. The simplicity of the dialogues makes it enjoyable. It deals with the trials and tribulations of the youth, and the complexities of finding real love. It probably won't move you to tears, but one thing is for sure -- after traveling across the globe, this one won't leave you jet-lagged.
Movie Review: Does your love change with the character of the city you are in? Do your pheromones trigger a different response when you kiss the same girl in different parts of the world? That's the formula of this three-city, romantic tour called London Paris New York. Reminding us loosely of the Hollywood romance 'Before Sunrise' (starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphi),London Paris New York, is a story of a couple who spend three nights, in three beautiful cities. This sparks a light-hearted romance over crackling conversational chemistry and long walks through the picturesque metros. Intensifying with dramatic highs, and emotional meltdowns.
Nikhil Chopra (Ali Zafar) and Lalitha Krishnan (Aditi Rao Hydari) are free-spirited, urban adolescents who meet by chance in London. They're instantly drawn to each other. Like most urbane youth on their own, they chat, kiss and vow to meet again in six months. In Lalitha's home city of New York. However, they decide not to pursue a long distance relationship, yet, they can't get over this not-so-fatal attraction. Hence, this mismatched and geographically-crossed couple go their separate transit lounges around the world, to search out each other, only to love and lose each other over and over again. Blame it on the rivers - Thames, Seine and Hudson - for pouring waters over their attraction each time. With a new twist in each city.
Ali Zafar is just the charming, almost cocky boy this love story needs. He is lovable, natural and subtly brings that slight cheekiness, sprinkled with boyish humour and attitude. He effortlessly adds dimensions to his character that is expected of his age and time. The casualness, yet confident aplomb with which he approaches his role is impressive. His emotional outburst under the Brooklyn Bridge in New York proves he is capable of much more than serenading you with his strings, songs and smiles.
In her first full-fledged lead role, Aditi Rao Hydari is immensely likeable on-screen, and confidently displays maturity in some moments. At times, her attempt to draw the right expression borders on being forceful, but the awkwardness only adds to the charm of this girl-next-door and her transition from a girlie-girl into a girl woman. The duo make an affable on-screen pair.
The London-based Tam-Brahm, Anu Menon, takes the Director's chair for the first time with a rather simple subject, but manages to make it a non-cliche for some parts. The screenplay (also by Anu Menon) lacks a certain sense of fluency and at times seems disconnected. However, the characters and dialogues (Anu Menon & Ritu Bhatia) are real and unpretentious enough to lure the youth, whether it's the slight reference to sex positions or the bodily chemistry of a lip kiss.
When you have a pop-icon for a music composer, the tracks are bound to be spot-on. Ali Zafar's music gives the film its freshness and adds to the lyricism of the love story. London Paris New York is a sweet story that deals with very real emotions. It is urbane, cool and thankfully, not dated. The simplicity of the dialogues makes it enjoyable. It deals with the trials and tribulations of the youth, and the complexities of finding real love. It probably won't move you to tears, but one thing is for sure -- after traveling across the globe, this one won't leave you jet-lagged.
comment:
p_commentcount