MUMBAI: A coming of age film again; Imran Khan is 25 year old and Kareena Kapoor ready to enter her 27th. They say the generation today is fast and matures before teens, Imran, though in mid 20s (in the film) and a veteran of over half a dozen films, is still coming of age. Well, if he is taking his time coming of age, it is fine but an Indian film where the female actor is mature and smarter than the male actor and in full control is a rather dicey theme to attempt; what is more, the hero stays a loser till the very end! Whatever happened to happy endings?
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Producer: Hiroo Yash Johar, KaranJohar, Ronnie Screwvala. |
Imran Khan has been sacked from his job by his architecture firm in the US and the sacking happens to coincide with the two day visit of his parents, Boman Irani and Ratna Pathak, from India. The only son of rich parents, Imran Khan has been brought up with their idea of discipline from brushing teeth thrice a day to which colour tie to wear. He can‘t wear socks and underwear unless pressed And one thought film heroes were supposed to be idols! Imran Khan‘s first thought always is what will his parents say/think? and he decides not to tell them about losing his job. Boman Irani plays the kind of father who was never happy with his son winning a silver medal but unhappy about losing out on gold one.
Single, suppressed and jobless, Imran Khan bumps into Kareena Kapoor at a utility store who on her part has just been ditched by her boyfriend she keeps referring to as Sam. Kareena Kapoor is everything that Imran Khan is not; extrovert, fun loving and full of stories about her past affairs. It is Christmas eve and Kareena Kapoor invites Imran Khan to celebrate the evening with her at a shady bar; not quite the hero‘s class but that is what an always tight on money Kareena is used to. A simple beer drinking evening turns into tequila guzzling session, one thing leads to another and both end up in an instant marriage chapel only to come out married to each other. (If it sounds familiar the basic theme is from the 2008 Hollywood film, What Happens In Vegas). The realisation strikes the morning after and both decide to annul the marriage.
However, the circumstances lead Kareena Kapoor to take shelter in Imran Khan‘s pad before she makes a trip to India in a few days. Fondness grows and she convinces Imran also to join her on her trip and yes, he can live at her house and his parents need not know. So what if Mumbai is so huge and crowded, Imran Khan can‘t hide from his parents as he is spotted crossing a road by his mother and it is time to change tracks as over a dinner Imran Khan opens up before his parents and guests breaking the shackles over his life. The story moves back to its original track, Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor; the former has by now fallen head over heels for Kareena who does not share his feelings and is content telling him about her various past encounters! Her feelings for Imran Khan are purely platonic and that is how it remains as the film ends. The hero remains an eternal loser!
This is a thin and routine storyline with mostly two characters, not equally talented, to carry it through. The funny moments and gags are few and far in between which makes the going very slow, dull at most times. Direction is routine. Musically, only the title song stands out. Dialogues are good at places, but not enough to make it a laugh riot.
Performance-wise, Imran Khan has few expressions to offer coming out bland most of the time. Kareena Kapoor gives one of her better performances and does her part convincingly. Boman Irani and Ratna Pathak Shah are good.
Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu is an insipid watch with poor prospects at the box office.
