Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kair, Kalki Koechlin
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Music: Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy

Verdict: Dive into the sea, free fall and run for your life. Don’t miss Farhan Akhtar and don’t expect a Dil Chahta Hai.
Rating: 3.5/5

Shun the comparisons to Dil Chahta Hai, Hangover and any other such films which have road-trips and three men having a good time — let go and you will enjoy this film. If your attention span is similar to that of most of today’s multiplex-goer, then you may find it a tad bit long. Zindagi Milega Na Dobara does what it’s set out to do — tell you a story about living life in true Bollywood-style, dotted with exotic locations, big stars and adventure sports. To put in a nutshell, the everyday movie-goer will be refreshed after leaving the theatre.

Zoya Akhtar once again proves her powerful storytelling after Luck By Chance. However, this film tries to mirror the realities — it is nowhere close to doing so, which Luck By Chance did so quite successfully. The film is about three childhood friends, each with their set of secrets, who promise to go for a road-trip and dare each one to participate in an adventure sport of their choice. Throw in an annoying fiancée in Natasha (Kalki Koechlin) and a charming deep sea diving instructor cum companion in Laila (Katrina Kaif) and you have a good looking cast. The film doesn’t stop there — the performances are good as well.

Kabir (Abhay Deol), Imran (Farhan Akhtar) and Arjun (Hrithik Roshan) are three characters who work on the same principle as most similar films do — one confused, one masking problems with humor and the other stuck up, all with the new-age cliche careers too. Abhay Deol is a convincing rich boy and does a fairly good job, unlike in Aisha where he was just out of place. Hrithik Roshan delivers a hundred and twenty percent as always and at some parts in the film, that is a flaw, but is otherwise top notch. Koechlin and Katrina Kaif do well in their limited parts and are convincing too. The cameos are well placed and deliver what is required.

However, the top honours of the film, if were to be shared, must be distributed amongst the director Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti for accompanying her on the script and Farhan Akhtar who stole the show with his impeccable comic timing and suave act. Carlos Catalan’s cinematography is splendid and captures the essence of Spain and the holiday quite well and definitely has an international touch to it. The adventure sport sequences, specially, are really well shot and executed, almost involving you to an extent. The film’s first half has a pulsating energy that has some good jokes thrown and is definitely light-hearted, against the second half which begins to feel a little preachy and lengthy at parts.

Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy deliver a fairly good soundtrack, but are definitely not at the top of their game. Some of the songs blend in beautifully, however. The film also delivers some life lessons via Katrina’s character and some splendid poetry in parts, to calm the mood, via Farhan Akhtar’s character. Needless to say, the poetry by Javed Akhtar and its picturization is splendid. All in all, it’s worth a watch because Zoya Akhtar does not take your intelligence for granted.