Creative Quotient
Harry Baweja’s story takes off in swanky Australian streets and beaches. His hero - Karan (Harman) is a poor rich lad whose mom is dead and dad has no time to spare for him. So he takes to extreme adventure sports for he likes to live on the edge. “Karan from Sydney, only 23” does nothing much with his life except travelling to Adelaide with his pals where he spots a butterfly chaser Sana (Priyanka) and plonk! He falls head-over-heels for her! The love story develops as the hero chases the heroine over bridges, buses and cars. Finally he finds her in the same town as his uncle Ya, a whiz scientist (Boman Irani), instantly the two get engaged to be married. And when the newly-engaged couple blunders into Uncle Ya’s laboratory and find the fabled time machine, they get into it and try to activate it and Sana enters her preferred destination as Mumbai and year 2050. Wonder why Baweja set the first half of the film in Australia? For a swank backdrop? What a waste of good money!
At all times, the plot reminds you of Koi... Mil Gaya and Baweja is clearly inspired by the Roshan film.
In the second half, the film crawls at an unbearably slow pace as Karan travels ahead in time to bring back his lost love, Sana is now born as pop star Ziesha (Priyanka in red wig and body-sculpted suits). The reincarnation theme crosses with sci-fi!
Dialogue writer Mayur Puri’s lines are vapid and uninspiring at mostlike,"I don’t need luck, I have love!" Don’t be too sure, Baweja's!
Technical Expertise
The film is lavishly mounted and technically Baweja hasn’t spared any expense. But the effort doesn’t just add up. The film drags endlessly. Ziesha’s pink teddy, Boo and Karan’s robot guide QT are hardly appealing. The second half is suffused with VFX with flying cars, laser billboards and glassy high-rise buildings. These unrealistic contraptions only give the film a juvenile cartoon film look. It just doesn’t work.
Debutant Harman dances, jumps over fences and serenades his lady-love so much like Hrithik Roshan that it’s jarring. He ends up looking like a cardboard copy. He has confident body language, which he must capitalise on instead of mimicking someone else. He’s capable of a lot more. Priyanka is endearing in both the roles - as sweet Sana and even as tough-as-nails Ziesha. Boman Irani and Punjabi mum Archana Puran Singh ham away throughout the proceedings.
Vijay Kumar Arora’s cinematography is neat and action director Allan Amin’s chase sequence where Harman dodges a bunch of Australian bouncers is worth a watch.But in the second half the action gets as tacky as the movie itself with Harman and Priyanka jumping off their air-borne car to avoid the approaching bridge and then jumping right back in their seats. Anu Malik’s music isn’t up to the mark either. Credit is due to the choreographer for those robotic steps. Also Priyanka’s stylist deserves a huge pat on the back. Editor Hemal Kothari was obiviously neglecting his job, for he leaves spools and spools of boredom in the film.
Verdict
One star jointly for the debutant Harman Baweja’s confident body language and for Priyanka who looks like a dream in both present and futuristic avtaars. Another for the choreographer.