You don’t have to be
a hardcore fan to know the set recipe for any romantic comedy film. Boy meets
girl. Both are opposite in every sense. Girl falls for the boy. Boy hates
commitment. Heart breaks. Love aches. Girl leaves. Boy misses. Boy seeks. Boy realizes.
And then comes the fairly famous ‘Airport’ scene where things apparently fall
into their pre-designed place! How hard it could be! But what if you want to
break it and mold the same in a complete new pattern? Well, you have to be
smart enough to pull it off and not confused even an ounce to ruin the promise
and the prospect. Impressive filmmaker duo Raj & DK’s HAPPY ENDING fits in
both the scenario equally. And that makes it an irritating mash-up of likeable
scenes & enjoyable smart one-liners with futilely overstretched plot &
an almost never-ending climax.
Yudi [Saif Ali Khan]
is a ‘one book wonder’ writer who hasn’t written any more in last 6 years in short
of good ending but knows well when to call for an end in a relationship. Hearing
his girl saying those three magical words could cause him signs of losing his
confidence to his illustrious stuttering state. His latest break-up status with
the all mental & dental overbearing girlfriend [the cutely annoying Kalki] is
still ‘complicated’. He couldn’t tell her straight because he didn’t want to
hurt her. ‘What a thoughtful jerk!’ one of his ex-girlfriends compliments him.
In a parallel track,
the fading writer Yudi has no other option left but to write a superhit romantic
comedy film taking so-called ‘scene by scene’ inspirations from Hollywood hits
for a Bollywood superstar [Govinda keeps his charms working]. Though his life
so far has been one such romantic comedy, Yudi chooses to go around with a
budding writer Aanchal [Ileana D’Cruz] to get help and soon lands himself in situations
expected from more than a mile! Well, almost!
The film works well at
many fronts. Beautiful locations, pictorial cinematography, smart one-liners
and Saif Ali Khan back in ‘his’ den. He does hit every chord right portraying a
puzzled, commitment-scared flirt dressed in all designer summery cool clothing
line with the costliest car on road. He sure looks confident and comfortable as
an actor here and that’s much relief after his horrendous HUMSHAKALS act. Kalki
marks an electrifying presence the whole time she’s on screen. Ranvir Shorey succeeds
in providing some good laughs but it’s Govinda who never misses your attention
and love for his expressive mannerism. My favorite subplot includes Preity
Zinta playing an understanding, kind and gracious ex-girlfriend of Yudi.
Film falters big
time by reaching nowhere while looking aimlessly for a different recipe of a
romantic comedy. You can not compromise with the one you pulled your guns at. That
never takes you any close to heroism. And Raj & DK being the whistleblowers
in the industry, it feels worse. You can expect any low from Kohlis, Anands and
Malhotras of renowned big banners but not from these two. Film starts settling
for a convenient, age-old, tried & tested ending after much wandering in
the second half. It gets so dreary that the last 20 min seems unbearably long. Yudi
mouths a thoughtful line at the end, “One shouldn’t always look for a happy
ending. End it wherever you think it should”. I wish the writers & the
makers of the film would have taken it seriously. [2/5]
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