Bachna Ae Haseeno = 3 beautiful girls + Ranbir Kapoor

When I first saw the promos to Bachna Ae Haseeno, I thought it was going to be a remake of a Korean film I enjoyed called S Diary. Three girls, one guy, past romances, different stages in his life - all sounded like it. S Diary was all that plus it was really about revenge of the exes and the star of the movie was a female. So I was wrong. I've never seen Chasing Papi, a popular Spanish film; Teen Deeyian, an Oldies Dev Anand film; or Autograph, a popular Tamil film - all which BAH is said to have taken inspiration from. Update - seen Autograph

Raj (Ranbir Kapoor) has been in love three times. Two of the three times that he's been in love; he's hurt the girl. What comes around, always back around. He finally gets his due when the woman he loves - Gayatri (Deepika Padukone) rejects him. Finally he knows that feeling, he wants to amend his hurtful, wrong-doings and go back to the two previous women of his life -- Mahi (Manissha Lamba) and Radhika (Bipasha Basu) -- to apologize to them. After so many years have gone by, will they forgive him?

This post will definitely be a lot of screen caps so beware! I didn't love the movie nor did I dislike it. There are so many great moments in the film worth mentioning. No spoilers. Just descriptive like Nida's post, so there is a little bit of spoilers! Read at your own risk if you haven't seen the film or just want to see it from my view. Yes, I enjoyed it....a lot.

Movie starts off with the title song, "Bachna Ae Haseeno" (yes, same song with modern twist of his dad, Rishi's movie) showing off Ranbir's hip hop dance moves. I think he's a great dancer and enjoy watching him. Not too impress with his outfits though. But I forgive him since he has a nice, tone body to make up for it. In the song, all three fabulous-looking ladies -- Deepika, Bipasha, and Minissha -- dance with Ranbir.

The lonely Raj is thinking and wondering about his past three love lives. Each one through the different stages of his life.

Being young and finally an adult, the 18-years-old Raj and his friends set out to Switzerland for a road trip. Riding on the train, he meets Mahi. With the name Raj, he re-creates the on-screen "Raj" aka Shahrukh Khan from the famous Bollywood hit Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to woo Mahi. With a vision of the perfect man and watching DDLJ for the 16th time, Mahi wants to find her "Raj." She is such a hopeless romantic.

Both Raj and Mahi miss the train going to Zurich. With every attempt to make Mahi fall for him, he smartly uses DDLJ references. Success! Mahi fond her Raj! Even though she is engaged, her Raj will sweep her off her feet.

Song #2 - "Aahista Aahista"They both spend time together as they make their way to Zurich.

Reality! Raj breaks her heart and leaves Mahi there crying.

What a jerk. Alright, fine. He was young, stupid, and such a show-off that he couldn't bear his ego be shattered. Now there is the second stage of his life - mid 20s and starting off his career. Raj lives with his beautiful, sexy, modern girlfriend Radhika. He summarizes how they met and fell in love. Everything in their relationship is going well until the day his job is transfer to Sydney, Australia.

So what is the problem? Instead of making a true commitment and marrying Radhika and taking her with him to Sydney, Raj wants to enjoy the bachelor life in another country. Cowardly, he leaves Radhika at the alter.

The image of Radhika in the rain, washing away her henna is so heart-breaking. I was more invested in this relationship than Mahi's, not because it was Bipasha, the actress (my absolute favorite). But because Radhika and Raj were actually a couple. With Mahi, it was just an image she fell in love with. Plus it was more of a summer-fling-kind-of-romance-young-love, to me. Radhika fell in love with who Raj really is only to have her heart broken. She nearly wanted to give up her dreams to be with Raj. There was a relationship that developed over months, not just a few hours, like with Mahi.

Very successful in his career, Raj is still a big flirt and having the time of his life. One night he meets a beautiful, multi-task, independent Indian lady, Gayatri who happens to be his taxi driver. Raj is amused by Gayatri's strong, sassy personality. She is very independent and works several jobs to pay for her college education. With a good head on her shoulders, she vow to not rely on anyone. Since she is set in her own ways, she even refuses to ever get married in the future.

Song #3 - "Khuda Jaane"Slowly Raj falls in love with Gayatri as they spend more time together.

Payback time! Karma -- what comes around comes back around. Raj wants to marry Gayatri but she doesn't want to at all! She reminds him that she isn't marriage-material.

 

Finally Raj knows how it feels to get dumped. He sees Mahi and Radhika. Now he must go back and make mends. He must apologize to them!

Leaving Sydney, Raj goes back to India. Since Raj last saw Mahi, she was in an arranged marriage. Going to her house despite knowing this, he meets up with her husband and two children. What a perfect family, huh? Wrong. Raj has betrayed Mahi's sense of love. Her image of the "Raj" she once loved is not there anymore.

Song #4 - "Jogi Mahi"

He still seeks her forgiveness and unites the true "Raj" of Mahi's dreams back to her -- so she can see that in her husband -- he's always been there, she was too shattered to believe it again.

Raj and Mahi's segments are very Bollywood masala-like. My problem with this second segment of them is this -- after all these years, Mahi still feels some hurt?? Plus she has two sons! And not paying attention to her husband as much? Not giving him the love he deserves?

I adore Minissha but felt she looked too old for Ranbir at times. Her short hair made her look a lot like Preity Zinta at times.



It was a treat to see Kunal Kapoor. He played Mahi's hubby.
 

Raj goes seek Radhika. However, now she is known as the very successful star "Shreya Rathore"'

Song #5 - "Lucky Boy"

Intro to Shreya Rathore, the diva

Just a tidbit, one of my co-workers, who knows nothing about Bollywood, walked by when I was posting this and mentioned that Bips looks like Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycats Dolls in these caps.

Like many divas, everything has to go the way she wants. Shreya is no different. Raj ends up going to Shreya's mansion and apologizing. Shreya will not let him off-the-hook that easily! In order for him to forgive him, he has to work for it. He is now hired as her personal assistant!

Nida mentioned the scene when Shreya calls Raj over to tie her white dress. You can see her nicely, tone back. I love that scene. Nothing was said but the expressions on their faces were priceless. Shreya wasn't trying to seduce Raj but show him what's he's missing. Plus Bips looks so hot and sexy in that white dress.

Song #6 - "Small Town Girl"

Being the diva's personal assistant is easy. Or is asking for Radhika's forgiveness harder?

Raj and Radhika/Shreya's segment -- I loved the most. I feel I can relate to it more. I would act the way Radhika did. At times it does seem childish the way Radhika treated Raj but come on! If an ex came back asking you for forgiveness and left you at the alter like that -- heck yeah, I'll make him pay for it! Every bit of this I loved except the closure. I felt that part was rushed. Since it's a Yash Raj production, it just had to be that way. No spoilers there, just assumptions. Give or take.

There's not much in the rest of the movie, I'll leave it at that. Not wanting to spoil anymore for those who are already disappointed with what I've already written. I do feel that Bips had the meatier role out of the three females and the most chemistry with Ranbir for that reason.

Even the overrated Deepika's role could've been given to anyone else. I was a bit disappointed in her. After the mega-hit Om Shanti Om, Deepika couldn't handle it on her own. Although I loved her real-life romance with Ranbir, they lacked chemistry in BAH. But I blame it mainly to the script. A cringe-worthy, petty part of Deepika is her appearance as the multi-task, independent lady working several jobs. I felt she looked way too glamorous for that role. Her style should've been simple and more natural. It would've made an impact on the scene where she dolls up and meets Raj at the party so she could add the extra oomph.

I think Ranbir does a great job conveying the guy who finally matures overtime. Ranbir, I see a bright future ahead. But I won't have too much expectations since I don't want to be disappointed. Just do what you do.

BAH is definitely no Oscar winning movie, but it definitely has its moments which I enjoyed. Hey, we all can enjoy brainless movies from time to time. This is one of them.