Skip to main content

Movie Review: Zindagi Na Milegi Do Bara & What I LOVED about it

Friends, here is my layperson's movie review of Zindagi Na Milegi Do Bara. I loved this movie & I would watch it again if I could.



Refreshing, Colorful & Young!
Right from the film's colorful poster to its peppy music and refreshing trailors, this movie packed it all for the fun-loving Indian audience with lots of color as bright as red tomatoes and golden colored parachutes! Zoya Akhtar plays to her beliefs in friendship by telling this tale of love, friendship and the growing 'possessive' culture that epitomizes the creme-de-creme new generation.



Best Friends Getting Together with Fun
We can easily imagine a best friend getting married and supporting their special moment with happiness and fun. That's why the central characters click in our minds easily - Kabir (starring Abhay Deol) who's easy going, fun and caring about others around him; Imran, (starring Farhan Akhtar) who loves to flirt, woo and show off his down to earth attitude and his sense of humor at the right time and at the right occasion and yes, Arjun, (Hrithik Roshan) who appears to have it all because of the money he flaunts and yet he is the poorest among them all because he forgot to find happiness through the simple things that make up life.

Refreshing Conversations & Brilliant Visuals
With Kabir all set to marry Natasha (starring Kalki Koechlin), the guys go for their 'bachelor trip' and the rule of the game is that each one gets a chance to try out an adventure sport of their choice and the choice will remain a secret till they reach the spot. You can sit back and simply enjoy the brilliant visuals of Spain, its culture and its heady romance with colorful festivities. They meet the lovely Laila (starring Katrina Kaif) and the romance sets in smoothly. She delivers the 'message' of the movie subtly. That happiness is not about working 24X7 to plan for one's retirement but it's about choosing your attitude to life and living fully in the present instead of stashing away and slaving for hours in anticipation of tomorrow. She convinces Arjun that by living fully in the present, you enjoy to every breath and savor it to the fullest. That, she reminds him, as important as letting go of the past and cutting the ties of insecurities that bind. Katrina Kaif has blended in with the character she represents & done it delightfully right down to the bold kiss.
Memorable Moments
What resonates most is the deep friendship between the characters, with all its undercurrents and high moments. You can sense tension in the air when one friend's expensive mobile is tossed aside in what was meant to be a fun filled gesture and when one friend asks the other if he is truly happy with the girl that he's getting ready to marry. The tomato festival and the 'Bagwati' character, I really enjoyed.  The 'Diamond biscuit' rendering and the 'Doordarshan' humming - Zoya Akhtar definitely got it right because that's exactly the kind of memorable conversations that best friends enjoy while chilling out. There's a lot more to this movie than that, of course.

You know what I loved the most? I could see a slice of my college life & I simply didn't want the movie to end. My favorite character was that of Farhan Akhtar's - I think he was the best because he was the most natural and seemed perfect in the character he represented.

Watch Zindagi Na Milegi Do Bara - it's worth your time and money.

Comments

Tan said…
Everybody who watched the movie liked it...Will watch it soon :)
Asha said…
you saw it already?!!

I too read good reviews. It's on my list along with chillar party.
Nitha said…
Agree with you.. watched it ystrdy . .awesome movie...
Rachna said…
Haven't seen it yet but almost everyone is praising it. Will see it soon. Good review.
Unknown said…
nothing great in the movie except for the scenic shots & the adventure sports...
Pramoda Meduri said…
I loved the movie, locations, dialogues, scenes and the actors as wel.. beautifully photographed one i've seen recent days ..

well expressed by you..:)
Thanks, Tan. Do watch it.

Asha, thanks. Do watch it. Adi, my son is after me to watch Chillar party b'coz his friends watched it and told him. Peer pressure in KG!

Nitha, glad u loved it.

Rachna, you've got to. It's awesome.

Journey, I loved it but different views are always welcome:)

Being Pramoda, Glad that u loved it too.
- Sugar Cube - said…
You said it! Nice review.

Farhan Akhtar really is a gem of an actor! Amazing comic timing.
just watched this loved it too :-)
@Sugar Cube - I too liked Farhan's humor and sense of timing throughout the movie.

@Rebecca - Awesome, that u liked it.
Haddock said…
When I think of this movie, the first thing that comes to mind is the way Hrithik imitated the Doordarshan intro music. Even in those days I used to wonder "why did they choose such a sad tune?"
And of all the places, I saw this movie with friends at Amsterdam !!
Harisankar said…
Just watched ZNMD for the 5th time today and came across your blog..Totally sharing your views..and Gr8 blog..:)

Most Popular Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v

Tumhari Sulu movie review: Vidya Balan makes you laugh, cry, croon and fall in love with 'Sulu'

I have always looked forward to watching Vidya Balan's films, which is why I watched her latest one, Tumhari Sulu, and decided to share this movie review. I read many reviews which bring in the feminist aspect of the narrative. I want to look at the little details of an ordinary life that are portrayed by Vidya Balan's extraordinary acting.   As ''Sulu'', Vidya Balan breathes life into the character of bubbly housewife, whose life revolves around her husband, son and of course, her favorite hobby of participating in all kinds of contests and winning them with a die-hard spirit.                                          [ Image: Vidya Balan's Facebook page ]                                Vidya Balan's mastery over details comes through in every scene - shooing off birds so that they don't put ''potty'' on her clothes, posing in front of the mirror with the kind of bag that working women use and pretending to be one, and eve

7 Am Arivu (the Seventh Sense) - Why it is spiritually relevant

7 Am Arivu (the Seventh Sense) is a film that I was desperate to watch for two reasons. One, I am a Suriya fan and I had heard so much about his performance in this movie that I didn't want to settle for watching a CD of it and losing the actual cinematic experience. Second, I had read from various bloggers and their reviews that this film revolves around the story of Bodhidharman, a 16th century prince from Tamil Nadu who had mastered knowledge spanning multiple forms of art, and was sent to China to save the people from evil. Once he goes there, the transformation begins for himself and for the people there and he  goes on to become Damo, the father of Shaolin and Kung Fu and hypnotism and such other mystical yet spiritually relevant forms of mind mastery. 7 Am Arivu Goes Over the Top with the Dravidian Rhetoric In 7 Am Arivu, there has been a lot of controversy created by the fact that nearly every character eulogizes about the importance of being Tamil and yes, the Dravidi

Gayatri Mantra as Panchamukhi: Get it right or let it go

Most people do not understand the importance of chanting the Gayatri mantra because they are not aware of its power. It is only when I began to read Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings that I learned how sacred and powerful the chanting of the Gayatri mantra is.    The Vedas represent the breath of God. The Gayatri mantra is the very basis of the Vedas. Try not to undertake chanting the Gayatri mantra as a light endeavor or as a hobby. It has to be chanted with faith, discipline and purity of mind and body. Be steady with your sadhana if you want to reap the spiritual dividend associated with the Gayatri mantra  and never once hesitate once you decide to do it.  Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba said that the Gayatri Mantra is referred to as Pancha Mukhi, the Goddess with five faces that represent the five pranas or life forces. Here's more on it. .  Also read: The Power of OM   Chant the Gayatri Mantra correctly: Pause Five Times Here are some important thi