Lekar Hum Deewana Dil is supposed to be a story about two youngsters who fall in love, the modern way. It will be unfair if I try to compare Arif Ali’s interpretation of a love story in the time of priority complex with Imtiaz Ali‘s films, but this film is clearly trying to be something like that. However, here’s what I thought.
Dinesh Nigam A.K.A Dino (Armaan Jain) and Karishma A.K.A ‘K’ (Deeksha Seth) are college friends, who deny they are in love. But their friends know that they are (because they always do). However, when K’s father decides to get her married and seek a groom for her, the duo decide to elope. They don’t have the resources, obviously, to live a life on their own without their parents. Thus begins a clash of generations, with each other and within themselves, as love is not the only thing that can make a relationship work. And also, love is not enough to just go and get married.
To start with, the first half of the film takes you nowhere. In fact, at some point, I actually forgot the intermission hadn’t even happened, because I felt like it was almost over. The first half is overloaded with songs, and the screenplay is like hurrying and scurrying through scenes trying to reach God knows where. Dino and K have some serious fights, and the forced fights are too evident. They are in the forest, where Maoists help them with a shelter, and so they are asked to stay on or else the police will catch these nationalists. But then, some nationalists help them get out. Since this is such a ‘real’ modern love story, it needs to be a little real about this too. How does one escape nationalists so easily? And oh, they have a little cute dog who they conveniently leave behind in the forest, because they have to get out of there. Selfish much? The second half does pick up a little as the story develops into something more serious, more captivating, it still kind of drags on, trying to get somewhere again, and I wish I knew where.
On the brighter side, Arif has shown realistic development of the characters, as they kind of mature in the second half and calm down a little too (Thank God!). Dino’s character shows great progress as the film proceeds, while you can notice the difference in K’s portrayal too. The songs of the film are fun, in fact Mawwali Qawwali has some really cool beats. Armaan and Deeksha individually have done a decent job, but there is little chemistry. There is just something very disconnected about them as a couple, which all the more doesn’t let you connect to their love story or their obstacles.
I think the problem here lies with the concept of modern day romance. I mean seriously, we are not THAT confused! I don’t know who is researching on youth and the marriage melodrama, because they are not getting their facts right. I actually felt that LHDD is like the Mumbai version of Shuddh Desi Romance, contradictory to the story (which was about commitment phobia) yet as generalised and stereotypical.
Verdict:
LHDD is an ‘on and off’ typical love story, which has some good music and a couple of interesting scenes (Armaan is very cute, by the way). But sadly, the potential of the debutants cannot be predicted from the film, and you cannot exactly blame them, because the script is pretty directionless and doesn’t let them showcase their talent too much. It wouldn’t hurt to watch it on a relaxing weekend or something, but as far as film value is concerned, it is nothing you haven’t seen before.