Movie Review: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

Release: October 28^th 2016

Director: Karan Johar

Genre: Romantic Drama

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is this Diwali’s “masala” film – love, laughter, tears, and fun.  The story is about an aspiring singer and MBA student, Ayan, who falls in love with a happy-go-lucky girl, Alizeh (Anushka Sharma) on a European adventure. Alizeh, however, doesn’t love him back. She’s still in love with her ex, DJ Ali (Fawad Khan). The story questions, can a guy and girl be “just friends”? Can you fall in love again if you’ve been in love before? What is it like to love somebody who will never love you back?

The positives:

1. The return of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. If this is the only reason you go see this movie, it’s worth it. She’s hot, beautiful, and sexy all in one. She plays a divorcee who is ready to entice you with her Urdu “shayari.”

2. Exceptional acting by Ranbir, Anushka, and Fawad – this was quite possibly one of their best performances so far. The excellent chemistry on-screen makes their characters so convincing.

3. The soundtrack by Arijit Singh and Pritam Chakraborty is a strong suit of this movie. My favorites were: “Break Up Dance,” “Channa Mereya” and “Bulleya.” Here’s the link to the full video playlist, with some behind the scenes shots!

4. Special appearances! Some of Karan Johar’s favorites will surprise you!

 The negatives:

1. The drag. The first half keeps you entertained pretty well, but you’re often wondering…where is the twist? If it weren’t for Aish’s appearance in the second half, I probably could have been happy just watching the first half of the movie.

2. The ending. Quite possibly one of the poorest endings I’ve seen in a Karan Johar movie…completely irrelevant and inconsistent with the rest of the storyline.  I can’t give this away so you’ll just have to see for yourself!

3. Warning: this is a tear-jerker for sure. Whether that’s a good or bad thing for you, plan on bringing a few tissues!

On the whole, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is this year’s romantic drama that has Karan Johar’s love life written all over it. If you’re a fan of his type of movie, or want to see Aish on the big screen, then definitely check it out in theater. Otherwise, leave it to watch for a date night at home. 

Fun Facts: Did you know this is Aishwarya’s first time starring in a Karan Johar film

Summary:

Acting: 4/5
Story: 3/5
Costumes: 3/5
Choreography: 3/5
Sets/Filming Location: 3/5
Songs: 5/5
Eye Candy: 4/5
Length of Movie: 2/5
Overall: *** (3/5) or 6/10

Key:
* = flop, don’t even bother
** = time pass, you’ll live if you don’t see it
*** = worth a watch
**** = A hit, see it in the theater!
***** = Bollywood Blockbuster

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