Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi – Getting the basics perfect!

Surinder Sahni (SRK) gets married to Taani (Anushka Sharma) under dire circumstances. She therefore finds it difficult to accept him as her husband. She stays withdrawn and doesn’t speak to him. So much so that she doesn’t come out of her room for the first few days. Surinder being the understanding simple man that he is let’s her be… not pushing for anything from her.

Some days later she lets him know that she appreciates all that he has done for her. And how she respects him for marrying her when her world was falling apart. But she could never fall in love with him. Slowly and surely she falls into the routine of his housewife – looking after his home and hearth. But the distance is always there. One day while in the market, she comes across an advert for a dance competition in the city. She asks him if she can join it and the ever so understanding Sahni sees nothing wrong with it. He in fact plans to make maximum use of the competition for himself too. Knowing that she loves dance and music he asks his friend Bobby (Vinay Pathak) to help him out. And Surinder Sahni becomes Raj!

Raj is the complete antithesis of Sahni. He is loud, confident and wears his heart on his sleeve. And he is just the breath of fresh air that Taani needs. Slowly as the competition progresses Taani and Raj spend more and more time together and Surinder only surfaces at the end of the day for a couple of hours. Happy to see his Taani laugh and smile a lot more, Sahni continues with the charade of Raj by day and Surinder by night. But then something that he was dreading happens – Taani falls in love Raj and more out of love with Surinder. So much so that she is ready to elope with Raj.

Will she take that final leap towards her happiness? That’s what Adi Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is all about!

So has the Adi and SRK combination worked? It sure has!

Aditya Chopra has gone back to the very basics of film making. Simple sets, simple script and a well defined role for all of his characters make Rab Ne bana Di Jodi a simple treat. Surprisingly it lacks all the foreign locales and snow clad mountains but still manages to hold you. A romantic saga through and through, the film drips of all things that you associate with Yash Raj through the years but still comes away with being fresh.

Coming to performances – SRK is brilliant. As Surinder Sahni and then as Raj, he is as different as chalk and cheese. But yet as lovable in both his forms. The emotional takes are lovely and definitely do strike a chord in most of us. Debutant Anushka Sharma is a real find! She is leaps and bounds above Deepika Padukone who debuted opposite the King Khan last year. She has a very bright career ahead of her. Her beauty is not the usual fair skin, light eyed variety but yet her face keeps you looking at her without blinking. A big thumbs up for her, for sure! Vinay Pathak has done an equally good job in his small but very important role. As SRK’s best mate, he provides the all important support system for Surinder Sahni.

The film is just under three hours and still it ensures you enjoy all of it – something most films in 2008 haven’t been able to do!

Harshita Kohli, Hill Road Media