Director: Sanjay Gupta
ing : Saif Ali
Khan, Kajol, Aditya Panscholi
Music : Anu Malik
Reviewed by: Sunder Kumar
sunder@indolink.com
out of 
New Wine in Old Bottle
Shahrukh heralded the new wine of obsession with Darr, Baazigar,Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, and Anjaam; and the reincarnation theme is very old bottle for Hindi films (from Madhumati to Kudrat, Mehbooba, and more recently Karan-Arjun). Sanjay Gupta pours some new wine into this old bottle, and concocts this potion for a lifetime called "HAMESHAA".
Unlike the title would suggest, this is not a movie that will be remembered until eternity. But thankfully, neither does watching the movie feel like eternity. The short duration of two hours works well for the movie; either the wine was too costly or the bottle too small.
The film starts with two friends, Raja, a college student played by Saif Ali Khan, and Yash, a real raja played by Aditya Panscholi. Predictably, both fall for Rani (Kajol). How much more creative could the naming be? Songs and dances follow, before the friends see the triangle. Yash lets Raja down, into a valley, and Rani follows him. Yash is left shouting in despair for a break!
22 years pass over the intermission break. Yash now spends his day visiting the tea garden he just bought, signing an export contract with Tulip Company folks from Europe, and leaving for Bombay in the evening. On the flight to Bombay, he spots a Jaisalmer gal in the inflight magazine IA-Namaskar, Reshma (Kajol again), and finds himself luring her to his mansion. Raja, now a guitarist and singer in the same township must meet with his old buddy, and ol' buddy must continue to play spoilsport.
Saif often appears small on screen with the presence of Aditya Panscholi, or even Kajol. Kajol shows a few layers of radial tyres around her belly, and meat in her thighs. Aditya Panscholi tries his best to act. His role calls out for the talents of a more expressive actor. Comic relief in the form of Laxmikant Berde and Kader Khan (in a special appearance) vanish quickly, thanks to the killing spree of Yash on a hunt for the reborns.
In one scene, Kader Khan describes fate (taqdeer) as the writings with coal on a paper made of cowdung. Fortunately, our fate isn't that. The movie has some bright aspects. The photography by Kabir Lal is very good, following up on his show for Pardes. The music by Anu Malik works well for the movie, though it is no great shakes by itself. The special effects are good; especially after seeing vintage Films Division cartooning in Aur Pyar Ho Gaya. Saif seems comfortable as an actor, but his presence is still question. Kajol, despite those layers of fat, looks attractive and expressive. The director is in control of this script (the non-existent one); and hence he keeps it short and taut.
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