Raj (Randeep Hooda) is the owner of a cafe in which Veer (Kartik Aryan) and Zoe (Sara Ali Khan) meet. Raj helps Zoe get close to Veer by sharing some real-life incidents. Incidents from 1990 when we had a simple version of love. With each of the incident Raj narrates, he brings in some notable changes in the couple’s life in comparison to love today. Imtiaz stuffs dark-undertones into the narrative which explodes together. It is an emotionally exhausting film.
Whilst every effort has been put in to recreate the same feeling as the 2009 film of the same name starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone, it seems they are mostly wasted. The screen chemistry, the dialogues and the plot suffer major setbacks which seem to never rescue themselves or each other. This movie is not an Imtiaz Ali classic like Jab We Met, Rockstar, Cocktail (Written by Imtiaz Ali) or Love Aaj Kal (2009) or Tamasha but uses elements from his movies to tell another two-era story.
Sara Ali Khan as Zoe misrepresents many modern women who balance work and a professional career with a relationship so she chooses a career over love, Zoe’s overzealousness is pinned on her single mother. Zoe, post-breakup, has a drunken breakdown. It’s a direct nod to Cocktail but with none of the emotional ruin of Deepika’s character. The idea, simply, is to reintroduce Veer as a saviour, because women require saving in 2020?
Kartik Aryan as Veer (2020) and Raghu (1990), firstly, why are actors playing dual roles, although this follows the same route as Saif Ali Khans character where he played his contemporary character and Rishi Kapoor’s character from the 80s, it was filled with charm and vibrancy. The portrayal of a 90s man by Kartik Aryan is that of a stalker and his 2020 character is a quintessential Imtiaz Ali hero. He literally stalks his 90s love interest and wants to be a saviour to his modern-day love. Arushi Sharma who plays the 90s love interest is natural. Randeep Hooda’s presence in the film saves the narrative. He adds flow in a stagnant story.
Love Aaj Kal 2020 is nothing like the magic created in Love Aaj Kal 2009. It lacks the charm and magic of what Rishi Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Rishi Kapoor brought to screen. The music was not as amazing, even the reprise tracks of the 2009 hits could not make this a great experience.
Rating: 6/10