Thursday, January 27, 2011

Turning 30!!

Bollywood’s attempt of coming-of-age film, is what Turning 30 is all about. Think the director took the description quite seriously and makes the whole aging, youth, singlehood and homosexuality a big farce.
Naina Singh (Gul Panag) lives in a perfect world. Creative Head at an ad agency, adorable boyfriend Rishabh (Sid Makkar), gal pals- Rukhsana and Malini. Parties, late nights and a doting mother on the telephone. And she is 2 weeks from her 30th b’day. She has planned it all…Rishabh will propose to her, she will bring in her b’day at the Lonavla cottage owned by him, maybe have a party in Mumbai and her creative ideas are the best.
Alas, all that planning was in the head. Rishabh decides to marry Yamini, a family friend’s daughter just back from the US. Jamie, her rival at work takes the credit for her hardwork ,her creative ideas for a campaign fall flat and her boss is all set to fire her (since he likes his pumpkin Jamie than Naina).
She is now depressed, has only her mum n gal pals to cry to – who think a haircut helps you get over a breakup effectively. She drinks and smokes like Kal Ho na Ho… keeps telling herself that she needs to put on a brave front. What follows her recovery from the disaster she goes through, is suppose to be hilarious but fails to strike a chord with the audience, age be damned. Her masseuse thinks that she needs vibrators, and her bai is concerned that she’s single again. Mom takes her to the astrologer to find out if she will be getting married in the near future.
Enter Jai,or rather re-enter Jai(Purab Kohli) into Naina’s life. He had parted ways 4 years ago and now is a hot-shot photographer. Looks charming that Naina is attracted to him and even sleeps with him. Like a typical Indian guy, he even asks her to marry him after a night together. But she needs time to get Rishabh out of her system, poor baby. She keeps trying to call him, text him, seduce him and guilt trip his parents, just to win him back.
Finally she turns 30, and her b’day party becomes a session of all skeletons in the closet to tumble out. Rukhsana’s husband Saahil accepts he has been philandering but will give it all up for their baby. Malini confesses Ramona is her girlfriend (Malini looks very unconvinced about this scene and it shows). Jai claims to be able to sink in Naina’s dimples all over again. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnn!!
One fine day her boss decides that she cannot understand the pulse of youth and makes her work on a post-30 campaign, befitting her age. She works hard for it, only for ideas to be turned down citing risk propositions. She then quits in a huff and in a moment as pathbreaking, Malini discovers Naina’s writing abilities. Things change for the better, including where Naina sues her ex-employers for copyrights and ethics. She even completes her book and it is launched – named so predictably – Turning 30!! And she lives peacefully after. So do we!!
Director Alankrit wrote the script and directed it while he was at his creative lowest. It really is a no-brainer. You can find a Naina all over Mumbai and miss her completely…so why make a movie about it. Clichés work if presented well, not in a tacky way – booze, sex,smoking, single girls, big bad city, weird working hours, lack of family, advice from all corners of your life on settling down, the list is endless.
The only silver lining was the charming Purab Kohli as Jai with his scarves….!!
My rating: 2/5 – Wont miss much if you give this movie a miss (It may not be telecasted on Satellite TV due to its explicit adult content)

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