A boy loses job- the boy is frustrated- the boy meets a girl full of life – the boy falls in love – then
. Before drawing into any conclusion about "so cliché" I would have revealed the marvelous ending of "Ek Main aur Ek tu" but that would have been a crime. Ek Main Aur Ek Tu is typical yet a fresh take on urban relationship. Rarely a bollywood romantic movie arrives which is devoid of melodrama and loud inane dialogs. The trend had been started with Imtiaz Ali which is lapped by these new directors. Shakun Batra's "EK main aur ek tu" is one such breath of fresh air coming surprisingly from Dharma Productions which believes in "over-the-top" sequences. Like any love story EMAET is a story of a boy and a girl who are totally opposite in their upbringing and characters. Rahul is a shy introvert architect who is in search of his true self thanks to his over-dominating parents – his mother, a socialite who wants everything to be prim proper and his father, a businessman who wants him to reach the top. On the other hand Riana Braganza is a bubbly girl full of life who takes life as it is without any planning. Such contrasting characters had only one element in common – Loss (one at emotional level and another at professional level). With their breezy encounter in a psychiatrist's chamber they began their journey which land into a false marriage under drunken state and there-in. There is nothing much in the story but it's real execution which will appeal to those who are fed up with larger than life films. Shakun Batra and Ayesha DeVitre's story might not be fresh but full credit goes to the writers to come up with real scenario and such an unconventional ending. The ending is probably the most practical and matured one which I am witnessing first time in any Hindi romantic film in last two decades. Shakun Batra's shows eye for detailing and we hope to see more decent stories coming from him. The humor of the film gels with the mood. Subtle, matured and trendy it never hams. He has the potential to be the next Imtiaz Ali. David Macdonald does a good job in camera while Asif Shaikh does a better job in editing department. The film has been trimmed down to 2 hours thus the proceedings never lost it's momentum. One of the best part of the film is Amit Trivedi – Amitabh Bhattacharya (music – lyrics) combo which has always worked. From Dev D to Udaan to No one killed Jessica this combo has successfully delivered some "hatke" soundtrack which grows on you. The situation and lyrics of "Gubbare" is probably one of the best picturised romantic songs in last few years. And a special mention to "Aunty" for it's outlandish lyrics. Bosco- Casear's choreography is appropriate and creative. Coming to the acting part Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor complimented each other. Imran Khan was restrained as Rahul, an architect who loses his job but feels afraid to tell his parents. His gradual transformation was done in a non-filmy passion which should appeal to those who loves mature drama. Kareena rocks as Riana who is someway similar to Jab We Met's Geet but more matured than her. The contrast between the two families is will depicted and seriously Ratna Pathak Shah and Boman Irani excel in the role of Rahul's parents. One wishes to see Ratna Pathak Shah more on screen with her flawless comic timing. The actors who played the various roles of Riana's family member are competent enough to leave their mark specially one who played Riana's father and the old lady who played the cute granny. Ram Kapoor makes his presence felt in an important cameo. Overall "Ek main aur ek Tu" is a perfectly average film which makes it unique in the current scenario where all films are trying to go over the top (literally). With it's simple yet practical ending the film strikes a chord and I hope there will be many more who will love the different ending , something rarely seen in Bollywood rom-coms.
