LA TimesIndian romcom has engaging performances. Too bad the script doesn't live up to them.
Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone star in the Indian romcom "Break Ke Baad." (Reliance Big Pictures)
Komal Nahta, RadioSargam 2/5 Break Ke Baad is for the youth in the cities; its reasonable price is an asset.
Nikhat Kazmi, TOI 3/5 Nothing dramatic, just fresh: Break Ke Baad is the other flavour of romance. One that you don't find in run-of-the mill Mills and Boon.
Blessy Chettiar, DNA2/5 If you don’t fall in the 20-30 age bracket, the events unfolding in front of your eyes on the screen might leave you asking: ‘what the hell is happening here?’ Sarita Tanwar, Mid-Day2.5/5 When you attempt a romantic comedy, you need to abide by two rules -- it needs to have the freshness quotient and a twist in the tale ....Watch it only if you are addicted to romcoms. Anupama Chopra, NDTV 2.75/5
.. shows promise and sparkle but eventually doesn't deliver the goods.
Rajeev Masand, IBN 2.5/5 As romantic comedies go "Break Ke Baad", starring
Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone, is arguably more engaging than recent films
of this genre - "Aisha", "Anjaana Anjaani" and "Jhootha Hi Sahi".
Sukanya Varma, Rediff 2.5/5 Call it tribute or inspiration, the prospect of zero individuality in a creative medium is hardly a deal breaker. And it's definitely not cool anymore.
The writing is clear on the wall: The youth holds the key to success. A film starring a fresh pair, exceptional music and remarkable promotion can entice and lure viewers to cineplexes. That, in a nutshell, explains the terrific opening weekend business of I HATE LUV STORYS. Of course, you cannot overlook the marvellous contribution by Karan Johar and UTV, two names that are synonymous with qualitative cinema. They ensured that the film was talked-about and more than visible prior to its release.
It was a foregone conclusion that I HATE LUV STORYS would open very well at the ticket window. The rom-com radiated the right vibes and like most Karan Johar movies, the urban audience/multiplex junta was expected to give a warm reception to the film.
If you scrutinize the business of I HATE LUV STORYS, you'd realize that the metros and centres with plexes have contributed around 85% to 90% of its business. The contribution by the youth is overwhelming. The single screens haven't reacted well, but let's not forget that a film with an English title and classy treatment finds it difficult to penetrate into smaller centres or the mass-dominated belt. The Salman Khan starrer WANTED, a hardcore masala film, reaped a harvest from single screens, while MAIN AUR MRS. KHANNA, starring the same actor, was not only rejected at urban centres, but also single screens and mass-dominated areas.
Monday being Bharat Bandh, the plexes/single screens resumed screenings from evening shows onwards. Of course, the business was severely affected, but the general consensus is that the film will remain steady on weekdays and also in its second weekend at metros.
What goes in its favour is its economics. The film was made in a moderate budget and sold to UTV for an equally nominal price [Rs. 18 cr.; excluding P. & A.], who in turn sold the film to various territory distributors. Karan has recovered his investment, UTV too recovered the money invested in the film and made profits before its release and with a terrific start on hand, the territory distributors have won half the battle. The nominal costs on one hand and the excellent shares from plexes on the other should ensure a quick recovery for the buyers. In fact, everyone associated with I HATE LUV STORYS -- the producers, the principal distributor and the territory distributors -- is likely to earn from it, which is quite a rarity in today's times.
The title may be I HATE LUV STORYS, but the makers and distributors are chanting a different tune post its release: 'We luv luv storys'.
The writing is clear on the wall: The youth holds the key to success. A film starring a fresh pair, exceptional music and remarkable promotion can entice and lure viewers to cineplexes. That, in a nutshell, explains the terrific opening weekend business of I HATE LUV STORYS. Of course, you cannot overlook the marvellous contribution by Karan Johar and UTV, two names that are synonymous with qualitative cinema. They ensured that the film was talked-about and more than visible prior to its release.
It was a foregone conclusion that I HATE LUV STORYS would open very well at the ticket window. The rom-com radiated the right vibes and like most Karan Johar movies, the urban audience/multiplex junta was expected to give a warm reception to the film.
If you scrutinize the business of I HATE LUV STORYS, you'd realize that the metros and centres with plexes have contributed around 85% to 90% of its business. The contribution by the youth is overwhelming. The single screens haven't reacted well, but let's not forget that a film with an English title and classy treatment finds it difficult to penetrate into smaller centres or the mass-dominated belt. The Salman Khan starrer WANTED, a hardcore masala film, reaped a harvest from single screens, while MAIN AUR MRS. KHANNA, starring the same actor, was not only rejected at urban centres, but also single screens and mass-dominated areas.
Monday being Bharat Bandh, the plexes/single screens resumed screenings from evening shows onwards. Of course, the business was severely affected, but the general consensus is that the film will remain steady on weekdays and also in its second weekend at metros.
What goes in its favour is its economics. The film was made in a moderate budget and sold to UTV for an equally nominal price [Rs. 18 cr.; excluding P. & A.], who in turn sold the film to various territory distributors. Karan has recovered his investment, UTV too recovered the money invested in the film and made profits before its release and with a terrific start on hand, the territory distributors have won half the battle. The nominal costs on one hand and the excellent shares from plexes on the other should ensure a quick recovery for the buyers. In fact, everyone associated with I HATE LUV STORYS -- the producers, the principal distributor and the territory distributors -- is likely to earn from it, which is quite a rarity in today's times.
The title may be I HATE LUV STORYS, but the makers and distributors are chanting a different tune post its release: 'We luv luv storys'.
I Hate Luv Storys is pro-love: Punit Malhotra Don't go by the name; Sonam Kapoor and Imran Khan starrer I Hate Luv Storys is totally pro-love, says young director Punit Malhotra, who has given a 'fun treatment' to the much ridiculed Bollywood romances.
Punit is confident that the film, about a young man who falls in love despite being cynical about the whole concept, will find a connect with the audience.
"It is very young, fresh and totally pro-love stories. It is not anti-anything. We all have grown up watching Bollywood romances and no matter what we say, we connect to them somewhere. They may be soppy, cheesy but they are feel-good films. People do associate with them at some level," Punit told PTI.
"It is a take-off from romantic films of Bollywood in a very nice way. It is a little tongue-and-cheek way of looking at all the romantics films and stories," he adds.
The film, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma productions, hits theatres this July.
At 28, he may seem too young to handle the intricacies of filmmaking, but Punit, nephew of fashion desinger Manish Malhotra, is a veteran when it comes to working behind the camera.
He has assisted director-producer Karan Johar on blockbusters like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Amol Palekar on Paheli and Tarun Mansukhani on Dostana as creative director.
"I wanted to turn director couple of years back but for some reasons I did not get into it. But I have gone all out with this film. I don't think I am too young for direction," says Punit, who slogged behind the camera for close to ten years.
His closeness with the lead actress of his film has sparked romance rumours but the director rubbishes such reports.
"I don't know where it came from. It is total rubbish. People come and say anything and go away. You can laugh at times and get irritated at times but can do nothing about it. In fact, it was Sonam, who told me to keep my cool about such rumours," he says.
I Hate Luv Storys is pro-love: Punit Malhotra Don't go by the name; Sonam Kapoor and Imran Khan starrer I Hate Luv Storys is totally pro-love, says young director Punit Malhotra, who has given a 'fun treatment' to the much ridiculed Bollywood romances.
Punit is confident that the film, about a young man who falls in love despite being cynical about the whole concept, will find a connect with the audience.
"It is very young, fresh and totally pro-love stories. It is not anti-anything. We all have grown up watching Bollywood romances and no matter what we say, we connect to them somewhere. They may be soppy, cheesy but they are feel-good films. People do associate with them at some level," Punit told PTI.
"It is a take-off from romantic films of Bollywood in a very nice way. It is a little tongue-and-cheek way of looking at all the romantics films and stories," he adds.
The film, produced by Karan Johar's Dharma productions, hits theatres this July.
At 28, he may seem too young to handle the intricacies of filmmaking, but Punit, nephew of fashion desinger Manish Malhotra, is a veteran when it comes to working behind the camera.
He has assisted director-producer Karan Johar on blockbusters like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Amol Palekar on Paheli and Tarun Mansukhani on Dostana as creative director.
"I wanted to turn director couple of years back but for some reasons I did not get into it. But I have gone all out with this film. I don't think I am too young for direction," says Punit, who slogged behind the camera for close to ten years.
His closeness with the lead actress of his film has sparked romance rumours but the director rubbishes such reports.
"I don't know where it came from. It is total rubbish. People come and say anything and go away. You can laugh at times and get irritated at times but can do nothing about it. In fact, it was Sonam, who told me to keep my cool about such rumours," he says.
