Kuch Naa Kaho Movie Review
 

There are times when a captivating story gets ruined due to a bungling screenplay. KUCH NAA KAHO is a shining example of a good story that takes off well, gathers momentum after a point, keeps your attention arrested, but starts limping towards the finale.

Raj [Abhishek Bachchan] lives in New York with his mother, Dr. Malhotra [Suhasini Mulay]. There is one issue they can't see eye to eye on: His mother wants him to settle down… Raj won't hear of an arranged marriage.

When Raj visits India for his cousin's wedding, his maternal uncle [Satish Shah] emotionally blackmails him into agreeing to meet some eligible girls. To make matters worse, the person his uncle chooses as the matchmaker and go-between for these meetings is the same person Raj has already antagonised earlier.

That person is Namrata [Aishwarya Rai], an employee of Raj's uncle. After a series of meetings with potential brides, it becomes apparent to Namrata that finding a match for this particular suitor is not only a nightmare, but an exercise in futility.

Gradually, Raj is attracted to Namrata, but there's a hitch…

KUCH NAA KAHO marks the directorial debut of Rohan Sippy, son of the celebrated Ramesh Sippy. In view of the fact, you analyse the flick – the plusses and minuses – with a magnifying glass.
 

KUCH NAA KAHO has a lot to offer in terms of performances, a twist in the story [pre-interval], an emotion-charged second half [that should appeal to womenfolk] and good visuals.

But it falters terribly in the screenplay department – the lifeline of any film.

To begin with, the film starts off pretty well [special mention must be made of the innovative and stylish titles!], although the goings-on move at a lethargic pace. In terms of story, there's not much happening till fifteen minutes before the interval.

Besides, the first half is extremely lengthy, making you wonder whether the editor had either fallen in love with the product or didn't know what to edit and what to retain.

Ideally, the first half needs to be trimmed by at least 20 minutes. Also, preferably, the interval point should've been when Aishwarya's past is revealed to the viewer. That would've had a stronger impact!

The film gathers pace and gets more interesting in the second half. The light moments in the school are thoroughly enjoyable and the sequences between the Punjabi family [Jaspal Bhatti, Himani Shivpuri] and their kid are sure to appeal to one and all.

Actually, the second half continues to impress you with the change of events, but the moment Arbaaz Khan lands up in the pre-climax, the screenplay flounders. The writing leaves a lot to be desired at this stage. A few questions continue to haunt you even after the show has concluded –

* Despite knowing that Arbaaz had left Aishwarya for another woman, why does Ash [projected as a woman of today!] behave like a meek person when he returns after seven long years? If she could silence him in the end, why couldn't she show him the door when he first came knocking?

* Despite realising that Abhishek and Ash had come close, why does Arbaaz force himself on her? And why does he suddenly prefer to make an exit after Ash's outburst?

Had it not been for the deficiencies in the screenplay, KUCH NAA KAHO would've been a far superior product. There's no denying that debutante Rohan Sippy knows his job. He has handled a few emotional moments with expertise and has also drawn competent performances, besides making every frame look colourful and visually enticing. Even his choice of the subject is good, but he is handicapped by a half-baked screenplay.
 

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is soft and pleasant sounding, but it lacks chartbusting hits that are so vital in a love story. Cinematography is eye-catching. Dialogues are alright.

Abhishek Bachchan looks awkward in a few initial sequences, but looks at ease in others. Appearance-wise, the inconsistencies are far too evident at places. Perhaps, this could be attributed to the fact that the film has taken quite some time to reach the theatres. Yet, he radiates confidence in the latter reels while handling the delicate emotional sequences.

Aishwarya Rai is just about passable. Arbaaz Khan does make his presence felt, although his role needed to be better developed.

Master Parth Dave is simply outstanding, expressing a gamut of expressions effortlessly. Satish Shah, Jaspal Bhatti, Himani Shivpuri, Tanaaz Currim and Suhasini Mule provide able support.

On the whole, KUCH NAA KAHO is appealing, but in parts. At the box-office, the film will find the going tough despite the presence of popular stars and excellent publicity to back it up.