REVIEW: Anjaana Anjaani

THE BUCKET LIST

I'm told The Bucket List is about two dying men who decide to fulfill their wildest wishes before kicking the bucket. Siddharth Anand's Anjaana Anjaani is about two yuppie, clueless and incredibly self-absorbed youngsters of, at present indeterminate means, who hook up to have the time of their lives before they commit joint suicide on New Year's eve. In New York, of course, where Hindi cinema currently resides. Suicide isn't funny. And their reasons don't seem particularly earth-shattering. He's a speculative stock broker who's sunk not just his own company, but also the livelihood of three other friends who work with him. There's no family, because he's cut off from his parents. In her case, the family exists in San Francisco, but has done nothing to trace her since she ran away to NY following, expectedly, a heartbreak.

This complete absence of meaningful relationships in their lives provides a marker for their acute lack of purpose and explains why the slightest jolt is enough to drive them to the ledge. In that sense, Akash (Ranbir Kapoor) and Kiara (Priyanka Chopra) are perfectly made for each other. We know it the minute they find each other trying to jump off the same bridge. They fail and spend a lot of time trying over and over again. And fail again -- because their attempts are as facile as they themselves are. This brings up pop philosophy about destiny displayed on a board outside a local church. Since neither has a direction, in life or death, they decide to follow this glib signboard as a marker. And take off on their hedonistic trip across the country, which will, inevitably lead to the predictable end.

Yet, Anjaana Anjaani has something refreshing about it. And it's the sexual politics that plays out through this bizarre duo's interaction. Akash sheepishly admits to Kiara that he's a virgin and that although he's had girlfriends, he's never done 'it', nor has a clue about how to woo a woman. She laughs her guts out and later, cheekily addresses him as 'Mr. been there, but never done it'. The dump overlooking the Brooklyn bridge where they take refuge till D-day is Kiara's and it looks like a pigsty. She's too busy guzzling vodka like it's going out of style to keep house. He cleans it up and makes coffee for her everyday. She pokes at his manhood at every given opportunity, and he's clueless about how to deal with her brashness. To the extent that she finally pushes him to do a semi-striptease in a country bar, which in turns leads to his abduction by a beefy redneck. And as for the former boyfriend (played by Zayed Khan and not Sameer Dattani for a change), when she finds out about his infidelity, she gives it back in kind and walks out (before the copout which we only discover towards the end). 

Of course, like all good Hindi film couples, they tread awkwardly around the subject of sex forever, without actually doing it. Only for a change, there aren't any Hindustani values thrown in as garnish. Also, while their self-centredness seems disgusting, it's entirely in sync with the values of a generation that's embraced capitalism and consumerism with a vengeance and wants a quick-fix of everything including love and relationships. 

Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra (whatever she's done to her lips to get the Angelina Jolie pout, looks scary) sportingly play out their ignoble parts. Practically unapologetically. Neither character is endearing. It's just a pleasure trip both for them and for the audience that apparently loves taking these imaginary, fun-filled journeys across exotic landscapes without a care in the world for real life. 

But, as the Kiara character rightly says in a rare moment of clarity, real life has to be dealt with from day to day. And as the film's conscience (Tanvi Azmi) firmly raps Akash, dismissing his escapist frivolousness as a blatant unwillingness to face reality and take responsibility, the filmmaker doesn't condone their foolishness either. Only, just like Wake Up Sid, he offers them instant redemption.