ApunKaChoice.com
site  movies  celebs  music  news  showtimes  user  
Hello, Stranger Login | Sign up
ApunKaChoice » Article » Movie Review: 'Student Of The Year' is phoney but fun!
 

Movie Review: 'Student Of The Year' is phoney but fun!
'Student of the Year' is an entertaining youth flick
By Nikhil Kumar
Fri, Oct 19, 2012 13:55:52 GMT
 

The ApunKaChoice movie review of Student Of The Year. Switch off reality for a moment and transport yourself into Karan Johar’s fantasy world of St. Teresa High School in Dehradun. It’s a miniverse where rich kids zip by in Ferraris or sports bikes, boys woo girls on prom nights, drop shirts more often than Salman Khan does in a film, and girls are all dolled up in skimpy skirts and hot pants. Like that? Me too.

Moving on, imagine the students singularly dedicated to…well, not studies…but dancing, cavorting, singing, rapping, bumming around in canteen, sweating out in gym, cycling, swimming, treasure-hunting, or, still better, chasing girls or guys. In this colourful and so very alluring setting, weave in a love triangle, between a rich spoilt brat (Varun Dhawan), a middle-class go-getter (Siddharth Malhotra), and a pretty attention-hungry fashionista of a girl (Alia Bhatt).

And now crank up the conflict by throwing in a ‘Student of the Year’ contest where camaraderie and friendships are conveniently shunted for fierce competition. A smattering of ear-candy songs, glossy visuals, dazzling costumes, melodrama, mush, competition, rivalry, and an eventual triumph of love and voila! you have the perfect escapist confection called Student Of The Year. The movie works, but on the conditions that you suspend your disbelief, put up with some phoney characters, and take the juvenile humour in your stride. Not a great ask if you are conditioned to Karan Johar’s brand of cinema.

Student Of The Year is a film that ought to be seen not with seriousness but the flippancy of a teenager. It’s not a film to be nitpicked for subtleties or fine nuances, but a teenage caper to be admired for how it tickles the juvenile fancies of first love, silent crushes and ego clashes. It is set in the same template as Karan Johar’s debut vehicle Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and told through flashbacks that remind you of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.

Firing up the film with verve are the three newcomers. Varun Dhawan is the pick of the trio. As a spoilt rich kid who doesn’t get along with his parents, isn’t academically gifted, flirts around with girls and is touchy when spurned, Varun lends credibility to his character. Pitted opposite him, Siddharth Malhotra is a bit uptight, stilted but earnest no less, playing the orphan from a middle-class background, a sporty guy with a competitive streak. The lad also strikes good chemistry with Alia Bhatt, highlighted in a silent scene between the two, a romantic moment during a wedding sequence, set against lilting piano notes. Alia plays Varun’s childhood sweetheart, but can’t help falling in love with Siddharth who harbours a crush on her. It’s a checkered performance by the newbie.

If anything Karan Johar must be commended for the cunning with which he seems to gloss over the weaknesses of his starcast and rather pitch the scenes in such a way as to bring forth what they can do best. However, the filmmaker could have done better with a more imaginative screenplay, witty writing and without a gratuitous ‘treasure hunt’ sequence.

The supporting cast buttresses the film well, be it Rishi Kapoor as a ‘gay’ and happy principal with hots for the macho coach (Ronit Roy), Mansi Rachh as Alia's best friend, Sana Saeed as the hot temptress, or Kayoze Irani as an endearing bloke.

The bratpack makes for an interesting bunch, and the continuous flow of raillery and banter, with all those songs, dances and competition make Student Of The Year a fun watch.

Rating: ***
Movie Review: 'Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu' is an interesting political satire
 
Commoner Kashif Qureshi voted out of 'Bigg Boss 6'
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Nargis Fakhri in a film with Varun Dhawan!
Nargis Fakhri in a film with Varun Dhawan!
Movie Review: 'Aurangzeb' is engaging but overlong
Movie Review: 'Aurangzeb' is engaging but overlong
First teaser: Arjun Rampal, Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor in gritty gangster movie ‘D-Day’
First teaser: Arjun Rampal, Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor in gritty gangster movie ‘D-Day’
New Bikini Hotties: Sasheh Aagha, Alia Bhatt, Veena Malik and Sonal Chauhan
New Bikini Hotties: Sasheh Aagha, Alia Bhatt, Veena Malik and Sonal Chauhan
Tags :
,
,
,
,
,
,
comments powered by Disqus


 
Now Trending : Salman Khan | Shahrukh Khan | Ranbir Kapoor | Aishwarya Rai | Katrina Kaif | Kareena Kapoor | Priyanka Chopra | Poonam Pandey | Sherlyn Chopra | Alia Bhatt | New Hindi Movies

Photo Galleries 

Style Check: Sonam Kapoor, Vidya Balan among the best-dressed of the week
Recap: Aishwarya Rai’s eleven glorious years at Cannes

Sonam Kapoor wows in couture lehenga at Cannes
Dipannita Sharma, Yukta Mookhey at F in Focus with Pria Kataria Puri

Veena Malik and Rajan Verma at ‘Zindagi 50-50’ press meet
Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone promote ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’

‘This is the End’ clip: Emma Watson takes shelter in James Franco’s house
Lootera: Sonakshi Sinha and Ranveer Singh’s silent love in song ‘Sawar Loon’
Wallpapers 

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Wallpapers
Something Something Wallpapers
Sonam Kapoor Wallpapers

I Don't Luv U Wallpapers
Imran Khan Wallpapers
Satya 2 Wallpapers
Hot Celebrities 

Lisa Haydon
Akshay Kumar
Priyanka Chopra
New Movies 

Aurangzeb
I Don't Luv U
The Great Gatsby
Videos 

'Ramaiya Vastavaiya' trailer: Girish Kumar and Shruti Haasan
Star Trek into Darkness trailer

'Fukrey' title song ‘Fuk Fuk Fukrey’ is a riot
Kajol waiting for the 'right' script

Sunny Deol and Kangna Ranaut’s cute romance in ‘I Love NY’
A.R. Rahman’s ‘Tum Tak’ from ‘Raanjhanaa’


Copyright © ApunKaChoice.com
ApunKaChoice.com : Latest Bollywood News, Bollywood Movies Reviews, Bollywood Wallpapers
privacy policy
Partner Sites : Sports - CricketZone - IndiaExpress.com [ Mobiles Festivals Bikes Cars ] - CardWeaver

photo gallery - new movies - celebs - wallpapers - the celeb A-Z - News & Gossip - Music - Video - Hot Topics
Anushka Sharma - Katrina Kaif - Kareena Kapoor - Priyanka Chopra - Deepika Padukone - Sonakshi Sinha - Aishwarya Rai - Poonam Pandey - Sherlyn Chopra
Salman Khan ( Bigg Boss 6 ) - Shahrukh Khan - Shahid Kapoor - Hrithik Roshan - Aamir Khan - Ranbir Kapoor