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Aashiq
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'Aashiq'

By N K Deoshi
Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com

When a man loves a woman, he will do everything for her. When troubles come her way he would stand as an insurmountable barrier. Sound Pompous? But this is precisely the theme of Indra Kumar’s latest flick Aashiq.

After dabbling a bit in remaking the hits from Hollywood, Indra Kumar offers a rather unpalatable potpourri of mushy romance that have been told umpteen times in Bollywood. The man has showed his deft hand in making entertainment bonanzas like Dil and Beta. But Aashiq springs disappointment.

Aashiq

showcases a promising newcomer Rahul Dev, who is particularly impressive in his black apparels and his derisive smile is enamouring. Rahul simply outshines somewhat sissy-like Bobby whenever they appear together on screen.

Bobby plays Chander. Chander is at the threshold of growing into a man of convictions. He has inculcated the utopian ideals of his lawyer father (Anupam Kher), and in a way is ignorant to the stark realities of the outside world. He stands for the good cause and invariably picks up quarrels as he can’t be a mute witness to evil happening. This attitude wins him animosity of many, but makes him hero in the eyes of Pooja, the daughter of a rich tycoon.

But Pooja has her own way of approaching Chander. Rather than face-to-face confession of her love she prefers to entice Chander on the cellular phone. Enamored by this unsuspected admirer, Chander becomes a daydreamer, absent minded and makes goofs. Here Indra Kumar makes a rather futile attempt in creating humor scenes, which is blunt and at times even nauseating. Indra should have known that Bobby lacks the aptitude to make the audience laugh.

Anyway Chander and Pooja meet and immediately they are transposed into idyllic environs where they prance, sing and blatantly accept their love for each other.

But nothing can be cushy in the love affairs of which Indra is the creator. Family disapproval is something that has been intrinsic to all his films. Pooja’s millionaire father (Anjan Shrivastava) disapproves “paupered Romeo” Chander. But this is not all. Indra makes Chander fight a corrupt police officer (Mukesh Rishi), who dreams of beating our hero to bones. And Pooja is also not left unharmed. A handsome pimp (Rahul Dev) abducts Pooja with the intent of forcing her into prostitution.

Chander is faced with another stumbling block as he is framed for abduction. On one hand, are cops are chasing him, and on the other this beefcake pimp takes derisive pleasure in spilling blood and gore. But when a man loves a woman he would do anything for her. Chander fights against all odds to save his heartthrob.

True to Indra’s style Aashiq has the first half full of light-hearted moments (chipped in by stuttering comedian Vrajesh Hirji and Ashok Saraf) and the second half is strewn with high voltage drama.

Music, scored by young director duo Sanjeev Darshan, is sloppy too.

So many times this theme is narrated that one knows far too well what’s going to follow after each scene. It’s time filmmakers in Bollywood realized that filmbuffs are tired of seeing the same mushy romances time and again.

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