Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009) User Reviews

The funny story of a strange love

[Peter_Young · 6/10 · 15 October 2010]

I went to watch Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani simply because I liked most of Rajkumar Santoshi's movies. This movie is nowhere as good as some of Santoshi's great films like Damini, Lajja or The Legend of Bhagat Singh, but despite its flaws, it is very entertaining and is thoroughly fun to watch. Yes, it has its clichés and moments of over-romanticism which really get on one's nerves, but the movie works best as a crazy comedy which never dares to take itself too seriously, and that's where it scores. The film is often silly but that's the trick here because everything works in accordance with the film's mood.

Some of the film's comic proceedings were totally great, whether it's the Salman Khan track, the entire party scene, the scenes showing Ranbir's parents and so forth. There were sequences which were unnecessary and did not make sense, such as the entire gangsters track. Where drama and romance go, the movie is good but something is missing, although it had its moments there too. One of the best aspects about the film is undoubtedly Pritam's excellent soundtrack which consists of such songs as the beautiful "Tu Jaane Na", the romantic "Tera Hone Laga Hoon" and the catchy "Prem Ki Nayya".

As far as acting is concerned, it is Ranbir, Ranbir and only Ranbir who carries the film on his shoulders and delivers a sincere performance. The role itself is actually nothing new or special but Ranbir ably turns Prem into someone who is both funny and easy to relate to. Katrina Kaif is a pretty and attractive lady and overall she is effective within the context of the film, but in terms of acting, though she has her moments, she never really manages to totally convince or impress. Smita Jaykar and Darshan Jariwala, who play Ranbir's parents, are awesome. All said and done, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is not extraordinary, but it's very enjoyable and an altogether fun romantic comedy which can be watched with family and friends.

The pair is cool

[chandrabhanusolanki · 7/10 · 4 October 2018]

If you want to enjoy a movie with laughs and love story with innocence this is the movie for you. The narrative structure of films makes it interesting.

Cute Movie

[prats6 · 7/10 · 10 November 2009]

First, I did not expect much from this movie to be honest. I was pleasantly surprised. Ranbir does a great job playing a guy who is sweet and simple and is love with Kartina Kaif. The film is different because it has no crude jokes and yet it is humorous.

The film is set in a sleepy Indian town where Prem (Ranbir) is the president of his failing "Happy Club" , which ends up helping couples in love. He meets Katrina Kaif and falls for her, but he does not know that Katrina already is in love with Upen Patel. He does all he can to help her to marry Upen. Watch the film for the ending.

In between there are witty dialogs, very funny scenes, in special a scene where Prem goes dancing with Jenny (Katrina Kaif). Prem already starts dancing to which Jenny says, the dance has not yet started, while Prem replies, "I am not dancing , this is just warm up !" .

A real rib tickler, you will watch this for a pleasant time at the theater. It is a surprise at a time when most Bolly comedies are really filled with double meaning jokes and crude humor, Ajab Prem .., does a really nice job to entertain people.

The story has its flaws, yet Ranbir manages to pull through and prove he is the biggest rising star in Bollywood. The screenplay was a bit loose but the cinematography was superb. The songs were very well sung and acted.

In all a nice movie. My rating 7/10.

Dying is easy, comedy is hard...as proved by this film

[ilpintl · 9 November 2009]

"Dying is easy, comedy is hard" the British actor Donald Wolfit supposedly quipped on his deathbed. And how true it is! This is borne out in "Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani", the new film by Raj Kumar Santoshi. It starts out promisingly enough with Pop Art credits in the cheery primary hues beloved of Roy Lichtenstein. But if one thinks this hip opening is how the film will proceed, one would be way off the mark.

This romantic comedy is only fitfully funny, and too long drawn out to be amusing. Santoshi's cast resorts to extensive mugging and slapstick antics in the hope that they will be construed as light frothy madcap comedy. The film's male lead, Ranbir Kapoor, an extremely talented and likable young man, is set adrift without good lines and a leading lady, who though abundantly blessed with vapid good looks, is quite at a loss when she is required to act.

Ranbir Kapoor plays Prem, the good-for-nothing, good-natured leader of Happy Club. Luckily, he happens upon a group of young men considerably dimmer than he, and sets himself up as their leader. His followers look up to him admiringly and always address him as President, and he never leaves home without his name tag: President Prem.

The Happy Club—always the look-out for new members—aims to be happy, make everyone else around happy, have fun, and unite star-crossed lovers. Despite these simple yet lofty aspirations, the townsfolk do not look kindly upon the club members, as they have had ample experience of their freeloading ways.

In the course of a botched kidnapping to fulfill their mandate of reuniting lost loves, President Prem meets Jennifer (Katrina Kaif), the fair and flaky adoptive daughter of the Goan Catholic Pinto family that has just moved into town. Pretty, dimwitted Jenny becomes the town's librarian (it's all relative, you see: she probably has an IQ in the double digits), and Prem drops by to visit, but cannot be coaxed into doing any reading. When he discovers she is single, Prem promptly falls in love with her, and spends the rest of his days in adoring puppy dog fashion, getting underfoot and practically stalking her, but never actually declaring himself.

This being a "masala" Hindi film, there are complications and coincidences aplenty, and they go on and on until one is past caring. Both Prem and Jenny stammer when under emotional stress, and the audience is meant to discern through this device when they are playacting and when they are speaking the truth.

Let it never be said that I am a mean-spirited or ungenerous film critic: Katrina Kaif is very pretty, has a creamy complexion and looks good enough to eat with a spoon; she is probably a fine upstanding citizen, donates selflessly to worthy causes, always remembers to moisturize daily, brakes for the handicapped and small furry animals, and no doubt eschews the use of aerosol sprays because they release toxic fluorocarbons into the atmosphere. In short, Katrina Kaif is a paragon of virtue and goodness.

Sadly, however, she will never be mistaken for an actress. Her line readings are almost painful to the ear, but every once in a great while, almost by fluke, she gets a nuance right, startles herself, then looks beseechingly into the camera, imploring the audience to applaud her teeny-tiny microscopic iota of success as a thespian. Ranbir makes valiant attempts to be funny and act for both of them, and later, upon the introduction of an untalented muscle-bound interloper, for the three of them. No filmi hero should be required to do so much heavy lifting, and despite his best efforts, Ranbir is simply not man or actor enough to act for THREE people.

Mercifully, the supporting cast is much stronger than its female lead, and they contribute some much needed silliness to the proceedings.

After prolonged meanderings, the couple ends up in the fearsome villain's lair that charmingly resembles a giant bubble bath. Here, finally, there is some entertaining giddiness, but it's too little, too late. Even divine intervention by our blessed Redeemer Himself in a gentle cameo doesn't quite manage to save the film.

Disappoints mildly, due to my expectations from Santoshi

[rohitrd · 6/10 · 20 November 2009]

I can not be blamed for having expectations from a comedy movie directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. This is the man who gave us the always re- watchable Andaz Apna Apna ages ago. So I made a special effort to go see this movie after being impressed with the trailers. Given that I watch only a handful of bollywood movies, I am not sure I made the right choice. The movie is set in realms of fantasy, so I do not have any complaints about it being realistic or plausible. What did disappoint was the use of every single cliché' in bollywood tradition - orphan girl, good-for- nothing hero with a shinier-than-gold heart, the standard sets of parents, the underworld don and so on. They could be interesting if used for coming brilliance, but here they just feel forced. The dialogues seem to be written on auto-cue. Characters pop-in and pop-out at convinence. Apart from the leads, the characters are way short of achieving even a one-dimension target. The thing is though, I still enjoyed the movie. I guess its down to a couple of factors - and the most important one is the lead pair. Ranbir and Kat look great, act well (even with her acting limitations) and really make you root for them. There are a few comic moments done effectively, and the pair take a lot of credit on delivering them effectively. Secondly the music and background score are really good and carry the gaps in the plot forward without dragging too much. All in all, maybe recommended for a family outing, given my 5 yrs old enjoyed the physical comedy.

Decent: not fit for 2009

[rajandey · 6/10 · 26 December 2009]

I expected a lot from this film, the trailers looked nice, songs are a hype and it was a super-hit. After watching this film I feel a little disappointed.

These kind of comedies would have worked in the late 90's. Nowadays it is the era of comedies like Munnabhai/3 idiots/Jaane Tu.. movies that make a little sense. Of course Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani makes sense, but the storyline is outdated; boy loves girl, girl loves someone else initially, boy still gets the girl in the end.

Though there are some things in the movie that still made me rate the movie 6 out of 10.

1. Ranbir Kapoor is an absolute entertainer, Wake Up Sid already impressed me to the core, but this performance of Ranbir tells me he is definitely going to be the superstar of tomorrow, maybe he already is! 2. Special appearance by Salman Khan. The 3 minute appearance by Salman is really funny, and refreshing! 3. The song picturisations of Tera Hone Laga Hoon, Tu Jaane na. 4. The songs by Pritam. 5. Katrina Kaif looking absolutely gorgeous. 6. The last scene where 'someone' helps Ranbir.

Upen Patel is a big no-no in such kind of movies, he can't act man! He should stick to modelling, and if he really wants to act, he should learn how to give proper facial expressions and body language.

Rajkumar Santoshi disappoints this time, his Andaz Apna Apna is one of my all time favourites and still one of the finest comedies ever. Hope he doesn't disappoint next time!

All in all, if you have nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon, watch this with some lays cheese onion in a bucket.

Entertainment

[akshatmahajan · 7/10 · 4 October 2018]

It was one of the best comedy and entertaining movie of 2009.. Well story is completed but then also I want it's sequel...Overall it's ENJOYFUL FAMILY MOVIE..

Didn't meet ma expectations

[csadangi · 3/10 · 5 November 2009]

OK people here is the first review of this movie. A long awaited movie by many people. watched the flick because of Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif waster 175/- for the premiere and to say that the movie didn't match the expectations. There are some comedy scenes like Ranbir dancing so that he can be the dancing partner of Katrina which is hilarious.

Other than that some scenes have been copied from Andaz apna apna, like the Don falling from the stairs and the final climax scene ( if you remember Andaz apna apna then Gogo fell down from the stairs ) Songs are good especially Tu jaane Na... Beautifully pictured.

A movie very close to my heart...

[raheelsiddiqui · 10/10 · 16 February 2020]

I consider it the best film of Ranbir... Far away from logics and justifications... This film is like a sweet dream which u want to watch again and again

A fun ride (+62%) - Short review

[vickykolari · 6/10 · 29 April 2020]

This one is only for the hardcore 'Andaz Apna Apna' fans, this is a sub-genre of slapstick comedy and not for everyone. Raj Kumar Santhoshi is at it again, with witty quirky dialogues and situations, it is a fun ride but definitely not as fun as Andaz Apna Apan, this will not have such cult following.

The dialogues are very witty and also rhyming, with similar over-the-top performances that are required for this kind of movie. Foot-tapping music and good performances from all, especially Ranbir who can do wonders for any role. As usual, Katrina can't act or can overact, but surprisingly, this role suits her because this requires some overact.

I rate this 62%.

WATCH IT, only if you like Andaz Apna Apna or a hardcore Ranbir fan.

Its a Hindi language movie, and is available to stream on Amazon Prime (As on April, 2020) with English subtitles.

was this funny?

[stark_reality · 1/10 · 16 November 2009]

when you watch a Hindi movie especially a comedy movie i know not to expect much of a good story.But this movie tested all the limits,i mean what was this all about,was this funny at all.There should be some story for keeping the audience interested , do the filmmakers even care for it.The characterization was horrible, and there's not comic relief whatsoever except for 2 or 3 scenes.Why cant the Hindi film industry make at least one intelligent or forget intelligence at least completely entertaining comedy movie in the likes of hera pheri. Please i suggest to all of you don't watch this movie and get bored and waste your money.The are some many other world movies worth watching. Help your self by not watching it.

Ranbir rocks in this fun rom-com!

[AishFan · 8/10 · 7 November 2009]

This movie is great fun--Ranbir is easily the show-stealer! He has acted superbly and is definitely on a winning streak! He has given great performances in all of his films--from Saawariya and Bachchna Ae Haseeno to Wake Up Sid and APKGK--even though all characters are quite similar (happy-go-lucky romantic fools who love life). Ranbir pulls off this role with excellent comic timing! Katrina looks really beautiful, while there's nothing really to mention about her acting. Upen is just okay. Salman's special appearance is a fun scene. Prem's parents also gave wonderful performances. Songs are great, especially Pyaar Hua. The music video of Tu Na Jaane is also really nice. The only thing I didn't like about this film are the sequences with the don and gangsters, which had pretty dumb humor. Those scenes had no importance and were only a deterrent to the film. Other than that, the film is a fun one and belongs to Ranbir.

Worth Watching Once.

[Pratik112 · 7/10 · 13 November 2009]

Having known that this was a romantic comedy, it was a bit of a let down. A no good for nothing son, who operates a club from his father's business premises, accidentally falls in love, while trying to help his friend.

Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Upen Patel, Darshan Jariwala, Smita Jakar, Zakir Hussein and Mithilesh Chaturvedi, while Salman Khan does make a special appearance. This is directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi and is produced by Ramesh S Taurani while Pritam provides the music score.

Ranbir Kapoor has, again, definitely shown that he is talented by attempting a good performance in romantic / comedy movie genre. He is like a likable rogue. Katrina Kaif, has made a good attempt in such a genre movie. But it is a bit hard not to imagine her from her previous roles. But never the less, she has made a good attempt at this. Salman Khan's appearance, though brief does create impact regarding the comic situation but I felt that there was no need for that as the director and the producer could have taken it from another angle.

Many of the comic situations are predictable and therefore a bit of a let down there. But Pritam's music score is worth listening to as are some of the songs. This is a film that can be viewed with family members and is worth watching at least once.

Rotten

[mv2702 · 2/10 · 8 January 2010]

After the first five minutes I thought about switching this off. Juvenile jokes, which a 14 year might find slightly childish, were the order of the day. But I decided to persist with it. Silly me.

After seeing 'Wake Up Sid' I had high hopes for Ranbir Kapoor. But he really needs to be a bit more choosy. If this movie was aimed solely for school children then fine. However I fear it was not.

The film reached its nadir with the entrance of the Don character. Cue 'hilarious' misunderstandings and slapstick violence of the worst kind.

Katrina looked cute, as she always does, but in acting terms there was not a lot going on from her. But in a movie such as this you can't really blame her.

I fell asleep before the films conclusion, but I wish I had nodded off a lot earlier...

Refreshingly funny light entertainer

[kunalkhandwala · 10 November 2009]

When the creator of the inimitable and unforgettable Andaz Apna Apna ventures to beat the 'Davids' & Goliaths of Bollywood's Comedy genre at their own game, one needs to take RajKumar Santoshi seriously. With 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' (APKGK), Santoshi achieves what most have failed at – a fresh comedy with humour that is actually funny. Not that APKGK is flawless but there are more laughable scenes and dialogues than many comedies of recent times put together and for that, the movie is a wholesome entertainer. It does come with weird, inexplicable moments of unnecessary action, drama and slapstick and there is always scope for better comedy in those scenes but in the end, the dialogues, performances and several scenes make it an almost 'Ghazab' kahani.

Prem(Ranbir Kapoor) is the President of a Happy Club founded with his friends in a little town like Ooty to help estranged lovers and helpless souls. His encounter with the beautiful Jenny (Katrina Kaif) starts out as a riotous mix up that leads to him falling for her (literally, at times). This love story is partly sweet, partly cheesy but overall very refreshing because of the amazing chemistry of the duo that seems completely at home in their comic avatars. The movie will make you giggle, chuckle and even laugh your ass of as Prem attempts to win Jenny's heart. Enter Upen Patel………

One big problem with APKGK is its casting. Most actors would live just to act in RajKumar Santoshi's comedy film but he decided to cast Upen Patel out of all people. This guy still cannot speak fluently and can barely stand straight. One can think of at least 43 actors who could've done so much better than him. Govind Namdeo as his father is also typecast as either a wicked policeman or a crooked politician. This time his role takes away the humour from the film. Darshan Jariwala as Prem's father is very impressive and his dialogue delivery at times elevates a simple humorous scene to make it memorable. Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous in the simplest of outfits and she is more comfortable smiling, laughing and crying than many actresses who struggle with it. Her dialogue delivery has improved considerably, thus augmenting the chemistry with her hero. Ranbir Kapoor has enjoyed this film. One can see that he doesn't need to act as his character most of the time. He is a natural actor in that sense, much like his father and this film establishes him, yet again as the finest of his generation. His comic timing is super and it would really be a treat to watch him perform with veteran actors in more funny movies.

Pritam's musical score rocks again. This time, he combines the distinct talents of Jaaved Ali, Neeraj Shridhar, KK, Hard Kaur and Atif Aslam in a soundtrack with different moods and themes. Jaaved Ali in a romantic Aa Jao Meri Tamanna, Hard Kaur in Follow Me with Ranbir's eccentric dancing, KK in Main Tera Dhadkan Teri at his usual best, Neeraj in a rather funny Prem ki Naiya, Atif Aslam & Alisha Chinoy in the marvelous Tera Hone Laga Hoon and a solo by Atif in a soulful Tu Jaane na shot in spectacular locales of Turkey while the rest of the film was shot in Goa. Santoshi does that…. Remember he shot Pukar on a set and took the actors to the glaciers of Alaska for one song….

In terms of noteworthy flaws, a recurring problem that is noticed is the amateur editing. The scenes jump from one sequence to another without transition or meaning. Some inane sequences drag longer than they should and drama overpowers the subtlety. Santoshi too is to be blamed for the witless opening sequence, the climax action that is reminiscent of Andaz Apna Apna but nowhere even close, the ridiculous sporadic action sequences and the inapt casting.

Yet, APKGK is worth watching for the numerous scenes and dialogues that are fresh in flavor, witty in humour and enjoyable due to some fine performances mainly by Ranbir, Katrina and Jariwala. While one tries to recollect the previous funny one liner while watching the film, another one just pops up and believe it or not…. that is rare in movies these days….

• 7.99 on a scale of 1-10.

Full-On Timepass.....

[namashi_1 · 7/10 · 31 December 2009]

Accomplished Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, who has delivered true classics & box-office blockbusters... is back with a bang with 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani'. A hilarious film!

'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' is escapist cinema, where the word SENSE does not exist, to be honest it's like an alien to the dictionary it follows. A film where Entertainment is the question, not Enlightenment. I enjoyed the film, and I have no regrets giving 3 hours of my life to this film.

Ranbir is excellent, finally proving his potential. The youngster plays Prem with ease & makes you laugh without making weird or cheap faces. Katrina is okay, though she looks angelic. Upen Patel is wasted. Navneet Nishan is as usual. Darshan Jariwala and Smita Jaykar are lovable as Ranbir's parents. Govind Namdeo is passable, while Zakir Hussain hams the comical-bad guy. Pradeep Kharab who plays the role of Tony, is honest. Salman's appearance is fantastic.

Watch this Ghazab entertainer, keeping your brains at home. Thumbs Up!

'Ajab' Prem ki not so 'Ghazab' kahani

[sniperswagat · 6/10 · 20 November 2009]

Given the hype and promotion surrounding the release of this movie, not to say anything about the rumors surrounding the lead pair; you would have to have been living in a cave for the past few weeks not to have heard about this one. So, what is this Kahani all about, and is it worth a watch? Prem(Ranbir Kapoor), a simple small-town guy, runs a Happy Club in the town with his bunch of cronies. He stays happy and lives life to the fullest, uniting distressed lovers and getting scolded by his father and shielded by his mother, something seen in countless Hindi movies. Prem's life turns topsy-turvy when Jenny (Katrina Kaif) comes to town and he falls for her immediately. As the two get acquainted with each other, a series of incidents follows, some humorous, others romantic. Just when Prem starts to think about settling down with Jenny, she tells him that her boyfriend (Upen Patel) is waiting for her. Heartbroken, he sets out to unite the two, as that is the right thing to do. There's nothing too 'ghajab' about this kahani, honestly speaking.

The screenplay increases the quality of the product a little, embellishing it with dialogues and situations that sometimes make it hard for you to stifle a smile. Cases in point, the Saawariya spoof, the Katrina top incident and the ball dance.

Raj Kumar Santoshi attempts a new genre in Ajab Ghazab, the rom-com. People have harkened back to Andaz Apna Apna, but the two films are as different as chalk and cheese. While Andaz Apna Apna was a slapstick comedy that would have gone wrong in a less experienced director's hands, this is a romance with parts of comedy that has been the main bread-earner of studios like Yash Raj. Santoshi slips into this mode effortlessly, and nowhere does it seem like this is his first attempt. The problem is, unlike the screenplay that did add to the movie, Santoshi's direction does not add to it. He just plays out what he got like how he got.

Ranbir Kapoor is a class act. This is yet another movie where he performs brilliantly. He rises above the average story and actually makes it work. Be it the comedy scenes, the romantic scenes or the dances, he does it all with aplomb and charms the females in the audience while he's at it. It's fair to say then, that this movie would have failed without him. This Prem is surely 'Ajab-Ghazab'.

Katrina Kaif has grown better as an actress with time. Watch her in APKGK, and compare it to her earlier works and you'll see the difference. She may not be the finished article yet as far as acting goes, but she's getting there. And she looks STUNNING! Sigh. The supporting cast, featuring Smita Jayakar and Darshan Zariwala as Prem's parents, Govind Namdeo as Upen Patel's father and Zakir Hussain as a madcap gangster, does a commendable job. Upen Patel expectedly disappoints, and you wonder if he was meant to.

Pritam delivers another hit soundtrack with APK… The songs fit well with the narrative and don't jar on your ears. Main Tera Dhadkan Teri, Tera Hone Laga Hoon & my favorite, Tu Jaane Na are all chart-busters. The Salim-Suleiman duo does a decent job with the background score. Goofy and romantic sounds expectedly fill the background for most of the duration of the movie.

The cinematographer does a good job of showing us the small-town. After all, there are only so many ways you can portray the same city on celluloid. The editing is good and consistent, save for one occasion when Katrina is suddenly shown to have been kidnapped. To be fair to the filmmaker though, it could have been deliberate. The visual effects, though present for only a short duration, are good.

Final Verdict: Despite claiming to be a 'Ghazab' kahani, APKGK is a run-of-the mill rom-com that only rises above the regular product courtesy of the great performances and taut direction. The end result: it's a one-time watch for the excellent performances.

Typically Bollywood but enjoyable

[CyberPunkAJ · 7/10 · 17 November 2009]

Well, the kind of movies bollywood is churning out these days, I wasn't expecting much. There is nothing new about the story, but if you want to have some fun, you can watch this movie one time at least. Ranbir was very good and his comic timing was good. Katrina was very average. Other characters did justice to their roles. Not much to talk about in this movie, but some good laughs are surely there.

One thing I must say is Katrina is still struggling with both her acting and Hindi. Seriously, no Christian girl talks like that.

And Upen Patel was spoiling the humor in the movie.

For Ranbir fans, this is a good movie to watch.

Predictable, unfunny movie

[psood74 · 4/10 · 8 November 2009]

The movie came hyped but the experience was a big let-down. Leave aside a few good visual scenes and jokes, the overall movie was a disappointment.

The good scenes: The bicycle with balloons falling into the lake, Prem's dancing at the wedding.

Other than that, the jokes were tired, the characters were one- dimensional with no character or story development. Other than the pre-ordained destiny of the two main characters (Prem and Jenny) there was nothing else to anticipate. When the intermission happened, I was actually wanting the movie to end. The whole story line with Rahul was tacked-on just to extend the length of the movie.

Acting wise, the role of Prem was well-acted for a comic role but stammering does not equal emotional acting. The rest of the acting was average.

The songs were generally forgettable - I don't remember any of them less than 12 hours after watching the movie.

Finally!

[madbhoot · 10/10 · 11 November 2009]

Well I didn't expect too much from this film. Its a romantic comedy for sure. We could see that from the trailer. These days I don't expect too much from a Hindi film.They have a huge star casts, excellent location, beautifully pictured songs, but they lack in story and editing. But i can say after "Love Aaj Kal", this year APKGK is a treat to watch. I am not saying its a perfect film, but its a pleasure for heart. If you want to have a good laugh then APKGK is the film for you.

After a long time I found that in a Hindi film which is not trying to portray its surroundings real. You know from the first scene that its a fiction. R.K Santoshi made it very clear.Its a movie where anything can happen and they don't want to make you believe its real. Its up to you to believe! I am not going to compare it with Andaz Apna Apna. It was one of a kind.

There is no Amir Khan and Salman Khan in APKGK instead we have this Ranvir Kapoor with amazing comic timing! He was superb in the film! Reminded me of Hrithik Roshan in Kaho Na....! Ranvir was so fresh and his chemistry with Katrina Kaif was wonderful! Bollywood have a new on screen couple who compliments each other. And I figured it out later that there is no romantic scenes (except two songs and a conversation in dream!) between the two, but they looked amazing whenever they were together.

And the nicest thing about this movie is its decency! Mr. Santoshi (he is also the co writer) didn't use "sex" or "homosexuality" for comedy! Bollywood should learn!

Songs were really nice! Pritam did a good job! I fell in love with the song "Tera Hone Laga Ho" and "Tu Jane Na". Katrina looked really pretty and real for the first time.

It was a nice film with an amazing cast(including the supporting actors, except Upen Patel!). Amazing locations (Goa and Ooty looked awesome)and amazing punches! Its a comedy after all!

Was expecting much more from the legendary director!!

[sauravjoshi85 · 6/10 · 4 June 2023]

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is a romantic comedy film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Smita Jaykar, Darshan Jariwala, Upen Patel, Govind Namdev, Dolly Bindra, Late Mithilesh Chaturvedi, Navneet Nishan, Zakir Hussain and Rana Jung Bahadur.

Prem falls in love with Jenny, a woman who is already in love with a man named Rahul. Despite this, he agrees to help her marry him and even gets into several comical situations as a result.

I have read many reviews where people were going gaga for the film as if this is one of the best comedy films ever made. To be honest this is an above average comedy film and why above average because when you reads or hears the name "Raj Kumar Santoshi" your expectations suddenly increases but this is not the finest work of Raj Kumar Santoshi considering his past works.

The plot of the film is good but not fresh as few of the reviewers said and the execution is above average to good. It seems that only Ranbir Kapoor was playing his part with dedication as the talented ones were completely sidelined and were given very minimalist of opportunity. There are very few outright comedy scenes and apart from the climax and some funny scenes the comedy in between, the film is blend. The music and songs of the film is superb and probably one of the reason for the super success of the film.

In acting department the credit should only be given to Ranbir Kapoor for his mind-blowing acting and probably he is the only reason to watch the film. Katrina Kaif is a terrible actress but was decent in this film. Talented actors like Darshan Zariwala, Zakir Hussain, Govind Namdev, Smita Jaykar, Navneet Nishan and Late Mithilesh Chaturvedi with Rana Jung Bahadur were completely sidelined and were impressive in their limited screen space. Upen Patel is a pathetic actor and this film proves again.

Overall and above average comedy film can be watched once.

really bad one

[milind00 · 1/10 · 18 November 2009]

There is no storyline, bad and very cheap sequences. Don't go to this movie unless you just want watch Katrina. I went to this movie looking at the TOI rating. I don't understand how come they rated such a bad movie at 3.5. I am not sure if TOI rating is unbiased anymore. Have they started taking money from the producer? I met few of my friends and who also felt the same. Everyone is fooled by TOI this time. I would recommend stop following TOI rating any more. I don't really want to get fooled again. Is there any way we could get unbiased rating of the movie?

There is no storyline, bad and very cheap sequences. Don't go to this movie unless you just want watch Katrina. I went to this movie looking at the TOI rating. I don't understand how come they rated such a bad movie at 3.5. I am not sure if TOI rating is unbiased anymore. Have they started taking money from the producer? I met few of my friends and who also felt the same. Everyone is fooled by TOI this time. I would recommend stop following TOI rating any more. I don't really want to get fooled again. Is there any way we could get unbiased rating of the movie?

Comedy. Romance. Thriller. Music. 10/10

[deepanshudagar · 10/10 · 1 October 2019]

It is one of best movies ever made. I can watch this movie 100 times.

Ranbir excels but the film doesn't.

[bobbysing · 4/10 · 7 November 2009]

One of of my favourite directors Raj Kumar Santoshi, known for his admirable story telling skills returns on the screen with a romantic comedy featuring Ranbir Kapoor & Katrina Kaif. There are huge expectations from the three and everyone is looking forward to witness another applaudable comedy on the lines of Santoshi's highly appreciated "Andaz Apna Apna". The promos are exciting and the songs are good. Hence, the stage is all set for just another blockbuster of the season from the maker of brilliant movies ranging from "Ghayal" & "Damini" to "Pukar" & "Halla Bol".

But now after watching the latest project from one of my most admired directors, I remember a phrase which I don't believe in really, but is often used by the artistic people in the creative field. It is called "CREATIVE BLOCK" which refers to a phase in the life of creative people where they are not able to create as per their own set standards and come up with some shockingly underworked projects which were completely unexpected from a person of their status. "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani" exactly falls in that category. Starting with a deliberately created comedy sequence, the movie clearly gives you an idea that it is not going to be what was being expected. And as the clock moves on you realise that this time Santoshi has delivered the weakest movie of his sparkling career.

Surprisingly, the film has got nothing before intermission except the sincere, skillful performance of Ranbir and glamorous looks of Katrina. There is neither any story development in progress nor any well defined characters on the screen as normally seen in the previous works of the director. Till intermission only the love angle is visible to the viewers and one keeps on wondering that where the hell is movie heading towards. Besides this, when the real plot unfolds, it has no surprise element, since you have already guessed it without any serious efforts. Further it was also quite hard to understand that what was so "Ghazab" (great) about the storyline in the movie as mentioned in its title.

Post interval, with the introduction of few new characters, the movie even slides down further mainly due to its disastrously weak writing. In fact there are only few hilarious scenes having the exclusive Santoshi touch towards the climax of the movie. But even those are very few in quantity, compared to the movie's enormous promotional campaign emphasizing on comedy. Moreover, the final sequence in the Don's den is also similar to the one seen in "Andaz Apna Apna" but it greatly lacks in content.

The movie has only one performer throughout and he is Ranbir Kapoor at his best. Giving an excellent notable performance, he simply shows that he knows his job very well. Katrina on the other hand has got nothing great written for her in the script. So she remains there as a pretty face in the movie who his capable of giving much better to a project. The rest of the entire cast completely fails to make any kind of impact on the viewer, which is not a routine kind of feature in a Raj Kumar Santoshi film.

In addition to this, Santoshi also makes many strange and bizarre kind of moves in his current offering which raises enough doubts on his whole hearted involvement in the project. For instance, the confusion over the city in which the story is staged, the short cameo of Salman Khan in the first half, the un-necessary stammering act of both Ranbir & Katrina, the broken English dialogue scene of Ranbir and the surprising entry of a character resembling Jesus towards the end. Actually speaking, all these scenes don't seem to be directed by the Santoshi we know from so many years (who can also be spotted in a scene with Ranbir). He may not have tasted success in most of his previous projects, but there has never been a BAD Santoshi film as APKGK.

Musically, it does have some good numbers, well arranged by Pritam, which are widely being appreciated by the youth. But the soundtrack is surely going to be judged by the performance of the film. Cinematography serves the purpose well but it's really sad to see that we still have to move on to the hill stations and snow-mountains to film a romantic song featuring the lead. But actually, the main culprit here remains the writing department which takes everything back to the mediocre levels.

In the end, I would like to add that "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani" is a very casual kind of effort from one of best directors of Bollywood. It can only be seen for the outstanding contribution of Ranbir. But let's take this movie as a result of an unproductive phase in the career of an immensely talented director. And let's pray that he gives us a much better and polished product next time which can stand tall among his other masterpieces of the past.

Rating : 1.5 / 5 (Very unexpected disappointment from one of my favourite film-makers)

best 2009 bollywood comedy - andaz R.K.Santoshi ka!!

[mail-hv · 6 November 2009]

well if you think that raj kumar santoshi has recreated andaz apna apna's magic, answer is NO!! but the movie is worth to watch twice for RANBEER KAPOOR, some cracking comedy, romantic & emotional situations. Ranbeer has carried the movie all along on his shoulders with charming katrina kaif in a delightful manner. some of its parts are repetitive. The film is co-written and directed by raj kumar santoshi, salman khan is in special appearance, shot at scenic Ooty. its a funny romantic movie which reflects the true bollywood color after a long time. it is Prem's(Ranbir Kapoor) story who is a 9th standard drop-out from a middle class Hindu family. He falls in love with a Christian girl Jenny(Katrina Kaif). Prem whose main job is being the President of the Happy Club. The happy club hopes to make people happy but mostly its members boast about doing nothing. Jenny is a adopted orphan. Prem is never able to propose Jenny and finally finds out that Jenny loves Rahul(Upen Patel) but Jenny's parents wants her to get married to Tony. Santoshi keeps it light, fluffy and fun till the climax. The last scene on Jesus makes the best possible end. There is a real sweetness in the some scenes. Three out of five stars from my side.