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By Taran Adarsh, September 15, 2006 - 12:38 IST
 There
have been teenage romances. There have been mature
love stories. But you can actually count movies that
tackle an urban relationship -- the love story between
two consenting adults who are ready for a
relationship, not marriage. PYAAR KE SIDE/EFFECTS
mirrors certain truths that several working people in
a metropolis face. And it's this facet that forms the
crux of the story.
PYAAR KE SIDE/EFFECTS is a simple film, about two
ordinary people. The 'bone of contention' here is
marriage. The girl wants to marry, the guy isn't ready
for a commitment. They part ways, cross each other's
path at regular intervals, try to find solace in
others' arms, but can't erase the memory of their
beloved.
What sets PYAAR KE SIDE/EFFECTS apart from films of
this genre is that debutante director Saket Chaudhary
refrains from melodrama. Instead, he packs in humor to
narrate the story. And that's one of the prime reasons
why PYAAR KE SIDE/EFFECTS turns out to be a watchable
experience.
A well-told story backed by honest performances, PYAAR
KE SIDE/EFFECTS is an ideal date flick that should
appeal to everyone in love or those who've drifted
apart. Targeted at the multiplexes and the yuppie
crowd in particular, this one's a refreshingly
pleasant experience.
Sid [Rahul Bose] leads an ideal life. He's a DJ. He
has a girlfriend Trisha [Mallika Sherawat]. And right
in the middle of a crucial cricket match, Trisha
proposes marriage. Sid panics. But Trisha wants
everything -- love, marriage, a loving husband, the
brats, a beautiful home. And the only way Sid can keep
Trisha in his life is by committing to her.
 Sid
searches for answers -- his sister's advice, his
mother's guidance and his room mate's constant red
alert against marriage. And as a confused Sid marches
over to Trisha office, he ends up asking her to marry
him.
Now begins his nightmare… the search for a perfect
engagement ring, furniture hunts and conversations
about children. And then, to top it all, Sid meets the
family -- Trisha's father, Retired General Mallick [Sharat
Saxena] or 'Papa' as Trisha would have him called the
'old monster' -- who hates the very sight of Sid and
constantly tries to disconnect him from Trisha.
There are more characters in this story: Trisha's
ex-fiancé [Jas Arora], her best friend and Sid's
constant's worry 'Dracula' [Suchitra Pillai], a hot
babe Tanya [Sophie Chaudhary], Sid's pregnant and
hyper sister Shalini [Taraana Raja] and her husband
Kapil [Aamir Bashir] and the always insane Nanoo [Ranvir
Sheorey].
PYAAR KE SIDE/EFFECTS talks of relationships, but it's
narrated in a nonconforming format. At one moment, the
protagonist is talking to the viewer, the next moment
he's trying to keep the relationship with his
sweetheart going. All this results in a number of
enjoyable and entertaining moments.
Not that the film is devoid of emotions. In fact, any
love story would look fake if there's no conflict or
clash of ideas. In this case, the turning point comes
at the intermission, when Rahul Bose confronts Sharat
Saxena, Mallika's father, and the lovers part ways.
It's a master stroke!
Note another sequence: Rahul walks in unannounced at
Mallika's birthday party, after they've split, and
finds Mallika's ex-fiancé there. There's another
striking sequence: The foursome -- Rahul-Sophie and
Jas-Mallika -- going out for dinner together.
But PYAAR KE SIDE/EFFECTS is not perfect. The second
hour drags and the climax could've been better,
realistic to be precise. Also, there should've been a
solid reason for Rahul to go back to Mallika.
Ranveer's girlfriend tying the knot with another
person is not too strong enough a reason.
Saket is a director to watch. Not once do you feel in
those 2.20 hours that you're watching a first-timer
narrate an interesting story. His choice of the
subject as also the execution of the material deserves
to be lauded. If the purpose was to make a film that
can be identified by the urban, multiplex-going
audience, it fulfills the expectations. On the flip
side, the film isn't the type that would appeal to the
masses. In fact, its appeal will be restricted to the
metros mainly.
 Pritam's
music is in sync with the mood of the film. Manoj
Soni's camerawork is only getting better with every
film. The usage of vibrant colors [art: Omung Kumar]
accentuates the impact.
Rahul Bose plays his part with amazing ease. In fact,
the actor is natural to the core, handling the most
complex scenes with flourish. Mallika Sherawat does a
fine job, complimenting Rahul at every step. In fact,
the scenes between Rahul and Mallika are the mainstay
of the enterprise. The film has a number of
characters, but the ones who stand out are Aamir
Bashir, Ranveer Shorey, Sharat Saxena and Suchitra
Pillai. Sophie radiates oomph. Taraana Raja, Jas Arora
and Sapna Bhavnani are passable.
On the whole, PYAAR KE SIDE/EFFECTS has a refreshingly
different theme and is handled in an equally novel
format. At the box-office, the film caters to the
multiplex audience of metros mainly. Business beyond
multiplexes seems doubtful.
Rating:- * * 1/2
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