By Martin D’Souza, Bollywood Trade News Network

What is the recipe for a successful Bollywood flick? Simple: Good script, good music, impressive background score, dialogues that arrest your attention and a good cast that can take the story onto the screen from the storyboard. LIFE MEIN KABHIE KABHIEE has all of this, which is what makes the movie likeable. Moreover, it also has politics, drama, love, intrigue and betrayal. But what it does not have is a fix on time. When all films today get over in less than two hours, this movie lingers a little longer, which takes away some impact.

Producer Gordhan Tanwani who gave us movies like PYAAR TO HONA HI THAN, ISHQ, and TARZAN THE WONDER CAR has done it again. This time with Vikram Bhatt in the director’s chair. LIFE MEIN KABHIE KABHIEE is a very young film and the timing of the release (when the summer vacations have begun) cannot be faulted. Five youngsters want to achieve happiness and how they go about it and what their interpretation of happiness is is what the film is all about. Is it money? Is it Power? Is it success or is it fame? In the end, it also leaves a message for today’s youth.

In the business world, it shows how a raw person who wants to achieve success at blinding speed can fail. In the glamour world, it reveals the compromises one has to make to reach to the top. When you go only after money, blinded by other things, it shows what a likely end you can have. And politics is certainly not for the fainthearted.

Aftab Shivdasani as the simpleton from among his friends gives a good performance paired opposite Koel Purie who shows her acting prowess. Both make an adorable couple. Intent on marrying Koel, Aftab woos her in the funniest of manner. The scene where he takes her out for dinner in a five star hotel is very innovative. Koel packs a punch in her performance.

Dino Morea has progressed as an actor, it’s a pity he does not get the right roles. His scenes with Mohnish Behl (who plays his elder brother) are interesting. Sameer Dattani as an aspiring politician is vulnerable. Anjori Alag as the girl who goes after money and Raj Zutshi as the Casanova are perfect. But according to me it is Nauheed Cyrusi who shines. As the girl who is in search of fame, she portrays well the emotions of dejection, confusion and cheating. Thrown to the sharks, she takes the easiest route to the top, in the bargain breaking the heart of her boyfriend played brilliantly by Anuj Sawhney. Anuj is totally in love with Nauheed. He keeps on believing her lies until the truth hits him hard. The result? Disaster!

To be honest, every actor has stayed within the limits of their character. A performance like this is rare when sometimes a few tend to go overboard. And considering these are all youngsters, kudos here goes to Vikram Bhatt.

Ratings: 3/5